The issue of registration of the Russian coronavirus vaccine "Sputnik V" produced by Gamaleya Research Center is currently under consideration by the Moroccan Ministry of Health with the prospect of its further delivery to the North African kingdom, Russian Trade Representative in Morocco Artem Tsinamdzgvrishvili told TASS correspondent.
"At present, the Ministry of Health of Morocco is working on the registration of the Russian vaccine "Sputnik V" from COVID-19 with the prospect of further implementation of its supplies to the kingdom," he said. According to the agency's interlocutor, "the estimated volume of Russian vaccine supplies at the initial stage may allow vaccinating more than 20 percent of the Moroccan population".
"A local partner is needed to market the Russian vaccine in the kingdom. It is the Moroccan pharmaceutical company Galenica, which in September 2020 signed a cooperation agreement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to supply the vaccine "Sputnik V" to Morocco," Tsinamdzgvrishvili continued.
"The choice of the Moroccan partner was not accidental. Galenica has a developed production infrastructure and will be able to ensure not only the promotion of the vaccine in Morocco but also its entry into the markets of other countries of the African continent, where the company has many years of well-established business relationships and contacts. It is important to emphasize that Galenica is the only pharmaceutical laboratory in Africa, which received the Russian GMP certificate in 2018 (confirms the compliance of the manufacturer of drugs with the requirements of good manufacturing practice and compliance of the manufacturing process at the enterprise with all the requirements of international standards), - said the sales representative of the Russian Federation. - "In the future, in case of expediency, Galenica is ready to receive technologies and organization of Russian vaccine production in Morocco".
Advantages of Morocco
According to Tsinamdzgvrishvili, "the choice of Morocco as a promising platform on the African continent to promote the Russian COVID-19 vaccine has several objective advantages". "Due to the availability of free trade area agreements with the EU states, the USA, Turkey, a number of Arab and African countries, Morocco's production site may become a hub for vaccine supplies to other countries in the region. Positioning Morocco as a center of the political influence of West Africa, a socio-economic leader and one of the largest investors in the region may help promote Russian products to other countries of the continent," he explained.
"It is also important to note the presence of an attractive investment regime in Morocco - the state fully encourages the implementation of innovative projects in the country, including localization of production and technology transfer. In addition, Morocco's pharmaceutical market is one of the largest and fastest-growing country markets on the African continent," the TASS interlocutor concluded.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Mikhail Japaridze / TASS