Vol. 11(1), pp. 20 -25. November, 2023. 

ISSN: 2360-784X

https://doi.org/10.14662/ijpsd2023060

 

Full Length Research

 

Abstract

Pandemics are not a new occurrence in the International System as from the 20th to the 21st centuries the global community has suffered from the outbreak of several of such pandemics. Hence, 2020 became a defining year that reshaped the global understanding of the response to pandemics. Such was because the world stood still as nations scrambled to respond to the outbreak of Covid-19 across borders. The World Health Organization and States around the world responded by accelerating vaccine development to halt this silent enemy, yet with the development of the first batch of vaccines, something unnerving occurred, states began hoarding vaccines in the name of national health priorities. Such action has been termed Vaccine Nationalism and went against the principles of international cooperation that has been preached by the promoters of liberal institutionalism and globalization. Such action, “Vaccine Nationalism” has most prominently been felt by developing nations especially in Africa, who lacking the capacity to rapidly develop their Vaccines on the continent look to the ideal of internationalism to gain such critical resources. The impact of said nationalism on Africa’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic is the focus of this article. In undertaking such analysis this study adopted neo-realism as its theoretical framework, as it explains the issues inherent in the research. Likewise, for methodology this study adopted the qualitative method, making use of secondary data for its source and content analysis for its analysis. From this article findings, it can be established that Africa is most vulnerable to the interplay of Vaccine Nationalism that is occurring in the international system, such an occurrence affect the speed at which Africa will come out of the pandemic and make Africa social, political, health, economic and security internal structure vulnerable to spike and new waves resulting from Covid-19. Also, finding shows that the pandemic in Africa because of Vaccine Nationalism, Africa will remain cut off from the world and isolated as the conflict is most likely going to be the last region in the world to be Vaccinated. In making recommendations, this study recommends that Vaccine Nationalism is most likely going to damage the gains of institutionalism as nations around the world will focus more on nationalism than international cooperation which will have serious implications for the world, state practising Vaccine Nationalism should do well to remove it. Also, the promotion of Vaccine Nationalism will mean that it will take greater time for global herd immunity to achieve harming the various national interest developed states want to protect, as they will still be exposed to the pandemic from other regions of the world, so Vaccine Nationalism should be abolished.

 

Keywords: Pandemic, Covid-19, Vaccine, Vaccine Nationalism, Africa’s Recovery

 

	Cite This Article As: INEH-DUMBI, M.I. (2023). Vaccine Nationalism and its Impacts on Africa’s Recovery to Covid-19. Int. J. Polit. Sci. Develop. 11(1):20-25