MERCOSUR

On July 2, the President of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou, assumed the pro tempore presidency of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur). The presidents of the bloc’s other member States signed a joint communiqué to reaffirm future commitments as well as another statement expressing the will to continue working together. 

In the latter, the Mercosur member States commit “to safeguard the human rights of all people in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic, without any type of discrimination, regarding their physical and mental health and their access to health services, medicines, medical treatments and adequate information to prevent contagion, and to redouble efforts to find answers in the current situation of pandemic.”

Specifically for the health sector, the focus was placed on promoting horizontal collaboration between members on the following issues: the development of public health capabilities and competencies to contain and control the pandemic; the transfer of technologies and the conclusion of agreements allowing for the availability of vaccines, treatments and new technologies; articulating harmonized epidemiological surveillance measures, health controls at borders and the promotion of access to medicines.