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Rabat – Morocco is to become the 2nd or 3rd global supplier of COVID-19 vaccine within four to five years thanks to the Benslimane factory, says Samir Machour, an international expert in industrial biotechnology.
The country’s vaccine ambitions stretch far beyond the end of the pandemic, specifies the expert. Morocco will supply 60% of COVID-19 jabs delivered in Africa by 2030, a critical measure has given that 85% of the population in Africa remains unvaccinated.
Once Morocco reaches the target production capacity, Africa will be on its way to reach vaccine independence by 2040, says Mashour.
After setting up a manufacturing unit for vaccine syringes, Morocco has the potential to become an “indispensable” part of the global COVID-19 vaccines supply chain, the Moroccan expert argues.
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Machour also told Morocco’s News Agency that the Benslimane factory, inaugurated by King Mohammed VI last Thursday, will put Morocco on the map of global vaccine supplies by 2030.
The strategic project will help Morocco acquire the technical know-how relating to the development of vaccines, paving the way for the creation of vaccine research and development units within Moroccan universities and institutions.
According to Machour, this will further contribute to the development of a vaccine-friendly manufacturing ecosystem in Morocco.
He underscored that Morocco’s ultimate goal is to reach vaccine self-sufficiency. Commenting on the project, Machour said that the syringe manufacturing unit is the first stage of a three-stage plan that includes a vaccine research-development stage.
The Benslimane production unit is expected to produce 160 units by the end of 2022, covering Morocco’s vaccine needs, according to Machour.
The production’s capacity will go further up in 2025 to reach 900 million units, catering to six to nine billion vaccine doses, providing the necessary export production capacity, Machour says.
The factory will produce the actual COVID-19 vaccine at the second phase, with the scientific development of Moroccan-patented biotechnology projected to start around 2025.
Read Also: King Mohammed VI Launches Construction of Largest Vaccine Manufacturing Unit in Africa
