New York [US], December 4 (ANI/Sputnik): The United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO) should declare COVID-19 vaccines global public goods, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said at the UN General Assembly on Thursday.

"President, it is crucial that the vaccine or vaccines to address coronavirus be declared by the United Nations and by the World Health Organization as global public goods," Maduro, speaking virtually, said at the 31st Special Session of the General Assembly in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Also Read | Italy Reports Highest Single-Day Spike of 993 COVID-19 Deaths; Coronavirus Fatality-Toll Reaches 58,038.

Global Public Goods (GPGs) are non-excludable goods that benefit all countries and/or deal with issues like global warming that require collective international action, according to WHO experts.

Maduro said the pandemic can only be overcome through a joint response from humanity and based on science.

Also Read | Ranjitsinh Disale Wins Global Teacher Prize 2020; Know More About The Indian School Teacher Who Promoted Girls’ Education.

After becoming the first country in the world to approve the US-German vaccine candidate, the UK authorities announced on Wednesday that the immunization campaign will begin as early as next week.

Other countries, including Russia, have also developed vaccines. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered his government to begin a large-scale vaccine campaign next week.

Russia emerged as a leader in vaccine development with two of its products, Sputnik V, developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Institute, and EpiVacCorona, developed by Siberia's research center Vector, completing Phase 3 clinical trials. (ANI/Sputnik)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)