In his remarks, Blinken stressed the need for US leadership and said the government was exploring options to share more vaccine doses with other countries.
Blinken said the U.S. has so far lent vaccines to Canada and Mexico and hopes to work with global partners to make sure there is enough vaccination worldwide.
“We hear you,” Blinken said, assuring countries that the US is “moving as fast as possible” and has no interest in trading shots for political favors.
“As we gain more confidence in our vaccine supply here at home, we are exploring options to share more with other countries going forward,” he said. “We believe we can do much more in this position. I know many countries are asking the United States to do more. ”
Smith, chief executive of the ONE campaign to end extreme poverty and preventable diseases, will “be on temporary allocation to the State Department”, the organization said in a release.
“If the virus moves faster than us, it wins,” Smith said after Blinken announced. “But with unity of purpose, science, vigilance and leadership, we can surpass any virus.”