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Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) turned to the United States and China as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened and vaccines became a requirement for a return to daily life. The United States has donated over 61 million vaccine doses to the region both bilaterally and through COVAX; China’s donations are around 10 million, but it has sold up to 285 million. Vaccine deliveries have come alongside high-profile photo ops, new bonds with regional leaders, and new avenues for geopolitical competition. 

How did regional leaders court US and Chinese vaccine assistance? How is pandemic diplomacy shaping the region’s geopolitical conversation?  And what can be learned from vaccine acquisition for the next phase of the current pandemic and possible future ones?

Join the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, from 3:00 to 4:00 pm ET for a public, virtual conversation on how US and Chinese vaccine diplomacy fared during the pandemic. The discussion will mark the launch of a report, “US-China Vaccine Diplomacy: Lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean,” that features key regional insights from Mexico, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, and Central America. Report authors will join the conversation.  

This event is in collaboration with the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub.

Speakers* 

Dr. Daniel Salinas
Minister of Public Health
Oriental Republic of Uruguay

María Eugenia Brizuela de Ávila 
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs 
El Salvador;
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center 
Atlantic Council 

Ambassador Riyad Insanally 
Former Ambassador to the United States of America 
Co-operative Republic of Guyana;
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center Caribbean Initiative 
Atlantic Council 

Bosco Martí
Global Director of Institutional Affairs and Communications 
Aleatica;
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center 
Atlantic Council 

Claudia Trevisan 
Executive Director 
Brazil-China Business Council 

*Additional speakers to be confirmed

Moderator

Jason Marczak 
Senior Director 
Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center 
Atlantic Council 

Read the report

Report

Feb 23, 2022

US-China vaccine diplomacy: Lessons from Latin America and the Caribbean

By María Eugenia Brizuela de Ávila, Bosco Marti, Riyad Insanally and Claudia Trevisan

The implications of diverging COVID-19 responses, notably at the onset of the pandemic’s rise in the region, will reverberate beyond the health sector. What might the differing US and China pandemic approaches portend for future influence in the region? 

Caribbean China

The Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center broadens understanding of regional transformations and delivers constructive, results-oriented solutions to inform how the public and private sectors can advance hemispheric prosperity.

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