Un faro en la oscuridad: México y la resolución 74/274 de la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas

On 20 April 2020, the United Nations General Assembly adopted its resolution 74/274 entitled “International cooperation to ensure global access to medicines, vaccines and medical equipment to face COVID-19”. This Mexican initiative, which was endorsed by 179 Member States, was the first substantive and action-oriented decision adopted by the United Nations in the face of the worst sanitary crisis of our time. This multilateral achievement was accompanied by a complex negotiation process, aggravated by the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 to the diplomatic practice in full. This article recounts the sui generis negotiation process that took place last year, emphasizing the working methods available, the obstacles faced by the Mexican delegation, the adjustments to the text and, finally, the scope of resolution 74/274 which has now become more relevant in light of the ongoing process of access and distribution of vaccines.