Gaddafi broke protocol by stretching his 15-minute speech to 90 minutes.
The then Chairperson of the African Union – wore a brown traditional Libyan outfit with a black African continent brooch pinned to his chest – he was introduced as the “Leader of the Revolution of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, President of the African Union and King of African Kings.”
His speech touched on a myriad of issues including making a strong case for a permanent seat for Africa on the United Nations Security Council.
But a part of his address that has had some relevance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic was his pronouncements on vaccine.
“We are addressing the phenomena of piracy and terrorism in the wrong way. Today there is swine flu. Perhaps tomorrow there will be fish flu, because sometimes we produce viruses by controlling them. It is a commercial business. Capitalist companies produce viruses so that they can generate and sell vaccinations.
“That is very shameful and poor ethics. Vaccinations and medicine should not be sold. In The Green Book, I maintain that medicines should not be sold or subject to commercialization.
“Medicines should be free of charge and vaccinations given free to children, but capitalist companies produce the viruses and vaccinations and want to make a profit. Why are they not free of charge? We should give them free of charge, and not sell them.
“The entire world should strive to protect our people, create and manufacture vaccinations and give them free to children and women, and not profit by them. All those items are on the agenda of the General Assembly, which has only to exercise that duty,” he stressed.
