THE World Trade Organisation's (WTO) leaders on Monday issued a statement on Monday, urging members for heightened cooperation to guarantee rapid and expansive worldwide distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines.

"The pandemic is a global problem. This challenge calls for heightened international cooperation, including ensuring the global availability of vaccines," said the WTO's four deputy directors-general in a joint statement.

Referring to the importance of trade cooperation in accelerating access to vital medical supplies, including the COVID-19 vaccine, they called on all members to ensure the cross-border flow of goods and services.

"We call upon members to work together towards making vaccines available to all," they said.

However, WTO members have been locked in a deep rift over the Intellectual Property (IP) rules governing vaccines, with India and South Africa taking the lead to ask for a waiver. The United States and the European Union have stated that patents and other IP rules are not creating barriers for vaccine administration.

"IP is fundamental to vital collaborations to develop, manufacture and distribute treatments and cures," the US said at a January 19 meeting of WTO's Council on Trade-Related Aspects of IP Rights.

"To date, proponents of the proposed waiver have not provided evidence to support their claim that IP has created a widespread, significant access barrier for COVID-19 products," it remarked.

The WTO joint statement on Monday said, "The war against the pandemic can only be won when universal coverage in vaccination is achieved."

Their call to action comes after the EU implemented export controls on coronavirus vaccines to ensure access for all its citizens to tackle the "current lack of transparency of vaccine exports outside the EU."

The WTO has maintained since the beginning of the pandemic that global action, solidarity and international cooperation are necessary to address the health situation.