Lebanon Signs Agreement to Produce Sputnik V Vaccine

Arab World

June 1st, 6:19am

Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat

A medical specialist holds a vial of Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus in a department store in Moscow, Russia, January 18, 2021 REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/File Photo/File Photo

Lebanon’s caretaker Industry Minister Imad Hoballah announced Monday that an agreement will be signed next week to start producing Russia's Sputnik V vaccine in Lebanon. “During the second week of June, a deal will be signed to produce Sputnik vaccine in Lebanon, through Arwan Pharmaceutical Industries,” Hoballah said following a meeting with President Michel Aoun in Baabda palace. According to Hoballah, this will allow Lebanon to produce 30 to 60 million vaccines annually, provided that the company begins to manufacture the vaccine as soon as the imported raw materials are shipped from Russia. The Arwan Pharmaceutical Industries is a Lebanese company located in the town of Jadra on the Chouf coast, in Iqlim al-Kharroub region. For his part, Arwan’s Chairman of the Board Abdul Razzaq Youssef said that within a period not exceeding two months, the company will start production and manufacture. In a separate development, Hoballah tackled Monday with Aoun the issue of Lebanese exports to Saudi Arabia, expressing Lebanon’s readiness to use the needed tools to prevent illegal exports. He said that Lebanon might sending a delegation to visit KSA and hold talks in this regard.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3002891/lebanon-signs-agreement-produce-sputnik-v-vaccine