Italian Premier Mario Draghi says the uneven global economic recovery and the “grossly unequal” access to Covid-19 vaccines, especially in Africa, are making it harder to end the pandemic.

Draghi noted that close to 60 per cent of the population of high-income countries have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while in low-income nations, only 1.4pc have, AP reported.

“The global economy is just as uneven,” said Draghi, a former European Central Bank chief. He pointed out that emerging market and low-income countries have spent a far lower percentage of their GDP to boost growth after the pandemic’s economic shock.

“We must do more — much more — to help the countries that are most in need,” said Draghi.