Turkey's Erdogan says COVID-19 vaccine must be for everyone

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan said in an address to the United Nations on Tuesday any future COVID-19 vaccine should be universally available, regardless of where it is produced.

"I am calling from here once again for the procurement of medical equipment and medicine, and vaccine efforts not to be made into a topic of competition," Erdogan said in a video address to the U.N. General Assembly, which is holding a virtual meeting because of the global coronavirus pandemic.

"No matter what country they are produced in, vaccines that are made ready to be administered should be presented to the common use of humanity," he said.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Jonathan Spicer)