The Africa Union of Economic, Social and Cultural Council, (AU-ECOSOCC) has reacted to suggestions by French Scientists that vaccines being produced for COVID-19 should be first tested on Africans.

The scientists were said to have made the suggestions considering the low mortality COVID-19 death rate recorded in Africa compared to other countries in the world.

This was conveyed in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by the Council’s Nigerian Representative, Mr Oba Olasunkanmi John.

He described the statement as yet another proof of neo-colonization, noting that Africa has served in the past as laboratories for European and American experiments.

“But to think that such level of racism can still be displayed in the 21st century and at a time like this when the whole world is grieving shows the level of contempt with which Africans are held and how derogatorily Africans in Diaspora are being treated,” he said.

He noted that the vaccine trials should rather be carried out in countries with the highest rates of COVID-19 infection adding that;” Africans will not accept to be treated as guinea pigs!”

“In as much as we all know that this virus is a global challenge being faced by almost all the countries of the world, it should not be the reason(s) for Scientists who should be guided by the Vienna convention to utter words capable of causing more harm to Africans at this period when everybody should show love and uphold that fulcrum that binds us together as humans.

“while the most recent survey shows that 65,605 people have died globally, with the United States alone has recorded 8,454 dead, China has 3,329, France has 7,560, Spain has 12,418, Italy has 15,362 deaths, Germany 1,444, UK 4,313 and Iran 3,603 compared to the entire Africa that has so far recorded 280 deaths. It is not out of place to point out that the mortality rate among the G20 member countries is much higher than the entire Africa countries put together,” it further read.