The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on developed countries to support Africa's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guterres made the call on the occasion of the Africa Day, observed every year on May 25.

"COVID-19 has exposed deep-seated inequalities and endangered hard-won development gains throughout Africa and beyond," the U.N. chief said.

'On this Africa Day, I renew my call to developed nations to stand in solidarity with the continent."

By Tuesday, Africa had reported 4,768,416 COVID-19 infections with 128,718 deaths.

Many countries have rolled out mass vaccination programs, but these have recently faced challenges as the vital jabs become unavailable.

A vaccine patent waiver proposal fronted by South Africa and India hopes to allow more countries to manufacture the life-saving shots, thereby enabling more people in poor countries access the vaccines.

Earlier this month, the U.N. chef expressed his support for the proposal, noting that it would boost the world's response to the pandemic.

"It opens the opportunity for vaccine producers to share the knowledge and technology that will allow the effective expansion of locally-produced vaccines and can significantly increase the supply to the COVAX facility," he said.

"We must also ensure that countries have the materials required to produce these vaccines. We are all agreed: none of us will be safe from the virus until all of us are safe."