British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (L) is given the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by a nurse at St Thomas' Hospital in London, Britain. (Photo: Xinhua/ VNA)

Speaking in an interview broadcast Sunday by Canadian public channel CBC, Johnson said that he sees a vaccine certification regime, or vaccine passport, as just one part of an international pandemic preparedness treaty that would set approaches to deal with pandemics.

He said it's critical to ensure that surplus vaccine doses ordered by developed countries such as Canada and the UK are shared with low-income countries as quickly as possible.

He also said instead of vaccinating the whole world by 2024 or 2025, which is on track with the current timetable, it is essential to get this done by the end of 2022.

Johnson will host an online summit of the G7 economic powers late next week in Cornwall, at the southwestern tip of England.