The government of the People’s Republic of China has pledged US$ 100 million to the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC)
This latest pledge brings the total raised for the Gavi COVAX AMC to nearly US$ 10 billion
The Gavi COVAX AMC is a financing mechanism that aims to provide donor-funded doses of COVID-19 vaccines to cover nearly 30% of the population across low- and middle-income countries by early 2022
Geneva, 6 August 2021 – The Government of the People’s Republic of China (China) has pledged US$ 100 million to the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (Gavi COVAX AMC). The announcement, made at the International Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine Cooperation, hosted by China, is the country’s largest voluntary pledge to an international organisation to-date.
This latest donor pledge brings the total amount raised for the Gavi COVAX AMC, the mechanism which enables supply of donor-funded vaccines to 92 low- and middle-income countries, to nearly US$ 10 billion – further reaffirming the role of COVAX as the only global, multilateral response focused on equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines regardless of income level.
“We welcome this contribution from China, which will enable further access to COVID-19 vaccines for the most at risk in low- and middle-income countries,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which leads on procurement and delivery at scale for COVAX and manages the COVAX Facility as well as the Gavi COVAX AMC. “In a time of vaccine inequity combined with the rising threat of variants, it is more important than ever for countries and manufacturers to come together to support COVAX in delivering on its vision of global equitable access.”
China first became a donor to Gavi in 2015, with US$ 25 million pledged in total to-date towards Gavi’s core work on routine immunisation.
“China will continue to do its best to help other lower income countries cope with the COVID-19 pandemic”, said President Xi Jinping of China, “and we stand ready to work with international organizations to advance vaccine cooperation to protect communities for a shared future.”
COVAX has delivered more than 188 million doses to 138 countries to date – the majority to lower-income countries supported by the Gavi COVAX AMC – with delivery of supplies secured both via COVAX Facility deals as well as dose donations picking up pace over the last few weeks.
COVAX anticipates supplying its participants with more than 2 billion doses by early 2022, including at least 1.8 billion donor-funded doses to be made available to AMC participants.
Notes to editors
The latest version of the Gavi COVAX AMC Pledge Table is available here.
The latest version of the COVAX Dose Donation Pledge Table is available here.
The latest COVAX Facility Supply Forecast is available here.
The latest information on COVAX deliveries is available here.
About COVAX
COVAX, the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, is co-led by CEPI, Gavi and WHO – working in partnership with developed and developing country vaccine manufacturers, UNICEF, PAHO, the World Bank, and others. It is the only global initiative that is working with governments and manufacturers to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are available worldwide to both high-income and lower-income countries.
Gavi’s role in COVAX
Gavi leads on procurement and delivery at scale for COVAX: designing and managing the COVAX Facility and the Gavi COVAX AMC and working with its traditional Alliance partners UNICEF and WHO, along with governments, on country readiness and delivery. As part of this role, Gavi hosts the Office of the COVAX Facility to coordinate the operation and governance of the mechanism as a whole, holds financial and legal relationships with 193 Facility participants, and manages the COVAX Facility deals portfolio: negotiating advance purchase agreements with manufacturers of promising vaccine candidates to secure doses on behalf of all COVAX Facility participants. Gavi also coordinates design, operationalisation and fundraising for the Gavi COVAX AMC, the mechanism that provides access to donor-funded doses of vaccine to 92 lower-income economies. As part of this work, Gavi provides funding and oversight for UNICEF procurement and delivery of vaccines to all AMC participants – operationalising the advance purchase agreements between Gavi and manufacturers – as well as support for partners’ and governments work on readiness and delivery. This includes tailored support to governments, UNICEF, WHO and other partners for cold chain equipment, technical assistance, syringes, vehicles, and other aspects of the vastly complex logistical operation for delivery. Gavi also co-designed, raises funds for and supports the operationalisation of the AMC’s no-fault compensation mechanism as well as the COVAX Humanitarian Buffer.
About Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunise a whole generation – over 822 million children – and prevented more than 14 million deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 73 lower-income countries. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningitis and yellow fever vaccines. After two decades of progress, Gavi is now focused on protecting the next generation and reaching the unvaccinated children still being left behind, employing innovative finance and the latest technology – from drones to biometrics – to save millions more lives, prevent outbreaks before they can spread and help countries on the road to self-sufficiency. Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. View the full list of donor governments and other leading organizations that fund Gavi’s work here.
MEDIA CONTACTS
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Cirũ Kariũki
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