GAVI COVAX Advance Market Commitment Summit 2022

One Third of Humanity Still Unvaccinated, Secretary-General Tells GAVI COVAX Advance Market Commitment Summit 2022, Citing ‘Deeply Unequal World’
8 April 2022
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Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the GAVI COVAX Advance Market Commitment Summit 2022, “One World Protected – Break COVID Now”, in New York today:
I commend the Government of Germany and GAVI for organizing this important Summit.  This gathering is a critical reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over.

We’re seeing 1.5 million new cases each day.  Large outbreaks are spreading in Asia.  A new wave is sweeping across Europe.  And some countries are reporting their highest death rates since the start of the pandemic.

Omicron is a startling reminder of how quickly COVID-19 can mutate and spread, especially in the absence of high vaccination coverage.  Some high-income countries are preparing for their second booster doses.  And yet one third of humanity remains unvaccinated.  This is a brutal indictment of our deeply unequal world.  It’s also a prime breeding ground for new variants, more deaths and increased human and economic misery.  The next variant is not a question of “if”.  It’s a question of “when”.

We are far from our target of every country reaching 70 per cent vaccination coverage by the middle of this year.  And with new variants emerging every four months on average, time is of the essence.  Supply is not the issue.  Manufacturers are producing 1.5 billion doses per month.  And thanks to its remarkable procurement, shipment and delivery system, the COVAX Facility and its Advance Market Commitment mechanism has managed to deliver 1.2 billion doses so far to countries in need.

This proves that progress is possible.  But, the window is closing fast.  Governments and pharmaceutical companies need to work better together to deliver vaccines to every person, everywhere — not just in wealthy countries.  This means countries fulfilling and accelerating dose-sharing and donation commitments to COVAX with better quality of supply.  And it means having strong national vaccinedelivery systems at the ready — including efforts to counter disinformation and get vaccines into arms.

I also call on countries to commit new funding for the ACT-Accelerator and COVAX this year.  And we need to help all countries prepare for future pandemics by multiplying the number of countries able to locally produce tests, vaccines and treatments.  So, we can save lives quickly and equitably when the next variant or pandemic strikes.  And ultimately, build stronger health systems that are accessible to all.

Investments today will not only save lives.  They will strengthen overwhelmed health systems for the future, and help all countries move closer to sustainable recovery.  The COVID-19 pandemic is not over.  But, it can be.  Let’s end it together.

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World leaders commit US$ 4.8 billion to help Break COVID Now
2022 Break COVID Now Summit co-hosted by Gavi, alongside Germany (G7 President), Ghana, Indonesia (G20 President), and Senegal (African Union chair) reaffirms support for COVAX and global solidarity in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic
Summit sees US$ 4.8 billion in commitments, securing vital cash to help lower-income countries boost vaccinations now, secure equitable access for new vaccine procurements plus additional help for countries looking to procure their own vaccines in the future. Indonesia’s President, leading the G20 this year, extended his support for the launch of the Pandemic Vaccine Pool as a key instrument for response and resiliency.
Professor José Manuel Barroso, Chair of the Gavi Board, said: “We welcome this incredible show of global solidarity from so many stakeholders at a time when the world faces multiple challenges.”

Geneva, 8 April 2022 – The 2022 Break COVID Now Summit, co-hosted by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance alongside the governments of Germany, Ghana, Indonesia and Senegal saw world leaders come together to reaffirm support for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and acting urgently to break COVID now.

With Germany, Indonesia and Senegal holding Presidencies in the G7, G20 and AU respectively, the Summit represented an affirmation of the international community’s support for COVAX’s multilateral approach to vaccine equity. The event also successfully secured commitments valued at US$ 4.8 billion for the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), the mechanism which supports equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for lower-income countries.

These commitments mean a total of US$ 1.7 billion in new sovereign donor pledges towards the 2022 AMC fundraising ask, as well as US$ 2.1 billion worth of commitments via new innovative financial mechanisms provided by the EIB and the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and least US$ 1 billion made available by three multilateral development banks (MDBs) – World Bank, Asian Development Bank and European Investment Bank (EIB).

The commitments made will enable COVAX to provide urgent delivery support for lower-income countries and ensure dose donations can be shipped and administered. They have also enabled Gavi to launch the Pandemic Vaccine Pool to support future procurement of new COVID-19 vaccines, on behalf of COVAX AMC participants, should they be needed. Commitments from MDBs enable low-cost financing for these countries to purchase additional vaccines beyond those that are donor-funded.

New donor commitments made to the Gavi COVAX AMC include:
Japan, co-host of the 2021 AMC Summit, pledged US$ 500 million
Germany, co-host of today’s Break COVID Now Summit, pledged EUR 400 million
Canada pledged CAD 220 million
Brazil pledged US$ 86.7 million
European Commission EUR 75 million
Australia pledged AUD 85 million
Finland pledged EUR 2 million
Iceland pledged ISK 250 million
Luxembourg pledged EUR 1 million
Vietnam pledged US$ 500,000
Regional Government of Catalonia, Spain pledged EUR 290’000
Provincial Council of Bizkaia, Spain pledged EUR 100’000
Estonia pledged EUR 40,000
Malta pledged EUR 40,000
Workday Foundation pledged US$ 300,000
CODE(RED) Campaign pledged US$ 200,000
Other donors also pledged a total of US$ 122.6 million

The pledges made today build on top of the commitments made at the 2022 One World Protected event, which launched the 2022 AMC Investment Opportunity on 19 January.

A number of countries and groups expressed intention to make additional contributions to COVAX, including in support of the Pandemic Vaccine Pool, but were unable to announce today due to their budgetary processes and the short timeline of this emergency appeal…