Second Global COVID-19 Summit

2nd COVID-⁠19 Co-Host Statement
May 12, 2022 The White House – Statements and Releases
Maintaining the momentum for pandemic response and Prioritizing Preparedness

On May 12, under the leadership of the United States, Belize, Germany, Indonesia, and Senegal, global leaders from across the world’s economies, civil society, and the private sector gathered for the 2nd Global COVID-19 Summit.  Summit participants made major new policy and financial commitments to make vaccines available to those at highest risk, to expand access to tests and treatments, and to prevent future health crises.  These are linked here.  Success in these areas is achievable, but it is not inevitable; leaders reinforced the value of whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches to bring the acute phase of COVID-19 to an end, and the importance of being  prepared for future pandemic threats. The Summit was focused on preventing complacency, recognizing the pandemic is not over; protecting the most vulnerable, including the elderly, immunocompromised people, and frontline and health workers; and preventing future health crises, recognizing now is the time to secure political and financial commitment for pandemic preparedness.

The Summit catalyzed bold commitments.  Financially, leaders committed to provide $3.2 billion in new funding – additional to previous 2022 pledges, while acknowledging the need is still great.  This includes nearly $2.5 billion for COVID-19 and related response activities and $712 million in new commitments toward a new pandemic preparedness and global health security fund at the World Bank. (Note: This builds on $250 million previously pledged for this fund.) These funds will accelerate access to vaccinations, testing, and treatments, and they will contribute to a new pandemic preparedness and global health security fund housed at the World Bank.

Leaders also made robust national commitments to expand and accelerate vaccine coverage, in particular for their at-risk populations; to expand access to testing and treatments; to protect and support the health workforce and increase domestic budgets for health systems strengthening; and to advance health security, including through the new fund.

 

World leaders identified three major Summit outcomes.
:: Prioritizing the highest risk populations to save lives.  First, great progress has been made in fighting COVID-19, but the pandemic is not over and the next health crisis can strike at any time – likely while the world is still battling COVID-19.  Summit participants committed to double down on their collective efforts to control COVID-19, and we will enhance our focus on the highest risk populations, including the elderly, the immunocompromised, and healthcare and frontline workers – so that SARS-CoV-2 becomes a manageable respiratory pathogen everywhere.

Expanding access to countermeasures– for COVID-19 and future threats. Second, the pandemic has led to major advances in developing and delivering life-saving vaccines, tests, treatments, personal protective equipment, and other supplies.  Participants especially expressed support for the ACT-Accelerator, as the multilateral mechanism deploying these needed supplies. And yet, the pandemic also underscored major longstanding inequities in access to new countermeasures, especially for low- and lower middle-income countries.  Summit participants committed to finding sustainable and predictable solutions for early warning systems and to developing a cohesive global roadmap for local and regional access to medical countermeasures, personal protective equipment, and other lifesaving supplies for potentially pandemic diseases, as well as expanding access to manufacturing and research, including the concept of regional hubs for pandemic preparedness and response around the world.

Maintaining the momentum for pandemic response and prioritizing preparedness.  Finally, no country was fully prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic.  As a result, over 6 million people around the world have lost their lives, trillions of dollars have been lost from the global economy, and gains in global health and towards the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been reversed.  Summit participants committed to maintain the political will needed to establish national, regional, and global capacity for health security and pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, including for training a strong network of experts to ensure readiness for future outbreaks with pandemic potential.  They supported the efforts of the G20 and other partners to establish a pandemic preparedness and global health security fund housed at the World Bank, working in close cooperation with WHO, and they committed to support locally-led solutions to expand and protect the health workforce and minimize disruptions to routine and essential health services…

 

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2nd Global COVID-⁠19 Summit Commitments
May 12, 2022
Specific commitments made by approximately 48 regional governance bodies and nation states, as well as 50+ NGOs, private sector organizations and philanthropies, are listed here. We highlight selected announcements below:

 

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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Commits up to US$125 Million to Help End the Acute Phase of COVID-19 and Prevent the Next Pandemic
WASHINGTON, D.C., and SEATTLE (May 12, 2022) – Today, Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, announced a new financial commitment of up to US$125 million to help end the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future pandemics. In remarks made remotely at the Global COVID-19 Summit, Gates said the new funding will go toward strengthening health systems in low-income countries, enhancing integrated disease monitoring, expanding access to pandemic tools, and helping countries manage COVID-19 alongside other pressing health needs.
…“The world was not ready for this pandemic, but we know how to prevent the next one,” said Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Gates Foundation. “Every sector has a role to play in achieving global health security, and the foundation is calling on countries and other funders to make the investments needed to create a safer, more equitable world.”
Strong disease surveillance systems are critical to effectively identifying and monitoring the spread of emerging infectious diseases. As part of this new commitment, the foundation will fund the advancement of global, regional, and country-level integrated disease surveillance to ensure that all countries—particularly low- and middle-income countries—have the core capabilities to respond faster and more effectively to the next pandemic threat.
The new funding will also help build the capacity of vaccine manufacturers in low- and middle-income countries to accelerate the development and equitable delivery of safe and effective vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics in the event of a future pandemic. This will, in turn, help countries improve their capacity to address endemic infectious diseases and respond to emerging pathogens.
The Gates Foundation has long supported vaccine manufacturers—in both the public and private sectors—in countries such as India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, South Africa, and Brazil. The unique capacity of these manufacturers to produce life-saving vaccines on a large scale has dramatically improved health around the world by addressing a range of diseases, including meningitis A, rotavirus, and now COVID-19.
The new funding will help address access barriers to innovations such as mRNA vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. Tt will also support ongoing foundation investments in strengthening health systems and global health security, which are part of the foundation’s longstanding commitment to improving health equity.
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DFC financing up to US$ 1 billion for Gavi COVID-19 vaccine and ancillary supply purchase and delivery
Announced at the White House COVID-19 Summit, the new COVAX Rapid Financing Facility will provide access to funding that the COVAX AMC needs to respond to unforeseen risks.
This innovative financing facility will allow Gavi to monetize COVAX AMC pledges soon after sovereign and private sector donors make them for more immediate and impactful response times.
DFC’s investment is its largest-ever healthcare project and contributes to the Corporation’s Global Health and Prosperity Initiative, which supports the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthening health resilience in developing countries.

Washington / Geneva, 12 May 2022 – The White House today announced that US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance have partnered to create the COVAX Rapid Financing Facility, which will provide up to US$ 1 billion to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine and ancillary supply purchase and delivery on behalf of developing countries participating in the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC).

The aim of this new innovative financing instrument is to allow Gavi to monetize sovereign and private sector pledges to the COVAX AMC and consequently maximize impact by minimizing waiting time for the funding. This tool will give the COVAX AMC additional liquidity to support the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, including variant-adapted doses, in response to risks and shocks, and it will enable COVAX to act quickly to secure access to extra doses.

“DFC’s US$ 1 billion investment will accelerate COVID-19 vaccine availability for less-developed countries around the world,” said DFC CEO Scott Nathan. “DFC’s strong partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s effort to ensure more countries can acquire safe, reliable vaccines to advance the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“We are grateful to DFC and the US Government for this important new financing tool, which will speed the availability of funding COVAX needs to close the still-stubborn COVID vaccine equity gap,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which manages the COVAX Facility. “With this new tool, COVAX can better respond to the next twist and turn of the pandemic and manage risks that countries can’t face alone.”

 

The COVAX Rapid Financing Facility is particularly useful to donors who, due to budgetary or other considerations, wish to make payment to Gavi over the next four years.  

…Pending the finalization of an agreement between DFC and Gavi, the US$ 1 billion facility will strengthen COVAX’s capacity to provide many countries access to safe, reliable COVID-19 vaccines to help improve health conditions and boost economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic.

DFC’s investment is its largest-ever healthcare project and contributes to the Corporation’s Global Health and Prosperity Initiative, which supports the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthening health resilience in developing countries. Through the initiative, DFC is working to catalyze US$ 5 billion in projects that bolster health systems, support infrastructure development, and expand access to clean water, sanitation, and nutrition.

 

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NIH Licenses COVID-19 Research Tools and Early-Stage Technologies to WHO Program
May 12, 2022 | News Release
Today at the second Global COVID-19 Summit, President Biden announced that the Biden-Harris administration, through the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), has licensed 11 COVID-19 research tools and early-stage vaccine and diagnostic candidates to the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) through the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP). The licenses will allow manufacturers from all around the world to work with MPP and C-TAP to use these technologies for the potential development of COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics to benefit people living in low- and middle-income countries. Included in the technologies licensed is the SARS-CoV-2 stabilized spike protein—a patented invention included in multiple COVID-19 vaccines.

C-TAP aims to boost global supply of vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics for COVID-19 by facilitating the sharing of intellectual property, knowledge, and data with quality-assured manufacturers that have capacity to scale up production. NIH scientists regularly make discoveries—both patented and unpatented—that can be transferred to the private sector for further research and development and eventual commercialization. While NIH has already granted nonexclusive licenses to companies for use of the SARS-CoV-2 stabilized spike protein, making this and other technologies available through C-TAP will facilitate even wider access.

“Controlling COVID-19 globally and addressing future public health threats is only possible if all communities, including the most vulnerable, have access to lifesaving treatments, vaccines and diagnostics,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Sharing our scientific knowledge and health technologies with C-TAP to foster the development of crucial medical countermeasures is another step we are taking to assist our global partners in our shared fight against this devastating disease.”

“NIH scientists have developed innovative COVID-19 research tools, vaccines and diagnostics. While NIH cannot commercialize these early-stage technologies, we can share our knowledge wherever feasible to support our global partners,” said Acting NIH Director Lawrence A. Tabak, D.D.S. “NIH’s contributions to C-TAP provide a piece of the technology puzzle to help global manufacturers advance development of COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccines and treatments. I hope NIH’s actions will inspire other rights holders to do the same.”

 

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At Second Global COVID-19 Summit, USAID Announces $220 Million Commitment to Prevent Future Pandemics and Test and Treat Against COVID-19
May 12, 2022
Today, at the second Global COVID-19 Summit, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced new efforts to prevent future pandemics and pilot a lifesaving test and treat strategy, as part of USAID’s ongoing leadership to end the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and advance global health security.

 

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Global Fund, United States and Unitaid Launch “Test-and-Treat” Programs at Second Global COVID-⁠19 Summit
12 May 2022
GENEVA, WASHINGTON – The Global Fund, the United States and Unitaid, together with FIND and other ACT-Accelerator partners, are launching over US$120 million in support to countries for test-and-treat programs to prevent hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 for those most at risk in low- and middle-income countries. The announcement was made at the Second Global COVID-⁠19 Summit, which placed an emphasis on supporting locally led solutions to both immediate and long-term challenges, including the deployment of tests and treatments, especially for the highest-risk populations.

Test-and-treat programs will save lives, reduce global inequities in access to COVID-19 testing and treatment, help strengthen formal and community systems for health in low- and middle-income countries, protect front-line health workers, and mitigate the knock-on impact of COVID-19 on programs to fight HIV, TB and malaria.

The Global Fund will procure up to US$80 million in COVID-19 rapid test kits and oral antiviral drugs, and USAID will provide US$20 million in technical assistance for piloting test-and-treat fast-paced implementation in eight countries. Unitaid will provide an additional US$22 million to expand and accelerate the introduction of new treatments through the ongoing Unitaid–FIND early-adoption test-and-treat programs launched in late 2021. These combined investments of US$122 million will support test-and-treat implementation in over 20 low- and middle-income countries globally…

“This new co-investment is a critical step toward equitable access to optimal treatment alongside adequate tests for those at high risk of developing severe or critical COVID-19 in low-resource settings,” said Unitaid Executive Director Dr. Philippe Duneton. “We now have treatment options that can prevent hospitalizations and deaths and will be key in the response to the pandemic. Supporting countries in securing access for these emerging options, as well as their deployment in the most effective way, is our priority.”

 

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Official Summit Announcements

Remarks by President Biden at the Global COVID-⁠19 Summit
May 12, 2022 • Speeches and Remarks

2nd COVID-⁠19 Co-Host Statement
May 12, 2022 • Statements and Releases

Background Press Call by Senior Administration Official Previewing the Second Global COVID Summit
May 12, 2022 • Press Briefings

Remarks by Vice President Harris at the Global Covid-19 Summit
May 12, 2022 • Speeches and Remarks

2nd Global COVID-⁠19 Summit Commitments
May 12, 2022 • Statements and Releases

U.S. FACT SHEET: The 2nd Global COVID-⁠19 Summit:
May 12, 2022 • Statements and Releases

Statement from President Biden and President von der Leyen on occasion of the second Global COVID-⁠19 Summit, May 12, 2022
May 12, 2022 • Statements and Releases

A Proclamation on Remembering the 1,000,000 Americans Lost to COVID-⁠19
May 12, 2022 • Presidential Actions

Statement from President Joe Biden Marking One Million American Lives Lost to COVID-⁠19
May 12, 2022 • Statements and Releases