Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi) has called on donors to support its efforts to protect more children against more diseases.
Gavi made the clarion call during the Global Forum for Vaccine Sovereignty and Innovation with the African Union and the French Republic.
The Forum also marked the launch of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), which will be backed by approximately $1.2 billion in donor funding over the next 10 years.
In presenting its latest investment opportunity, Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, outlined to participants how the Alliance, if fully funded, could protect 500 million children in its next five-year strategic period, saving over 8 million lives.
Today’s announced targets mean that while Gavi vaccinated one billion children between 2000 and 2020, it is aiming to reach the next billion children in half the time. This acceleration through 2030 is critical at a time when countries are combating the increasing risks of climate change, fragility, and economic instability and in the last push towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Fifty percent of the vaccines in Gavi’s portfolio help combat the twin threats of climate change and antimicrobial resistance, expand investments in outbreak and pandemic preparedness and response, and key vaccine programmes. In Gavi’s next five-year strategy, it will aim to reach at least 50 million children with four doses of the malaria vaccine and 120 million girls, saving 1.5 million lives with the HPV vaccine.
Achieving this historic milestone will require effort from all of Gavi’s stakeholders, with donors being asked to provide new funding of US$9 billion. These pledges will be supplemented by a suite of innovative financial instruments that will maximise the impact of donor funding.
Meanwhile, countries implementing Gavi programmes are expected to contribute a record amount over 40% of their own routine vaccine costs during the next strategic period. This is compared to 10% just fifteen years ago, reflective of the Vaccine Alliance’s unique model of country ownership and sustainability of immunisation programmes. At the same time, immunisation programmes are expected to generate at least $100 billion in economic benefits for Gavi-implementing countries.
With Gavi’s replenishment process for 2026–2030 only just beginning, the event saw early pledges from the United States of America, France, Spain, and private sector and philanthropic donors worth at least $2.4 billion (see below for details). Gavi will now commence an intense period of fundraising with a view to hosting a final pledging event in the next seven to 12 months.
The Forum also saw the official launch of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), an innovative finance mechanism designed to boost regional vaccine production capabilities in Africa and thus improve the continent’s resilience in the face of pandemics and other health emergencies.
Designed by Gavi in close collaboration with the African Union and Africa CDC, AVMA will offer incentives to the region’s vaccine producers that successfully hit critical regulatory and supply milestones, helping to offset high upfront investment costs. Twelve sovereign and philanthropic donors committed to providing approximately $1.2 billion to AVMA, including around $800 million from Team Europe partners.
“Over the past twenty years, Gavi has vaccinated a whole generation over one billion children. Our message today to our donors is that, with their help, we can achieve even greater impact, helping to create a world that is safer for everyone,” said José Manuel Barroso, Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
“The Global Forum for Vaccine Sovereignty and Innovation we organised together today in Paris is a concrete milestone towards vaccine sovereignty in Africa. France, hand in hand with its partners, is leading the way to champion global vaccination, ensuring every nation can protect its citizens and foster a healthier, united world,” said Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic.
“The African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator could thus become a catalyst for promoting the pharmaceutical industry in Africa, creating an environment conducive to technical assistance and technology transfer, and fostering innovation and collaboration between member states. Africa-CDC is strongly committed to increasing Africa’s drug production capacity from 1% to 60% by 2040. As part of this drive, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), once operational, will lay the foundations for a genuine integration of the levers of our health sovereignty,” said Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
