- The Prime Minister will call on countries to come together in
a “truly global effort” to defeat coronavirus at a virtual
international coronavirus pledging conference today
- Pledging event today kickstarts a month-long international
investment drive ahead of the UK-hosted Global Vaccine Summit on
4 June
- The UK is already the biggest donor to the global fund to
find a coronavirus vaccine
Prime Minister will tomorrow (Monday, 4 May)
co-host a major international conference to drive forward the
global race for coronavirus vaccines, treatments and tests – and
call on other countries to step up their efforts and work
together on the “most urgent shared endeavour of our
lifetimes.”
The Prime Minister’s call to action will come
during the virtual Coronavirus Global Response International
Pledging Conference, which is co-hosted by the UK and eight other
countries and organisations.
He will confirm the UK’s pledge of £388
million in UK aid funding for research into vaccines, tests and
treatments – part of a larger £744 million existing UK aid
commitment to help end the pandemic and support the global
economy.
This includes £250 million for the Coalition
for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to develop vaccines
against coronavirus – the biggest such donation to the fund by
any country.
Speaking to the conference, the Prime
Minister will say:
“To win this battle, we must work together to
build an impregnable shield around all our people, and that can
only be achieved by developing and mass producing a
vaccine.
“The more we pull together and share our
expertise, the faster our scientists will succeed. The race to
discover the vaccine to defeat this virus is not a competition
between countries, but the most urgent shared endeavour of our
lifetimes.
“It’s humanity against the virus - we are in
this together, and together we will prevail.”
International Development Secretary,
, said:
“It is only by working together that we will
prevent future waves of infection and end this pandemic as
quickly as possible.
“By strengthening developing countries’ health
systems and working to find a vaccine, the UK is playing its part
in stopping the global spread of coronavirus to save lives
everywhere and protect our NHS.”
Tackling coronavirus globally is crucial to
preventing a second wave of the virus re-emerging in the UK,
which would put even further pressure on the NHS. It will also
ensure that life-saving vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests
are available as soon as possible.
In the UK, work is progressing at pace on
vaccine development – on Thursday the University of Oxford and
AstraZeneca announced a partnership to support large-scale
manufacture and potential distribution of a vaccine currently
being trialled by the university.
On the 4th June, the UK will host the
Global Vaccine Summit, bringing together countries and
organisations to follow the UK’s lead in investing in the work of
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Last week International Development Secretary
announced a funding
pledge equivalent to £330 million a year over the next five years
to Gavi. This will help immunise 75 million children in the
world’s poorest countries.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- The UK has so far provided £744 million of UK aid for the
global response to coronavirus.
- Today’s pledge towards the $8bn target is made up of the UK’s
previously announced £388 million support for new vaccines, tests
and treatments:
- £250 million to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness
Innovations, the biggest contribution of any country, to this
fund to research a coronavirus vaccine.
- £40 million to support the Global Therapeutics Accelerator, a
fund for the rapid development of coronavirus treatments.
- £23 million to support Foundation for Innovative New
Diagnostics to develop rapid tests for the virus to help identify
and slow its spread.
- £75m for the World Health Organization’s critical health
systems response.
- The UK has also pledged the equivalent of £330 million a year
over the next five years to Gavi, the Vaccine
Alliance.
- The UK is co-hosting today’s summit with Canada, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Saudi Arabia, and the European
Commission.
