The Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Emanuela Del Re, held a virtual meeting with the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands.
The Global Fund, established at the instigation of the Italian Presidency of the G8 in 2001, will celebrate its twentieth anniversary this year, as one of the actors involved in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in support of developing countries. In response to this crisis, the Global Fund has collectively mobilised $1 billion for the COVID-19 health response and is a founding partner of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator.
The Vice Minister emphasised that Italy is at the forefront of mobilising both the political and financial commitment needed for the COVID-19 response, through the ACT-Accelerator and the Covax Facility.
“We are concerned about the recent delays in vaccine distribution. However, we are also encouraged in the last few days by the positive impact of the recent agreements between Covax and Pfizer-Biontech, which will help diversify Covax’s vaccine portfolio, laying the groundwork for the launch of immunisation campaigns in low- and middle/low-income countries. We are looking forward to the publication by Covax of the immunisation campaign timetable” – Ms. Del Re said.
“Regarding the Italian G20 Presidency, our work on the global health agenda is well under way.” – she continued – “The creation of an independent high-level group on financing the global commons for pandemic preparedness and response, which was launched at the last G20 Deputy Finance Ministers’ meeting on January 26, may help bring to light the resources needed to finance a resilient path to ‘rebuild better’.”
