Solomon Islands receives AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility

19.03.2021

Solomon Islands received its first batch of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from the multilateral COVAX Facility on March 19, becoming the second Pacific island country after Fiji to receive the vaccines through the facility. These 24,000 doses will enable the start of the vaccination campaign in Solomon Islands. This delivery is part of a first wave of arrival of vaccines in the Pacific Island Countries. More vaccines will be delivered in the coming months. Solomon Islands is expected to receive 108,000 doses of the vaccines under the COVAX Facility which aims to enable fair, equitable, safe and effective global access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Speaking from Fiji, which was the first Pacific country to receive the vaccines on 6 March, the European Union Ambassador to Solomon Islands and for the Pacific, HE. Sujiro Seam said: "With a total contribution of EUR 2.2 Billion, the European Union, its Member States and the European Investment Bank, working together as “Team Europe”, lead the effort in the COVAX Facility to provide access to COVID-19 vaccines to lower income countries."

(Photo caption: The UNICEF country Representative in Solomon Islands standing left with the Solomon Islands Minister for Health and Medical Services, Hon. Culwick Togamana (right). Photo: Charley Piringi- Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation)

‘‘The COVAX Facility, implemented through the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) and the Coalition for Epidemics Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is a success story of global solidarity and multilateralism. The vaccines delivered to Solomon Islands and the Pacific will help win the fight against COVID-19.

Team Europe remain fully mobilized to assist Solomon Islands and the Pacific in this fight, because nobody is safe until everybody is safe.’’ added Ambassador Seam.

Team Europe has mobilised significant resources also to help our partners across the world address the immediate health emergency, support health systems and the economic recovery.

Background

The COVAX Facility aims to purchase 2 billion vaccine doses by the end of 2021, including at least 1.3 billion doses for low and middle-income countries. The COVAX Facility is a risk-sharing mechanism: it reduces the risk for manufacturers who invest without being sure about future demand, and it reduces the risk that countries would fail to secure access to a viable vaccine. Team Europe - the European Union, its Member States and the European Investment Bank - is a leading contributor to this multilateral initiative, with over EUR 2. 2/USD 2.6 billion.

ENDS.

For further information, contact: Mohammed Nazeem KASIM, European Union Press & Information Officer. Tel: +679 3313-633 (110) Email: Mohammed-Nazeem.KASIM@eeas.europa.eu or delegation-fiji@eeas.europa.eu