A star-studded, global fundraising meeting yesterday raised $6.9 billion from the European Commission, the United States and close to 40 other nations to fight COVID-19.
Part of a joint initiative by the EU executive and advocacy group Global Citizen, The Pledging Summit also included a globally and streamed and televised fundraising concert featuring Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Chloe X Halle, Shakira, Usher and others where participants stressed that an eventual vaccine should be available to anyone who needs it.
At the summit where Forty governments took part, the Commission together with the European Investment Bank committed $5.50 billion while the United States vowed to support the cause with a sum of $545 million followed by Germany ($430 million), Canada ($219 million) and (Qatar $10 million).
The money will be used to support the world’s poorest and most marginalized communities for their COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines.
Ursula von der Leyen, Commission President stated that it was crucial that everyone who needed it should have access to a vaccine.
“I am trying to convince high-income countries to reserve vaccines not only for themselves but also for low- and middle-income countries. This is a stress test for solidarity,” she said.
Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister concurred saying, “If and when an effective vaccine is found, then we as world leaders have moral duty to ensure that it is truly available to all.”
French President Emmanuel Macron was resolute about pooling forces together.
