Immunizing a critical mass of the world’s population is crucial in getting the COVID-19 pandemic under control. Many countries in the Global South, however, continue to encounter challenges in getting vaccines into arms, particularly in remote communities.

“Together we can find the best path forward to find solutions tailored to each community, country and region. Through Canada’s Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity, we can champion approaches to supporting countries in reaching the goals they set for themselves. In partnership, we can dismantle the barriers that are holding back people in vulnerable situations.

- Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada

• The contribution announced today is part of the $732 million in multilateral funding for the ACT-A announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on May 12, 2022, during the second virtual Global COVID-19 Summit.

• CanGIVE’s 13 targeted countries are Bangladesh, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Haiti, Jamaica, Jordan, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania.

• Canada is 1 of the largest contributors to ACT-A partners, including UNICEF, with over $2 billion committed to date. The funding announced today makes Canada the second country to meet its fair share in both 2021 and 2022. As of June 2022, Canada has allocated over $1.8 billion in funding to the ACT-A’s 3 pillars and its Health Systems and Response Connector (HSRC).

• Recognizing that in addition to vaccines, a strong public health response requires robust testing, access to available treatments and strong systems to ensure the treatments’ effective delivery, Canada has committed $240 million in support of the ACT-A HSRC and partners’ efforts to strengthen health systems, including those of the World Health Organization, the Global Financing Facility (GFF) and the Pan-American Health Organization.

• Since 2015, Canada has contributed $630 million to the GFF, an important multi-stakeholder financing mechanism that strengthens country-led, integrated health systems to improve maternal and child health and rights. In December 2021, Canada announced funding of $50 million, part of its ACT-A commitment, to support the GFF’s newly established mechanism, COVID-19 essential health services grants. On April 22, 2022, Minister Sajjan announced an additional $40 million in funding to support the GFF’s Reclaim the Gains campaign.

• UNICEF is the procurement, delivery and lead program implementation agency for the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility, the global mechanism for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. With support from UNICEF, in 2021 the COVAX Facility delivered over 958 million vaccine doses to 144 countries and territories.

Associated links

• Prime Minister attends second Global COVID-19 Summit to contribute to a global solution
• Canada’s role in helping to vaccinate the world
• Canada’s aid and development assistance in response to the COVID 19 pandemic
• UNICEF: Strengthening health systems
• UNICEF’s Health System Strengthening Approach
• ACT-Accelerator calls for fair share-based financing of US$23 billion to end pandemic as global emergency in 2022
• COVID-19 vaccine market dashboard

Haley Hodgson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of International Development
Haley.Hodgson@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
media@international.gc.ca
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