“Japan has been a strong supporter of our mission for many years and we’re delighted they have offered to host this milestone event,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi. “The core aim of TICAD – to help build a healthy and prosperous Africa – couldn’t be closer to Gavi’s mission. Vaccines are a crucial platform for primary health care, which is itself a cornerstone of universal health coverage. They also prevent the diseases that stop children going to school and finding work later in life. Vaccines not only build healthy societies, they build healthy economies.”
We are immensely proud of the results Gavi has achieved with Japan’s support and we are committed to help Gavi to further its mission going into its next period.
Masahiko Kiya, Ambassador for TICAD and Deputy Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
The Japanese government has supported Gavi since 2011, providing about US$ 130 million in the years since for Gavi’s programmes around the world. It recently announced that it will fund placements for talented young professionals at the Vaccine Alliance as Junior Professional Officers (JPOs). A recent Memorandum of Cooperation between Gavi and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will also strengthen links between the two organisations.
“This is a hugely important year for both Japan and for global health,” said Masahiko Kiya, Ambassador for TICAD and Deputy Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. “We will be using both our leadership of TICAD as well as the G20 to further our mission to improve the health of millions of people in the world’s poorest countries. The launch of Gavi’s investment opportunity is an integral part of this effort. We are immensely proud of the results Gavi has achieved with Japan’s support and we are committed to help Gavi to further its mission going into its next period.”
The UK will host Gavi’s third fundraising conference in 2020, which aims to secure financial pledges to support Gavi’s work protecting children against diseases like pneumonia, diphtheria and measles for the period 2021-2025. The event in Yokohama, Japan will be an opportunity to discuss the vision and level of funding necessary for what Gavi aims to achieve by the middle of the next decade.
“The UK greatly values our strong partnership with Japan and our shared commitment to improving global health and increasing access to lifesaving vaccines for children, wherever they live,” said Penny Mordaunt, UK International Development Secretary. “The UK will be hosting the Gavi replenishment in 2020 and bringing together international donors to create a healthier, safer and more prosperous world, which is in all of our interests.”
Since its inception in 2000 Gavi has immunised over 700 million children, preventing 10 million deaths. It has achieved this through a unique public-private partnership model that brings together donor governments, pharmaceutical companies, private sector organisations and implementing country governments, with support from Alliance partners such as UNICEF and WHO.
Why TICAD 7?
TICAD 7 present itself as the best platform to unveil Gavi’s investment case given the strong engagement of African leaders attending the meeting as well as the strong alignment between Gavi’s mission and Japan’s global health priorities. Gavi leverages immunisation platforms to improve universal health coverage, uses innovative and sustainable financing for immunisation, as well as strengthens global health security through the financing of global vaccine stockpiles to counter outbreaks.