Geneva, 21 December 2021 – The COVAX Facility has been awarded the 2021 North-South Prize of the Council of Europe in recognition of its efforts to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are available worldwide, including in low-income countries, and for striving for a more equitable world to protect people’s lives.

As of 21 December, around 85% of the 790 million doses delivered through COVAX have arrived in 92 low- and lower-middle-income economies. These doses were funded through the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC). To date, COVAX has also secured enough doses to protect more than 40% of the adult population, on average, across 91 low- and middle-income countries across the world. COVAX’s goal in 2022 will be to, working alongside partners including the African Union and African Vaccination Acquisitions Trust (AVAT) help countries meet their national COVID-19 vaccination targets.

The North-South Prize of the Council of Europe is awarded each year to two nominees, one from the North and one from the South, for their exceptional commitment to promoting North-South solidarity.

Alongside COVAX, Ms Zarifa Ghafari, former Mayor of Maidan Shahr, the capital city of the Wardak Province in Afghanistan, has also been awarded the 2021 North-South Prize of the Council of Europe for her courage and strong commitment to defending women’s rights in Afghanistan and internationally.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Cirũ Kariũki
+41 79 913 94 41
ckariuki@gavi.org

Evan O’Connell
+41 79 682 18 95
eoconnell@gavi.org

Laura Shevlin
+ 41 79 529 92 87
lshevlin@gavi.org

Meg Sharafudeen
+41 79 711 55 54
msharafudeen@gavi.org

Iryna Mazur
+41 79 429 3671
imazur@gavi.org