Italy commits $150M to support vaccine project in Africa

ROME

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Thursday announced Italy's readiness to allocate $150 million to support a vaccine project in Africa.

This announcement was made during the international forum titled "Vaccine Sovereignty and Innovation," organized in Paris by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) in collaboration with the African Union and France.

Tajani emphasized the Italian government's longstanding support for GAVI, highlighting that Italy has already contributed $1.5 billion since GAVI's inception.

"Italy is ready to pay $150 million to support the vaccine project," Tajani declared, reaffirming Italy's commitment to global health and the fight against infectious diseases.

The forum focused on enhancing vaccine sovereignty and promoting innovative solutions to improve immunization rates in Africa.

Tajani underscored the urgency of addressing critical issues facing the continent, including poverty, drought, terrorism, health challenges, and the need for vaccines.

"All these factors are driving Africans, whose population will reach 2.5 billion by 2050, to flee from Africa," he noted.

The Italian government's financial commitment is poised to play a crucial role in supporting GAVI's efforts to improve vaccine access and immunization infrastructure in Africa.