G20 to raise US$1.5 billion for global pandemic fund, host Indonesia says
- The money will finance efforts such as surveillance, research and better access to vaccinations for lower-to-middle income countries, health officials said
- The US, EU, Indonesia, Singapore and Germany have pledged about US$1.1 billion so far, Japan and Britain are expected to discuss contributions next week
The Group of 20 (G20) major economies aims to raise US$1.5 billion this year for a fund set up to better prepare for future pandemics, the health minister of current G20 president Indonesia said on Friday.
G20 countries have provisionally agreed to set up a multibillion-dollar fund that health officials have said will finance efforts like surveillance, research, and better access to vaccination for lower-to-middle income countries, among others.
Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said in an interview the United States, European Union, Indonesia, Singapore and Germany have pledged about US$1.1 billion to the fund so far.
“If we can get by the end of this year US$1.5 billion of fresh funding, we will be very, very happy,” he told Reuters, adding he hopes the group can raise another US$1.5 billion next year.
Indonesia will host the G20 leaders summit in Bali in November.
The World Bank, which will house the fund, and the World Health Organization (WHO), which is advising on the facility, estimated in a report that the annual funding gap for pandemic preparedness is US$10.5 billion.