Calls for Funding, Vaccines & Testing at #GlobalCOVIDSummit

In a virtual global gathering to focus action on the ongoing pandemic, leaders joined calls for increased funding, vaccine equity and greater testing at the 2nd Global. The gathering was convened by U.S. President Joe Biden and co-hosted by Senegal, the current African Union chair, along with Belize, as CARICOM Chair and Germany and Indonesia, which are current holders of the G7 and G20 Presidencies respectively. Senegal's Mackey Sall and Cyril Ramaphosa were among the small group of presidents who spoke, as did ministers from Nigeria and Rwanda.

"Leaders reinforced the value of whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches to bring the acute phase of COVID-19 to an end," according a statement by co-hosts issued by the White House, who also warned against complacency, "recognizing the pandemic is not over" and called for protections for the most vulnerable. "The Summit catalyzed bold commitments," the statement said.

The Summit provides a critical opportunity for firm commitments to combat the pandemic, according to a statement issued by Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator established by the World Health Organization and partners. "It is imperative that leaders seize this opportunity to mobilize the funding and political will required to achieve global targets for Covid-19 vaccination coverage, testing rates and access to treatments, including oral antivirals and oxygen," the leaders said.