SEOUL– South Korea has unveiled a plan to increase its donation of COVID-19 vaccines to Africa amid the global emergence of the new omicron variant.
Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-moon made the announcement during the U.S.-led Development Ministerial on COVID-19 held virtually Monday, the foreign ministry said.
Choi said the nation will provide additional vaccine support to the continent through consultations with the African Union, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and global vaccine distribution platform COVAX Facility.
The program is separate from South Korea’s pledge to donate US$100 million worth of jabs next year to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, a financing mechanism to provide COVID-19 vaccines for developing countries.
At the meeting, Choi reaffirmed the importance of fair access to vaccines amid the rapid spread of the omicron variant and highlighted the significance of the international community efficiently providing vaccines and anti-virus equipment to developing countries, the ministry added.
The virtual gathering was held as a follow up to September’s Global COVID-19 Summit and last month’s COVID-19 Ministerial, both convened by the United States. The latest meeting was attended by senior officials from more than 20 countries, the European Union, the African Union and the World Health Organization, among others.
Source: Yonhap News Agency