MANILA, Philippines, 29 April 2026 – The Global Council of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) convened on 28 April in Manila, bringing together representatives of IVI member states and partners to provide strategic guidance on the international organization’s future direction and governance. Hosted by the Government of the Philippines in its capacity as President of the Global Council, the meeting underscored IVI’s expanding role in advancing vaccine equity, regional capacity, and sustainable health security.

The Global Council, IVI’s advisory body representing all Parties to the IVI Establishment Agreement, reviewed the institute’s draft 2027–2031 strategy, with discussions focused on strengthening country partnerships, advancing innovation, and enhancing IVI’s catalytic role in supporting local and regional vaccine development and manufacturing. The meeting also underscored the importance of strengthening Global South leadership and highlighted the expanding collaboration between the Philippines and IVI, including joint efforts to address antimicrobial resistance through vaccination.

During the meeting, the Republic of Kenya was elected as Vice-President of the Global Council, and the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Republic of Kenya were elected as non-funding state representatives to the IVI Board of Trustees, effective November 2026. These appointments reflect IVI’s commitment to ensuring strong, inclusive governance for the institute.

Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa, Secretary of Health of the Philippines, which convened the Global Council as its president, said, “Recent years have reminded us that health security is inseparable from global stability, and that resilience can only be achieved when countries are empowered not merely to receive solutions, but to help shape them. Across the Global South, countries are no longer merely recipients of innovation but are assuming a more active role in research, development, and production. This is welcome and necessary progress, one that recognizes that sustainable health systems must be built through partnership, mutual respect, and mutual accountability.”

Dr. Jerome H. Kim, Director General of IVI, said, “The guidance of the Global Council is essential to ensuring that our long-term strategy remains aligned with the needs of our member states and delivers meaningful, lasting impact. We extend our sincere appreciation to the Government of the Philippines—including the Department of Health and its partners—for its leadership and gracious hosting of this Global Council meeting.”

Kenya’s representation to the Global Council, Dr. Wesley Ronoh, Chief Executive Officer of Kenya BioVax Institute, and Prof. Elijah Martim Songok, Acting Director General of the Kenya Medical Research Institute, stated, “Kenya is fully committed to supporting IVI through principled, inclusive, and accountable governance. We will work constructively with all Member States to strengthen strategic oversight, deepen partnerships, and ensure that innovation translates into measurable public health impact.”

On 29 April, IVI, together with the Government of the Philippines—including the Department of Health and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM)—and partners including the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), convened a joint high-level conference titled “Advancing Biomanufacturing Self-Reliance: From Policy to Practice in Regional R&D, Manufacturing, and Health Security Financing.” The conference brought together leaders from government, development banks, and industry to share country experiences and explore practical pathways for strengthening vaccine R&D, manufacturing, and financing ecosystems.

As part of the two-day program, Global Council members and partners visited the University of the Philippines Manila National Institutes of Health, witnessing the Philippines’ expanding capacity in biomedical research.

The Manila meeting builds on IVI’s continued efforts to foster collaboration among member states and partners in addressing global health challenges and advancing IVI’s vision of a healthier world made possible by vaccination, available to everyone, everywhere.

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About the International Vaccine Institute

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is an independent international organization originally established at the initiative of the United Nations Development Programme in 1997. Its mission is to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable vaccines—empowering vaccine equity, impact, and sustainability globally.

IVI’s current portfolio includes vaccines in multiple stages of pre-clinical and clinical development targeting infectious diseases that significantly impact low- and middle-income countries, including cholera, typhoid fever, chikungunya, shigellosis, salmonellosis, schistosomiasis, hepatitis E, HPV, and group A strep-related diseases, and COVID-19. IVI developed the world’s first low-cost oral cholera vaccine and a new-generation typhoid conjugate vaccine, both pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO).

IVI is headquartered in Seoul, Republic of Korea with a Europe Regional Office in Sweden, an Africa Regional Office in Rwanda, a Country Office in Austria, and a Country and Project Office in Kenya. IVI additionally cofounded the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute in Hong Kong and hosts Collaborating Centers in Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ethiopia, and Madagascar. 43 countries and the WHO are members of IVI, and the governments of the Republic of Korea, Sweden, India, Finland, Austria, and Thailand provide state funding. For more information, please visit https://www.ivi.int.

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Contact

Kevin Keen, Head of Communications

International Vaccine Institute

kevin.keen@www.ivi.int