Joint statement for stronger global vaccine ecosystems and the establishment of an African Vaccine Alliance

ON THE OCCASION OF THE INAUGURAL SESSION OF THE IVI GLOBAL COUNCIL

Seoul, Republic of Korea
October 19, 2023

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and the members of its Global Council, comprised of the State Parties to the Agreement on the Establishment of IVI, welcome and celebrate the inauguration of the Global Council, marking a pivotal moment in our shared commitment to address global challenges for equitable access to vaccines through collaborative action and collective responsibility.

Vaccines are essential in safeguarding global health, saving lives and protecting communities from preventable infectious diseases while tangibly improving social and economic conditions. The emergence of COVID-19 spurred remarkable advancements in vaccine innovation while at the same time revealing stark disparities in access to these life-saving technologies. Higher vaccination coverage in low- and middle-income countries, for instance, could have reduced countless preventable deaths. With climate change exacerbating the spread of infectious diseases, the threat of outbreaks and inequity will only rise, disproportionately affecting resource-poor countries.

An investment in self-sufficient and sustainable vaccine industries attuned to local needs will reduce dependence on aid and external vaccine supply, and increase the necessary vaccine research, development, and manufacturing capacity to effectively confront endemic and neglected diseases, as well as future pandemics. Given that the continent currently produces less than 1% of the vaccines in use, Africa demands urgent attention.

IVI proposes to establish an African Vaccine Alliance (AVA) model to bridge an end-to-end vaccine research, development, and training ecosystem with sustainable manufacturing as its final objective. The Alliance is conceived as a pan-African grassroots initiative, built from the ground up with training programs, locally managed projects, and public-private partnerships designed to make impact.

AVA’s driving mission is to produce vaccines for Africa, in Africa, in pursuit of a goal set by the Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM) to deliver 60% of the continent’s needed supply by 2040. AVA will be aligned with the goals of the PAVM, an initiative launched by the Africa CDC and African Union, and fully supports their holistic vision for health and economic security. In collaboration with public and private partners, including pharmaceutical companies, AVA aims to link and strengthen capacities to generate the people, products, policies, regulations, and infrastructures to power a sustainable and quality-assured biomanufacturing industry.

The State Parties of IVI call for global solidarity in preparing against emerging and endemic infectious diseases with a commitment to strengthening vaccine research, development, manufacturing, and training at national, regional, and global levels. The Global Council welcomes IVI’s intention to build up its presence in the African continent and recommends to the IVI Board of Trustees the establishment of the AVA model and encourages IVI’s leadership, governments around the world, and partners to support this critical initiative.

The Global Council also encourages states to join IVI as members while maximizing their support for its projects and activities, ensuring equitable access to vaccines for all in the pursuit of global health and well-being.

Last updated November 21, 2023