Global leaders yesterday pledged more than US$ 9 billion in support of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, at the Global Summit: Health and Prosperity through Immunisation held in Brussels. The commitments bring Gavi significantly closer to its US$ 11.9 billion target for its next strategic period (2026–2030), but a funding gap remains.
Co-hosted by the European Union, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi—with support from Global Citizen—the Summit brought together representatives from 55 countries, including 10 heads of state and 24 ministers, as well as multilateral institutions, civil society, the private sector, and vaccine manufacturers.
“This is a good day for immunisation and for global health,” said José Manuel Barroso, Board Chair of Gavi. “We’ve seen unprecedented support and new partnerships that will reshape how vaccines reach the world’s most vulnerable.”
In addition to direct donor pledges, the Summit unlocked an unprecedented US$ 4.5 billion in complementary financing from development finance institutions, aimed at strengthening country health systems and accelerating access to vaccines. Vaccine manufacturers announced up to US$ 200 million in cost savings, and private sector partners committed more than US$ 149 million to support immunisation delivery, including a US$ 40 million anchor investment in a new Innovation Scale-Up Fund.
Several implementing countries—including Uganda, India, Indonesia, and Rwanda—also pledged to Gavi 6.0, reinforcing shared responsibility for immunisation funding. Gavi countries are expected to invest US$ 4 billion in co-financing over the next five years, a record amount demonstrating sustained political will.
“These commitments are a major step toward protecting 500 million children from vaccine-preventable diseases, potentially averting up to 9 million future deaths and unlocking US$ 100 billion in economic benefits,” said Gavi CEO Dr Sania Nishtar. “The show of support from governments, institutions, and the private sector demonstrates a unified commitment to ensuring no child is left behind.”
While the Summit marked a record number of new donor pledges, some countries were unable to announce contributions due to the timing of their domestic budget cycles. Gavi will continue to engage these donors to close the remaining US$ 2.9 billion gap.
The European Commission pledged EUR 360 million, part of a total EUR 2 billion commitment from Team Europe (the EU and its Member States), making it Gavi’s largest collective donor. The Gates Foundation pledged US$ 1.6 billion, continuing its long-standing support.
“The EU remains committed to this mission so that children across the world are safer, healthier and stronger. This is global solidarity in action,” said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. António Costa, President of the European Council, added: “Through Gavi, we are investing not just in vaccines, but in the resilience of health systems worldwide.”
Bill Gates, Chair of the Gates Foundation, praised Gavi’s impact and efficiency: “Gavi is one of the best investments I’ve ever made—and one of the best investments countries can make today in the world’s future.”
Gavi-implementing countries are expected to contribute a record US$ 4 billion in co-financing for immunisation over the next five years. Many of these countries participated in the Summit, reaffirming their commitment to shared financing and support for Gavi’s model, which includes strengthening local vaccine manufacturing, particularly in Africa.
The European Investment Bank announced an extension of its EUR 1 billion liquidity facility to support donor commitments. Team Europe has also pledged nearly EUR 800 million for Gavi’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), designed to build regional production capacity and reduce dependency on external supply.
New Financial Instruments and Global Bank Commitments
Development finance institutions announced innovative financing mechanisms to boost health system resilience. Highlights include:
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US$ 3 billion in partnerships with multilateral development banks (MDBs) to support countries transitioning from donor support.
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A new MDB multiplier mechanism to amplify joint investments.
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US$ 1.5 billion in liquidity facilities to support rapid access to funding in case of outbreaks.
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AIIB committed US$ 1 billion to public health infrastructure and a further US$ 500 million liquidity facility for Gavi.
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ADB signed a new agreement to fund immunisation in 36 Asia-Pacific countries.
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EIB extended its EUR 1 billion facility, and the World Bank Group committed to mobilizing US$ 2 billion for primary healthcare and regional manufacturing.
Vaccine Manufacturers Announce Major Price Cuts
Vaccine manufacturers pledged to reduce prices and expand supply, resulting in up to US$ 200 million in savings for Gavi-supported programmes:
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Bharat Biotech and GSK will reduce the price of the malaria vaccine RTS,S/AS01 to below US$ 5.
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GSK will generate EUR 20 million in savings through manufacturing efficiencies and reduce rotavirus vaccine costs by 17%, saving EUR 80 million.
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MSD reaffirmed access pricing for HPV vaccines and committed to enhanced Ebola vaccine production.
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Serum Institute of India (SII) will lower malaria vaccine prices and maintain low pricing on PCV and meningitis vaccines, potentially saving over US$ 100 million.
Boost for Africa’s Vaccine Sovereignty
The Summit underscored support for Africa’s vaccine production capacity through Gavi’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA). Key announcements include:
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A landmark technology transfer agreement between Biovac (South Africa) and Biological E. Ltd (India) to manufacture PCV14 in Africa.
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A new Gavi-MedAccess facility could unlock US$ 50 million in guarantee-based finance for African vaccine manufacturers.
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UNICEF announced a goal: by 2035, 20% of Africa’s vaccine demand for key vaccines will be met by African WHO-prequalified producers.
Private Sector Joins in with Bold Innovation
Private sector commitments surpassed US$ 149 million, launching Gavi’s Innovation Scale-Up Fund and digital initiatives to transform vaccine delivery:
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Grand Challenges Canada anchored the Innovation Scale-Up Fund with up to US$ 40 million.
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Zipline and Gavi will expand drone vaccine delivery across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire, having already delivered 23 million doses.
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Temasek Foundation, UBS Optimus Foundation, and CHAI committed US$ 4.54 million to reach under-immunised children in Indonesia.
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Simprints, supported by Arm and CIFF, will deploy AI-powered biometric ID in Ghana for malaria and routine vaccines.
The Summit also provided a platform for discussions on reforming the global health architecture. Gavi presented its own transformation initiative, the Gavi Leap, aimed at improving collaboration with partner agencies and enhancing last-mile delivery of vaccines.
“Today’s event has shown that global health security is a shared responsibility,” said Dr Nishtar. “We will enter our next strategic phase with renewed confidence and momentum, thanks to the strong coalition of support across sectors.”
As the clock ticks toward the 2026 launch of Gavi’s next strategic period, leaders called on governments yet to pledge to step forward.
A Clear Call to Action
Despite the success, Gavi still faces a US$ 2.9 billion shortfall. Leaders urged governments that could not pledge due to budget cycles to step up in the coming months.
“Failure to fully fund Gavi would leave millions of children unvaccinated and threaten global health security,” warned Gavi CEO Dr Sania Nishtar. “But the incredible momentum we’ve seen today gives us confidence—we’re not alone in this mission.”
