Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist African nations to access adequate supplies of COVID-19 vaccine.

The UK is committed to rapid equitable access to safe and effective vaccines. The UK has committed £548 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines, of which the UK is one of the largest bilateral donors. Through match funding, the commitment encouraged other donors to commit $1 billion by the end of 2020. Our commitment will contribute to the supply of at least 1.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 for up to 92 countries in the global south, including 46 countries in Africa.

To ensure equitable vaccine access and delivery is achieved in Africa, FCDO has strengthened its engagement with regional bodies such as the African Centre for Disease Control and World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa, alongside country relationships. FCDO is tracking assessments of country preparedness and is working at national and regional levels to support efforts to build country capacity to deliver vaccines and monitor vaccine roll-out, ensuring high risk groups are prioritised. The UK is also contributing up to £20 million to the African Union's continental response to COVID-19.