At the international donation marathon for vaccines and treatments for the lung disease Covid-19, new aid commitments totaling 6.15 billion euros were collected. The EU Commission and Germany alone committed almost 5.3 billion euros to a virtual donor conference on Saturday. Other large donations came from the United States and Canada.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke of an incredible result. Von Leyen said that the money should be used to support particularly vulnerable countries. Everyone in the world must have access to tests, treatments and vaccines – no matter where they live, where they come from or what they look like.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel specifically promised an additional EUR 383 million at the conference, while von Leyen announced another EUR 4.9 billion in EU funds. “I firmly believe that vaccines, tests and medication must be available, affordable and accessible worldwide,” said Merkel.
On May 4, Germany had already promised to contribute 525 million euros to the CEPI vaccine alliance, the GAVI global vaccine alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and various product development partnerships. In total, the donation marathon had raised almost ten billion euros before the conference on Saturday. The funds now promised by the EU Commission are to flow as loans and guarantees.
Von der Leyen organized the donor conference together with the New York non-governmental organization Global Citizen. At the end of the fundraising marathon, international stars performed at a large online concert on Saturday evening. “The corona virus brought us pain and insecurity,” said the host, actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, at the start of the event, which was seen worldwide. “We can only fight this crisis together.”
The musician Miley Cyrus sang a song in front of the empty stands of a football stadium, which she dedicated to doctors and nurses. The word “Help” was projected onto the lawn. Shakira performed an optimistic song about the moment, “when the sun shines after dark times,” she said. The Colombian star sang under a black sky – until rays of light broke through the clouds in the last seconds of her video.
Then, during the online concert, politicians, models and athletes turned to the audience in addition to the musicians. In a video showing slums and refugee camps, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “Vaccines only develop their true power when used to protect the poorest and most vulnerable.”
Former top model Naomi Campbell warned in a video message that black people were particularly badly affected by the epidemic. And ex-football professional David Beckham emphasized that it is important for people that sporting events start again, although initially without stadium spectators.
Those: Apa / Ag.
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