F.P. Report
WASHINGTON: As part of continued United States’ leadership to end the global COVID-19 pandemic, we are announcing today a significant contribution of $580 million to seven multilateral partners to support the critical work they are doing to help end the pandemic, strengthen public health systems, and provide urgent relief. This brings the total of life-saving health and humanitarian assistance provided by the United States Government to more than $19.6 billion. Working with our partners, these funds are delivering shots in arms, lifesaving supplies to hospitals, and support that reaches most vulnerable communities.
Multilateral institutions are essential partners in the fight against COVID-19 and ensuring they have the flexibility and resources needed to respond to new waves of COVID-19 is crucial to contain the spread, deliver vital assistance, and protect vulnerable groups worldwide.
In line with the priorities and objectives identified by the United Nations Global Humanitarian Response Plan for COVID–19, the United States will contribute $280 million to the World Health Organization (WHO); $170 million to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); $75 million to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); $20 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); $20 million for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); $10 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); and $5 million for UN Women.
Taken together, these organizations have global reach and proven track records of delivering humanitarian assistance to meet acute health security needs, strengthen livelihoods, develop institutions, and build medium- and long-term capacity for economic resilience and recovery.
The WHO and its regional offices are on the frontlines of the immediate response to COVID-19, and are working to save lives, increase vaccinations, and build public health capacity across the globe. Funds will support programs to help respond rapidly to health emergencies and contain the spread of COVID-19 through surveillance, data collection, contact tracing, laboratory testing, provision of clinical care to at-risk individuals, information sharing, and securing the continuity of essential health services and related supply chains. Funding will also be allocated to the PAHO COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan to provide technical cooperation to support and monitor vaccinations in the Americas.
The United States is the largest single country donor to COVAX and has provided more than 330 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 110 countries and economies in partnership with COVAX or bilaterally. The United States also continues to support efforts to increase the supply of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines available to the world. Funding to UNICEF will help accelerate coordinated support to country readiness and delivery of these COVID-19 vaccines. This will include a focus on ensuring access to COVID-19 vaccines for high-risk and vulnerable populations in humanitarian settings. The funds to UNICEF will also support procurement of critical COVID-19 commodities including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), oxygen equipment, and other case management and diagnostic supplies, as well as technical assistance required to ensure appropriate use and maintenance of these commodities. A portion of the funding will also be used to support UNICEF’s education programs aimed at bringing children back to school, recovering from learning losses, and preparing teachers as educational systems respond to and recover from the pandemic. And importantly, a portion of the funding is also intended to support prevention of and advocacy efforts at the national level to end gender-based violence.
Funds for UNDP will help address the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19, including through programs for providing employment services and livelihood support including cash aid to build COVID-19 response capacity in developing countries. They will also support community programs, such as information hotlines set up by Emergency Operation Centers/Civil Protection/National Disaster Management Committees and manned by communities.
Funds for FAO will support its COVID-19 Response and Recovery Program that is working to increase interoperability among One Health surveillance, early warning, and risk assessment tools with other health information systems. They will support One Health Tripartite risk assessments at national levels to help inform the future direction of work in zoonotic disease prevention and control in program countries.
Contributions to UNFPA will support their work to keep health systems functioning, protect health workers, and mitigate higher rates of maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. Support to UN Women will help mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on women and girls, in all their diversity, to ensure they benefit from the long-term recovery support. The funds will prioritize efforts that aim to eliminate all forms of gender-based violence.
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