President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal is set to attend the Global Forum for Vaccine Sovereignty and Innovation in Paris on June 20, co-hosted by France, the African Union, and Gavi. This forum is a significant event in the global health landscape, and Senegal’s participation underscores its commitment to improving global health outcomes and contributing to vaccine sovereignty.
Senegal, under President Faye’s leadership, has been actively involved in immunization programs and has made substantial progress in reducing child mortality and increasing vaccine coverage. The country’s participation in the forum signifies its dedication to these efforts and its role in the global health community.
The forum will mark the launch of Gavi’s 2026–2030 Investment Opportunity, outlining the projected impact of the Alliance’s next five years of work and the funding required to support it. It aims to address challenges such as climate change and fragility, and will present Gavi’s new strategy, which includes the widest portfolio of vaccines in its history, preventing against 20+ diseases.
A key highlight of the forum is the launch of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), a $1 billion innovative financing mechanism designed to support a sustainable vaccine manufacturing ecosystem on the African continent. The AVMA, established after more than 18 months of close collaboration between Gavi, the African Union, and Africa CDC, is expected to be a game-changer, providing financial support for regional vaccine production and contributing to the African continent’s vaccine sovereignty. It draws on the lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic and aims to make a significant impact on global health.
The event will be attended by several Heads of State and Ministers, including from Africa, who will join President Macron, AUC Chair Moussa Faki, and Gavi’s Board Chair, former EU President and former Prime Minister of Portugal, Professor Jose Manuel Barroso, in Paris. Leaders from international organisations such as WHO and UNICEF, as well as from civil society, industry, government, and the private sector will also be present.
Gavi’s next funding cycle will end in 2030, the target date for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Vaccines have saved at least 1 life every 6 seconds for the past half century, and Gavi’s goal is to accelerate that progress: reach more people, with more vaccines, faster than ever before by 2030. This includes protecting more young women and girls from cervical cancer with the HPV vaccine, and rolling out the new malaria vaccine at scale.
President Faye’s participation in this forum underscores Senegal’s commitment to these goals, and his meeting with President Macron signifies the importance of this international collaboration. This event is a testament to Senegal’s ongoing efforts to enhance health security and contribute to global immunization initiatives, further solidifying its role in the global health community.
