How UNICEF spent $7.2B in 2021

UNICEF is the United Nations’ leading agency for the rights and welfare of children. Based on its Supply Annual Report, UNICEF spent nearly $7.2 billion in 2021 — the most among all U.N. agencies. This is up 60.7% from the previous year. The move was driven in part by a rise in spending on vaccines and other elements of the COVID-19 pandemic response. UNICEF said it managed the delivery of more than 884.2 million doses to 110 countries in 2021. The agency is one of the leading partners of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, which was created to fast-track the development, production, and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Where did the money go? UNICEF spent about $5.7 billion on goods and $1.5 billion on services last year. Of the amount spent on goods, $4.1 billion went to vaccines and biologicals — 191.6% more than in 2020. Other priority areas included medical supplies and equipment, with $397.5 million, and cold chain equipment, with $204.9 million. The remaining amount went to supplies in other commodity groups, including education, water and sanitation, pharmaceuticals, pest control, and nutrition. Meanwhile, construction was the priority among services, with $257.1 million. Other important categories included international freight services, with $226.3 million, and the local technical workforce, with $184.1 million. The rest was spent on cash and voucher assistance, research, surveys, monitoring, evaluation, logistics, and warehousing. Among country suppliers, UNICEF procured the most from China, which received $1.3 billion last year and rose two notches from the 2020 ranking of nations. Other top suppliers included the United States, with $777.6 million; India, with $669.5 million; and Belgium, with $601.5 million. In terms of destination, 42% of UNICEF’s procurement was used for sub-Saharan Africa, 38% for Asia, 13% for the Middle East and northern Africa, 5% for Central and Eastern Europe, and 2% for Central and South America and the Caribbean. Emergency response UNICEF spent $687.4 million on emergency supplies in 139 countries and areas. This included $399 million for medical supplies and equipment, $57.9 million for water and sanitation suppliers, $54.4 million for vaccines and biologicals, and $45.1 million for pharmaceuticals. The agency identified 13 nations that faced crises requiring a level 2 or level 3 emergency response. Level 2 means a country office “needs additional support,” while level 3 indicates that “organization-wide mobilisation is needed.” Among these countries, UNICEF made the biggest procurement for Yemen, worth $104.3 million. This included $28.2 million for vaccines and biologicals, $20.4 million for nutrition supplies, and $17.6 million for water and sanitation supplies. Syria ranked next, with $34.5 million. This included $6 million for medical supplies and equipment, $5.1 million for vaccines and biologicals, and $3.7 million for education supplies. At $26.2 million, a considerable amount was spent on Afghanistan. This included $7.5 million for pharmaceuticals, $6.5 million for water and sanitation supplies, and $4.4 million for medical supplies and equipment. Biggest procurements Here are some of the biggest contracts that UNICEF awarded in 2021, based on its contracts portal: • $749.5 million to GlaxoSmithKline for rotavirus vaccines. • ​​$636.6 million for three large contracts to Serum Institute of India for measles vaccines. • $337.7 million for two large contracts to Bharat Biotech for rotavirus vaccines. • $245.7 million for two large contracts to Serum Institute of India for rotavirus vaccines. • $190.4 million to Sanofi Pasteur for bivalent oral polio vaccines. • $159.8 million to Sanofi Pasteur for yellow fever vaccines. • $155.3 million for two large contracts to BE Vaccines Pte. Ltd. for measles vaccines. • $149.9 million to the Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitides for yellow fever vaccines. • $95 million to EuBiologics for oral cholera vaccines. • $86.5 million to Sanofi Pasteur for inactivated poliovirus vaccines. Try out Devex Pro Funding today with a free five-day trial, and explore funding opportunities from over 850 sources in addition to our analysis and news content.