The welcome reception to kick off the pledging conference in Berlin, Germany, for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance will be held later tonight, but already the public-private partnership has gained itself one backer: the United States.
In an announcement shared with Devex over the weekend, the United States said it will be committing $1 billion to the alliance through 2018. While still subject to congressional approval, this shows an increased commitment by the bilateral donor to Gavi.
At Gavi’s first pledging conference in 2011, the United States pledged $450 million, plus an additional $90 million that was subject to congressional approval. To date, the donor is $7 million shy of meeting its commitment, according to a breakdown document published in September.