U.S. Donates Over Half a Million Pfizer Vaccine Doses to Kosovo, September 6, 2021
Today the United States donated an additional 503,100 lifesaving, safe, and highly effective Pfizer vaccine doses to Kosovo. Including the August 20 first tranche, the United States has delivered over 538,200 doses to protect Kosovans, representing the largest COVID-19 vaccine donation by any country or organization to Kosovo.
Today’s shipment is part of President Biden’s commitment to share COVID-19 vaccine doses from U.S. domestic supplies to support global needs. Because no country can defeat COVID-19 alone, the United States initially committed in June to share 80 million vaccine doses with the world.
The U.S. donated vaccines were delivered through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC) mechanism, a global initiative to support equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. With its $4 billion financial contribution to Gavi in support of COVAX, the United States is the largest single financial donor to COVAX. COVAX is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations (CEPI), Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance, and the World Health Organization (WHO), with UNICEF as a key delivery partner. With this shipment, Kosovo has received over 700,000 doses through the COVAX AMC.
In addition to vaccines, since the start of the pandemic, the United States has provided nearly $4 million in protective gear, medical equipment, grants for online learning, and other COVID-19 related assistance to help schools, medical facilities, families, and communities across Kosovo’s 38 municipalities. By providing assistance today, we are laying the foundation for a sovereign, self-reliant, and resilient Kosovo tomorrow; one that embraces its responsibilities at home, but also as an equal partner in the region, within Europe, and the world.
