Gavi and OPEC Fund partner to strengthen regional and local vaccine manufacturing, health financing and security

Gavi and OPEC Fund partner to strengthen regional and local vaccine manufacturing, health financing and security

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Gavi CEO Dr Sania Nishtar and OPEC Fund President Dr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa

  • Partnership agreement between Gavi and the OPEC Fund will help scale up sustainable health financing across 47 eligible countries

  • The partnership will support initiatives aimed at strengthening health systems, boosting vaccine manufacturing and pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR) capabilities

  • Dr  Sania Nisthar, CEO of Gavi: “By working together, Gavi and the OPEC Fund can support countries’ efforts to build more resilient, self-sustaining health systems.”

Vienna/Geneva, 24 June 2026 – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), and the OPEC Fund for International Development have signed a new partnership to expand sustainable health financing and improve vaccine access across 47 eligible countries.

The collaboration brings together complementary strengths to align financing and expertise in support of countries’ priorities, including immunisation, primary health care, local and regional manufacturing as well as pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

“This joint effort is about easing countries’ fiscal space so that they are better able to invest in their immunisation priorities,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “By working together, Gavi and the OPEC Fund can support countries’ efforts to build more resilient, self-sustaining health systems, and advance local and regional vaccine manufacturing while strengthening health security through pandemic preparedness.”

OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said, “This partnership will help countries build stronger, more resilient health systems and expand access to lifesaving vaccines. By combining our financing and expertise with Gavi’s reach, we can advance health security and deliver lasting benefits for vulnerable communities.”

The partnership is an important part of Gavi’s MDB Multiplier mechanism, which brings together multilateral development banks and development finance institutions to mobilise larger pools of financing for health. For countries, this means greater access to upfront financing to invest in immunisation and strengthen health systems – supporting the transition towards more sustainable health programmes over time.

Gavi and the OPEC Fund have a significant overlap, working in 47 common countries where their efforts can complement each other. Through the new agreement, both partners will work together to identify new financing opportunities, support enabling policy and regulatory environments, and provide coordinated technical assistance and grant support to help countries design and deliver high-impact programmes aligned with national priorities.

The collaboration also seeks to support countries in responding to disease outbreaks and public health emergencies, including through access to vaccines and related supplies, in line with country needs.

The OPEC Fund has been a long-term partner of Gavi, with support including a US$ 1.1 million grant in 2013. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Gavi CEO Dr Sania Nishtar and OPEC Fund President Dr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa on the sidelines of the OPEC Fund Development Forum in Vienna, marks a further step in translating this ambition into action.

Notes to Editors

About Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate more than half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. View the full list of donor governments and other leading organisations that fund Gavi’s work here.

Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunise a whole generation – over 1.2 billion children – and prevented more than 20.6 million future deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 78 lower‑income countries. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningococcal and yellow fever vaccines. After two decades of progress, Gavi is now focused on protecting the next generation, above all the zero-dose children who have not received even a single vaccine shot. The Vaccine Alliance employs innovative finance and the latest technology – from drones to biometrics – to save lives, prevent outbreaks before they can spread and help countries on the road to self-sufficiency. Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X and YouTube.

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