$9 Billion, 500 Million Children, $250 Billion ROI: Why Gavi's Brussels Summit Matters

1. The Global Summit will bring the world to Brussels

Co-hosted by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the European Union and the Gates Foundation, with Global Citizen as a key partner, the event will bring Heads of State, Ministers, CEOs as well as activists and civil society organisations from across the globe together to take stock of the progress the Vaccine Alliance has made over the past 25 years and look forward to what’s to come, as well as, of course, mobilising critical investments in life-saving immunisation programmes.

Held at the Center for Fine Arts, or Bozar, in the centre of the city, the Summit is a pivotal moment, with the goal to build a healthier, more prosperous future through investments in one of humanity’s greatest inventions: the vaccine. 

2. The goal: US$ 9 billion for the next five years

Over the past 25 years, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has helped to immunise more than a billion children, meaning one-eighth of humanity has received a vaccine funded by Gavi. Today we help give half the world’s children access to vaccines every single year.

The scale is massive, and so is the impact. Since we were founded in 2000 child mortality in the lower-income countries we work with has halved, with Gavi’s vaccines averting more than 18 million deaths.

Now we are entering our most ambitious and exciting period yet: over the next five years we aim to immunise at least 500 million more children, save an additional 8–9 million lives, generate at least US$ 250 billion in economic benefits for the countries we support and boost global health security by responding to up to 150 disease outbreaks.

To deliver on these goals, Gavi needs at least US$ 9 billion in new support from governments, foundations and the private sector.

We’re already well on our way. Early pledges include at least US$ 2.4 billion from the United States, France, Spain, the private sector and philanthropy, at least €260 million from the European Commission for the next two years, CA$ 675 million from Canada, €2.5million from Portugal and €1 million from Croatia.

We have also seen one country formerly supported by Gavi step up to become a new donor. In December Indonesia pledged US$ 30 million for our next five years. As our CEO, Dr Sania Nishtar, said at the time: “As a country that has achieved remarkable success with Gavi support, Indonesia is now paying it forward, ensuring other nations can benefit from the same life-saving interventions.” 

3. We aim to protect more people against more diseases

Initially focused on preventing six diseases, Gavi now plans to support immunisation against 24 infections during its next strategic period.

Alongside expanded coverage with well-established vaccines – such as those against pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, measles and the pentavalent vaccine – Gavi will scale up access to HPV and malaria vaccines, and potentially expand our portfolio of new breakthrough vaccines, such as those against dengue and tuberculosis (TB).

The number of vaccinations delivered is also set to increase by more than a third compared to the 2021–2025 strategic period. 

4. It's an investment in keeping us all safe from outbreaks and epidemics

As well as supporting routine immunisation, Gavi plans to make its most substantial investment to date in vaccine programmes and emergency stockpiles for outbreak-prone diseases including Ebola, cholera, meningitis and yellow fever.

We also plan to create a stockpile of mpox vaccine doses to respond to future outbreaks and provide US$ 10 million annually to support the Measles & Rubella partnership, a global initiative to achieve a world without measles and rubella.

Together, these investments will equip Gavi with the capacity to respond to more than 150 disease outbreaks worldwide, strengthening global health security in the face of the twin threats of climate change and antimicrobial resistance.

5. This is about empowerment, self reliance and country sovereignty 

Gavi’s approach is rooted in sustainability and sovereignty – offering a hand up, not a handout.

We provide catalytic funding to help countries build and sustain their own immunisation programs. All countries contribute to the cost of vaccines from the start, with their contributions increasing as their economies grow, until they fully fund their own vaccine programmes. The goal is for all countries to eventually reach this stage – and for Gavi to put itself out of business.

This approach is working. Already, 19 countries have transitioned of Gavi support and over the next five years Gavi-supported countries will finance nearly 50% of their vaccine costs.

To further strengthen long-term resilience, Gavi has also been working with a broad coalition of partners to design the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA) -- a US$ 1 billion initiative to help create a thriving vaccine manufacturing sector on the African continent, creating jobs, boosting economies and improving global health security.

6. Gavi needs your support 

The Global Summit is uniting activists, health workers and leaders from across the world in a shared call for a healthier, safer and more prosperous future.

Be part of that conversation - join us on social media and help spread the word. Gavi’s accounts will be regularly posting throughout the day so look us up, or look for the hashtags: #ForOurFuture and #VaccinesWork.