Yamaguchi speaks with Gavi, CEPI leaders

May 11 , 2021

Yamaguchi spoke with top Gavi and CEPI officers on May 10Yamaguchi (left corner) spoke with top Gavi and CEPI officers on May 10

On May 10, Komeito Chief Representative Natsuo Yamaguchi spoke online with top executives of two global organizations engaged in COVAX Facility, a global initiative promoting equitable access to covid vaccines in participant countries. Yamaguchi told Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance CEO Seth Berkley and Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) Chief Executive Richard J. Hatchett that Komeito will lobby the government to step up its financial support at the COVAX Summit cohosted by Gavi and Japan on June 2.

During the virtual conference, CEO Berkley gave high marks to Komeito for playing a leading role in promoting COVAX participation, while Chief Executive Hatchett expressed delight in the party’s work undertaken as humanitarian assistance.

COVAX Facility—which is backed by the World Health Organization, Gavi, CEPI and other foundations—seeks to raise monetary contributions to purchase vaccines from pharmaceutical developers at the COVAX Summit. While COVAX Facility requires $8.3 billion to fund its initiative, particularly in support for the participating 90 middle- and low-income nations, it is reporting a shortfall of some $1.7 billion to date.