Global Citizen And The European Commission Mobilize $1.5 Billion In Cash Grants, And $5.4 Billion In Loans And Guarantees--For A Total Of $6.9 Billion Pledged--To Combat The Disproportionate Impact Of COVID-19 On Vulnerable And Disadvantaged Communities

CommPRO Editorial StaffInternational‌ ‌advocacy‌ ‌organization‌ Global Citizen and the European Commission (EC) today‌ hosted Global Goal: Unite for Our Future - The Summit and The Concert, as part of a global campaign to coordinate the development of COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines, and to ensure equitable access to everyone, everywhere. Building on the success of the European Union's May 4th pledging conference, the Global Goal: Unite for Our Future campaign has achieved another milestone in global health efforts. The campaign is a continuation of efforts aimed at mobilizing the tens of billions of dollars in the funding still needed to combat COVID-19, make tests, treatments, and vaccines available for everyone, everywhere, and protect the world's most fragile health systems and communities."Global Goal: Unite for Our Future was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are proud to join the European Commission, and over 40 governments from around the world, to ensure COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines would be made available for everyone, everywhere," said Hugh Evans, CEO of Global Citizen. "The $6.9 billion that was pledged today to support the world's poorest and most marginalized communities is an incredible next step on our journey out of the COVID-19 era, but there is more still to be done as no one is safe until everyone is safe."Combining policy and entertainment, Global Goal: Unite for Our Future – The Summit and The Concert aired in more than 180 countries, and streamed globally across Youtube, Facebook and Twitter. Raising $1.5 billion in cash grants and $5.4 billion in loans – a total of $6.9 billion – from governments, the private sector and foundations, The Summit combined entertainment and policy as a pathway to outline the new Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator plan for developing and equitably allocating tests, treatments and vaccines to the people who need them.Commitments from countries, including: Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Italy, Israel, Japan, State of Kuwait, Lithuania, Government of  Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Russian Federation, Republic of Korea, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, State of Qatar, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen offered strong support for The Summit as the campaign's co-chair and patron, "The world will only be freed from this pandemic when vaccines, tests and treatments are available and affordable to everyone who needs them. Team Europe's pledge of €4.9 billion brings us closer to this global goal. Europe is in this for the long haul. We will use all of our convening power for the common good. There is a strong alliance out there to beat this virus, together."Global Goal: Unite for Our Future – The Summit featured panel discussions and interviews with experts and thought-leaders moderated by journalists Katie Couric, Mallika Kapur, Morgan Radford, Isha Sesay and Keir Simmons. Global leaders, and leading artists and advocates, including Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Miley Cyrus, Angelique Kidjo and Ken Jeong joined the conversation. Experts and thought-leaders including Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Melinda Gates, Dr. Vin Gupta, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Director General of the WHO Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Eddie Ndopu, Kate Upton and Justin Verlander also participated.World leaders, including: Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of  Germany; Emmanuel Macron, President of France; Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa and others, along with foundations and philanthropists, joined the European Union (EU) in a rallying call for an investment of billions towards the development and equitable distribution of COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. In the spirit of collaboration and solidarity, government leaders have shown their support for Global Goal Unite: For Our Future by pledging new grants, and policy commitments:Government Commitments:
G-7:

• The European Commission and the European Investment Bank committed $5.4 billion USD in loans and guarantees to support the world's most fragile economies in recovering from COVID-19 and achieving the SDGs.
• Canada has pledged $120 million CAD for the ACT-Accelerator, and $180 million CAD for COVID-19 humanitarian and development aid.
• France stressed the need to speed up the design and production of diagnostic, treatment and vaccine resources and to guarantee safe, equitable and universal access to these vital means of fighting the pandemic.
• Germany committed €383 million EUR to support the COVID-19 response. Of this funding, € 150 million is earmarked for the Global Fund's Response Mechanism, and €233 million will be going to organizations helping people in developing countries cope with the impacts of the pandemic.
• Italy will continue to support cooperative actions, international solidarity and the global response to defeat COVID-19.
• Japan committed to international cooperation, and to ensure vulnerable and developing nations are prioritized during the pandemic.
• The United Kingdom committed to ensuring a future vaccine is truly available to all.
• The United States committed $545 million USD towards COVID-19 relief efforts.

Other Nation States:

• Bangladesh has committed $50,000 to the development of vaccines.
• Barbados asks that the world come together in solidarity, calling on nations to consider the needs and ensure access for the nations of the Caribbean.
• Belgium committed €11.5 million EUR to the World Food Programme and €4 million EUR to the WHO's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
• Denmark has committed $16 million DKK to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
• The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) committed $25 million USD over five years towards multisectoral human capital development, which will support critical COVID-19 relief efforts across West Africa. $15 million USD of this funding will be for education and skills development, and $10 million USD for human capital.
• El Salvador calls for international solidarity, by committing to join efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Finland committed €6 million at Global Goal: Unite for Our Future; pledging €3 million to Education Cannot Wait, and €3 million towards The World Food Programme.
• Greece committed to be on the forefront of the fight to make the vaccine a global public good and accessible to all.
• Iceland committed to the equitable distribution and access to vaccines for everyone, everywhere.
• India, as the world's foremost producer of vaccines, with a proven capacity to supply quality medicines at low cost and considerable scientific research team, stands ready to contribute to global health efforts.
• Israel committed to global cooperation to ensure access to vaccines, treatments and testing, with a special focus on Africa.
• The State of Kuwait also reaffirmed its commitment to support all international efforts aimed at expediting the process of manufacturing the vaccine and ensuring its fair distribution to those in need.
• Lithuania stressed the importance of global solidarity and cooperation to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostic, treatment and healthcare.
• The Government of Luxembourg committed €800 thousand EUR towards the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator.
• Malta committed to equitable allocation of the vaccines to ensure that it reaches everyone, once it becomes available.
• Mexico has committed to focus efforts on the world's most vulnerable groups and on equitable distribution of vaccines.
• Netherlands has committed €25 million EUR towards equitable vaccines.
• New Zealand committed to efforts that developing countries have access to vaccines where they need them to protect their communities.
• Nigeria committed to support the global efforts in ensuring health security in an equitable manner.
• Norway committed $10 million USD to Gavi's Advance Market Commitment for COVID-19 Vaccines to ensure tests, treatments and vaccines are available to everyone.
• The State of Qatar pledged $10 million USD to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the WHO, powered by the UN Foundation.
• Republic of Korea committed to ensuring universal access to vaccines and therapeutics.
• The Russian Federation expressed the readiness to supply the global market with direct antiviral agents, products, tests and vaccines.
• Saint Vincent and Grenadines called for a fair and effective allocation of resources and vaccines.
• Saudi Arabia has committed to the global effort to ensure that everyone in the world has access to COVID-19 testing, treatments and therapeutics.
• Serbia committed €100,000 to CEPI for vaccine research and development.
• Singapore looks forward to working multilaterally to promote a coordinated global response to develop effective vaccines quickly and ensure their fair and expeditious distribution to all.
• Slovak Republic commits to standing together with other countries to overcome COVID-19.
• Slovenia committed to transparent and inclusive international policies towards development, manufacturing and distribution of vaccines and medicines.
• South Africa committed to support global diagnostic and therapeutic supply chains, access to global care and therapeutics, and to ensure no country is left behind.
• Spain committed €10 million EUR to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP).
• Sweden committed €46 million EUR to support the leadership and guidance of the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the WHO.
• Switzerland committed €20 million EUR to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), The World Food Programme and UNICEF.

Philanthropic Commitments:

• The FIFA Foundation committed to The Global Fund in support of its COVID-19 response,  helping to ensure low- and middle-income countries have access to health services. This marks the start of a longer-term partnership to fight the impact of COVID-19, save lives, and protect hard-won gains in the fight against HIV, TB and Malaria.
• Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance will receive in-kind support from TransferWise, whose support will allow people from around the world to contribute towards their Advance Market Commitment for COVID-19 vaccines, as well as funding from a private foundation whose support will ensure life-saving vaccines reach those who need them most.
• The Minderoo Foundation in Australia committed $5 million AUD to the International COVID-19 Data Alliance – a collaboration through the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator with the Gates Foundation, Wellcome, HDR UK and other partners to ensure the world's medical researchers share vital knowledge, not only for COVID-19 but future pandemics and other diseases.
• The Rockefeller Foundation committed to increase their investment in data driven global COVID-19 response efforts by $50 million USD to ensure that everyone, especially the world's most vulnerable, has equal access to COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccines.
• Usher announced that he will donate his proceeds from his I CRY record, performed for the very first time during the Global Goal: Unite for Our Future concert, to LISC, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, a core Global Goal: Unite for Our Future campaign partner.
• Wallace Global Fund (WGF) committed 20% of its endowment this year to address the unprecedented challenges the world faces as a result of the global pandemic. WGF also announced its partnership with Global Citizen's Give While You Live campaign, challenging peers in philanthropy to double their own giving to support resilience and relief efforts at the nexus of systems change, infrastructural development, and equitable health and energy access.
• A private donor committed $10 million USD in funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support the African Regional Office (AFRO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in their efforts to fight COVID-19 with a focus on women and girls.

Corporate Commitments:

• The Citi Foundation committed $10 million USD to LISC helping small businesses in low—income communities rebound from this pandemic. This commitment is part of Citi and the Citi Foundation's larger $100 million global COVID-19 relief effort.
• Google committed to increase their support of the WHO with an additional $25 million USD in Ad Grants, to ensure that authoritative, timely and locally relevant information on health measures, therapies and vaccines reaches everyone who needs it, including those who have less access.
• P&G committed more than $10 million in product donations, COVID-19 testing kits, and financial support to a variety of different regional and local organizations as part of their COVID-19 response and Take On Race initiatives. Their generous contributions will support the efforts of international and regional responders, including Americares, CARE, Feeding America, In Kind Direct, International Medical Corps, LISC, Matthew 25: Ministries, National Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies, Save the Children and United Way. These organizations work to provide communities with the necessary resources to survive the pandemic, fight for justice, advance economic opportunity, enable greater access to education and health care, and make our communities more equitable.
• SAP is dedicating significant resources to inclusive education, economic opportunity, and social justice reform. They commit to powering this movement in partnership with Equal Justice Initiative, PYXERA Global, Acumen and others.
• The Serum Institute of India (SII) committed 50% of their COVID-19 vaccine production capacity to low- and middle- income countries. The pledge will ensure that over 250 million doses of a vaccine will be reserved for the world's most vulnerable countries.
• UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, received commitments from Takeda ($4.6 million USD) to maintain essential services so that women and their babies survive and thrive, this includes £1 million GBP from Reckitt Benckiser to support midwives and make sure that every birth is safe.
• UNICEF received commitments from IHS Markit ($1.7 million USD) to support UNICEF's COVID-19 response in Nigeria and from Colgate Palmolive ($4 million USD in in-kind product) to 12 countries as part of UNICEF's WASH response to COVID-19.
• Verizon, as part of Global Goal: Unite for our Future, has strengthened its long time commitment to education through a $1 million USD pledge to Education Cannot Wait. As we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a more important time to provide critical tools to the teachers and students who need it most.
• Vodafone has committed to vastly expand their networks, reaching millions of people worldwide through the installation of 11,000 additional 4G sites. This increased technology will help support the SDGs by providing additional network access to essential education initiatives.

Hosted by Dwayne Johnson, The Concert featured performances from Chloe x Halle, Christine and the Queens, Coldplay, For Love Choir, J Balvin, Jennifer Hudson, J'Nai Bridges with Gustavo Dudamel, Los Angeles Philharmonic & YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles), Justin Bieber and Quavo, Lin-Manuel Miranda and select members of the Original Broadway Production of HAMILTON with Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Miley Cyrus, Shakira, Usher and Yemi Alade. The Concert also included appearances from Antoni Porowski, Billy Porter, Charlize Theron, Chris Rock, David Beckham, Derrick Johnson, Diane Kruger, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Jackman, Ken Jeong, Kerry Washington, Naomi Campbell, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Olivia Colman, Opal Tometi, Salma Hayek Pinault and more.Global Goal: Unite for Our Future—The Concert aired on broadcast networks across the globe, including: ARD, Canal+ Group, RTVE in Europe, Bell Media, CBC, Citytv, and Global TV, in Canada, NBC, MSNBC and iHeartMedia in the U.S., Grupo Globo in Brazil, MultiChoice Group and SABC in Africa, Fuji TV and Star India in Asia, and Channel Nine in Australia. The Concert will also be streamed on global platforms including Apple, Brut, Roku, Insight TV, TIDAL, Twitch, Twitter, Yahoo! and YouTube. Additional broadcasters include BARÇA TV, Bloomberg Television, Fundación Azteca, Mediacorp, MTV International, NBC News NOW, SiriusXM, Sony Channel Latin America, and Turner Latin America. The virtual broadcast celebrated innovators, scientists, health workers, activists and organizations working to develop and distribute COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines to everyone, everywhere who need them.Producers of Global Goal: Unite for Our Future, include: Michele Anthony of Universal Music Group, Declan Kelly of Teneo, Live Nation, Scooter Braun and SB Projects, Adam Leber on behalf of Maverick, The Lede Company, Roc Nation and Derrick Johnson on behalf of NAACP. The Summit is produced by Michael Dempsey. The Concert is produced by Hamish Hamilton and Done + Dusted.For more information about Global Citizen and the campaign to support COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines, please visit globalcitizen.org and follow @GlblCtzn Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #GlobalCitizen. Visit http://globalgoalunite.org to learn more about Global Goal: Unite for Our Future.