We brought you news of the Covid-19 initiative launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) earlier and we’ve now got some more details.
The WHO describes the Access to Covid Tools (ACT) Accelerator programme as a “call to action” for a global, coordinated response to the pandemic.
The aim is to fund, research, develop and distribute treatments, technologies and vaccines against the virus worldwide.
The WHO hopes to raise €7.5bn euros (£6.5bn; $8.1bn) when it launches a global pledging effort at a summit on 4 May.
“This is a first step only, but more will be needed in the future,” said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen who helped launch the programme on Friday.
Leaders from the 20 countries, including France, South Africa, Germany, Malaysia and the UK, have pledged their support for the initiative.
As part of the programme, the WHO has appointed two special envoys to lead global co-operation on vaccine research.
Dozens of potential Covid-19 vaccines are being developed around the world, including in the UK, where a human trial has begun.
