Israel to deliver one million COVID vaccine doses to African countries

Government announcement says vaccines would reach close to a quarter of African countries as part of global initiative COVAX, aiming to provide coronavirus vaccines to poorer nations

Itamar Eichner, Associated Press|

Israel will deliver one million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine to African countries in the coming weeks.
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"I am delighted that Israel can contribute and be a partner in eradicating the pandemic around the world," said Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
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A healthworker holding a vial of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine 
(Photo: EPA)
"As long as there is no vaccine distribution that will help eradicate the virus worldwide, the COVID pandemic will continue to spread, while new variants will continue to develop in countries with low immunization rates."
A government announcement said the vaccines would reach close to a quarter of African countries, though it did not provide a list. Israel has close ties with a number of African nations, including Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. Israel also established relations with Sudan last year as part of a series of U.S.-brokered accords.
COVAX is a global initiative that aims to provide coronavirus vaccines to poorer nations. Wealthier countries have acquired most of the world's vaccine supplies, causing vast inequality in access to jabs.
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A refrigerated truck loaded with the first delivery of coronavirus vaccine via the United Nations Covax program supporting poorer areas, drives toward the West Bank city of Ramallah, on March 17, 2021 
(Photo: AFP)
Israel was one of the first countries to vaccinate its population. Early this year, it came under criticism for not sharing enough of its supplies with the Palestinians.
Since then, Israel has vaccinated tens of thousands of Palestinians who work in Israel and its settlements, and the Palestinians have procured vaccines from COVAX and other sources.