Rabat (October, 2021) – Today, the United States delivered 850,590 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to the Government of Morocco through COVAX, a global initiative aimed at ensuring equitable vaccine distribution.
This donation arrives at the same time as a $2 million U.S. investment in additional urgent COVID-19 assistance for Morocco, bringing to $19.88 million the U.S. government’s total COVID-19 assistance to the Kingdom. This new funding will provide technical assistance, equipment, and supplies to support Morocco’s National Vaccine and Deployment plan to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The funds will also support lab strengthening efforts through the purchase of test kits.
U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Lawrence Randolph highlighted that “protecting lives and Morocco’s economic stability are shared goals in the strong partnership between our two countries. This donation of over 850,000 Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses will save lives and is just the latest component of our dedicated work with our Moroccan partners as we fight to end the pandemic. The additional $2 million in COVID-19 assistance will further support the government of Morocco’s already highly successful response to the pandemic.”
Today’s donation of Pfizer doses follows a July shipment of over 300,000 single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development, has provided $15.27 million to support the COVID-19 pandemic response in Morocco, working with the Ministry of Health and other partners to raise awareness about COVID-19 risks, train healthcare workers, study vaccine effectiveness, and provide hygiene and laboratory equipment and supplies.
In addition to the $15.27 million provided by USAID, the U.S. military has invested over $3.8 million in field hospitals and laboratory assistance, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to award Morocco approximately $2.37 million in COVID funding to support emergency response, laboratory, surveillance and epidemiology efforts.
The United States is the world’s largest donor to COVAX, having contributed $4 billion through USAID. To date, the U.S. government has provided over 200 million vaccine doses to countries in need and is making available over one billion Pfizer vaccine doses to 92 lower- and middle-income countries and economies, as well as the African Union. To save lives around the world, rebuild the global economy, and stop the threat of new variants, we must vaccinate as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.
