Leaders of the G7 economies convening in the UK will announce a pledge to provide 1bn coronavirus doses to poorer countries as part of a plan to “vaccinate the world” by the end of 2022.
The move, to be outlined at the start of the three-day summit on Friday, is designed to address criticism that wealthy western governments have secured the bulk of life-saving Covid-19 vaccines from manufacturers to immunise their own populations. The vow is also an attempt to counter “vaccine diplomacy” by Beijing and Moscow, which have been quick to sell their jabs to developing nations.
Hosting the G7 summit in Cornwall, Britain’s picturesque southern tip, prime minister Boris Johnson is due to announce on Friday that the UK will donate 100m surplus vaccine doses in the next 12 months, according to aides.