Australia pledges $500M to “vaccine diplomacy” initiative

• The Federal Government has pledged $500 million in additional foreign aid spending to eliminate COVID-19 in Southeast Asia and the Pacific
• Over the next three years, the Government will distribute COVID-19 vaccine doses to neighbouring countries in the region
• It is not yet clear which vaccine will be rolled out, as potential formulations are still being developed and tested
• Australia’s Government has already committed $300 million to providing economic aid to the Pacific, where COVID-19 has impacted crucial tourism
• This latest initiative may also help bolster Australia’s regional influence in the Asia Pacific, where China holds considerable sway

The Federal Government has pledged $500 million in additional foreign aid spending to eliminate COVID-19 in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

Many small countries in these regions have thankfully remained free of coronavirus cases since its outbreak early in the year. Many of the smallest island nations shut their borders in April, in order to protect their vulnerable citizens from the virus.

While they may have avoided the spread of COVID-19, several countries have still felt the sting of its economic impact. In particular, Pacific and Southeast Asian nations which rely heavily on the tourism industry have suffered financially because of worldwide travel bans.

Australia’s Government has already committed $300 million to providing financial aid to the Pacific, where COVID-19’s economic toll has hit hard. This injection of an extra half a billion dollars in funds hopes to address the medical side of the issue, which remains unresolved.

Over the next three years, the Government will distribute COVID-19 vaccine doses throughout the region. As part of the massive immunisation rollout program, the Government will also provide technical support to ensure that the doses are safely administered.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Health Minister Greg Hunt, and Minister for International Development Alex Hawke, said that the initiative would help to achieve “full immunisation coverage” in Southeast Asia.

“Ensuring countries in our region can quickly recover from the health and economic impacts of this devastating global pandemic is vital to ensuring our shared economic future in the post-pandemic world.

“A fast, safe vaccine rollout in the Pacific and Southeast Asia will mean we are able to return to more normal travel, tourism, and trade with our key partners in the region,” they said.

In addition, this initiative may also help bolster Australia’s regional influence in the Asia Pacific. China has recently also made commitments to provide five countries in Southeast Asia with priority access to a Chinese-made vaccine.

Currently, it’s not yet clear which COVID-19 vaccine will be rolled out by Australia’s initiative, since potential formulations are still being developed and tested. 

In August, the Coalition entered agreements with UK pharmacy company AstraZeneca and CSL-University of Queensland for over 84 million doses of a potential vaccine.

The Government pledged that if the vaccines proved safe, effective, and plentiful enough to cover domestic needs, then it would donate extras to regional partners.