US to give $580M to international groups in fight against coronavirus

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US is providing an additional $580 million to support seven global bodies in their fight against the coronavirus, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday.

"With the emergence of the Omicron variant, and continued challenges like equitable access to life-saving care and vaccines, the world is at a critical point in our global response to this virus," he said in a statement.

The funding came hours before the top diplomat's meeting with foreign ministers to discuss and coordinate how to address the omicron variant.

It includes $280 million for the World Health Organization, $170 million to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), $75 million for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), $20 million to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), $20 million for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), $10 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and $5 million to = UN Women to assist their efforts to support women and girls.

"These resources reflect the deep commitment of the United States and the American people to a healthier, more secure world, in keeping with President (Joe) Biden’s commitment to elevate our global ambition to end the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022," Blinken added.

To date, the US has shared more than 330 million vaccine doses with over 110 countries and economies.