By Carl O’Donnell and Andrea Shalal
(Reuters) – The Biden administration will pledge $4 billion to a vaccination program for poorer countries at a global economic summit on Friday in hopes that other countries will follow suit and contribute additional funds, U.S. officials said on a Thursday press call.
At a meeting of the Group of Seven nations, a summit for the world’s largest economies, the White House will announce plans to immediately grant $2 billion to the international COVAX program, which aims to ensure a fair supply of coronavirus vaccines around the world, officials said.
The United States will supply the remaining $2 billion over the next two years as other nations fulfill their own pledges, the officials said. The funding was approved by Congress earlier this month.
(Reporting by Carl O’Donnell; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
