Germany will make up to 70 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines available to African countries this year, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday, more than doubling a previous pledge to donate 30 million.
“Germany will make available not only 30 million doses of vaccines but it will be as much as 70 million doses,” she told a news conference after a summit with African leaders on the G20s Compact with Africa initiative, according to an interpreter.
Merkel on Friday joined African and EU leaders on the steps of the Chancellery for the last Africa summit family photo of her chancellorship.
Merkel has championed the G20 Compact with Africa to support businesses on the continent and stem the flow of migrants to Europe after Germany took in some one million refugees, mainly fleeing war in the Middle East, in 2015.
Launched in 2017, the Compact promotes private investment in African partner countries, aiming to ease poverty which, along with political instability and violence, has encouraged large numbers of Africans to head for Europe.
The Berlin event, which includes roundtable talks, is designed to showcase the continent as a stable destination for German investment.
