As the fight against COVID-19 continues across the world, DP World and UNICEF have collaborated to ensure the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across low and lower-middle-income countries. With this wide-ranging, multi-million-dollar partnership, DP World and UNICEF are aiming to distribute COVID-19 vaccines and related immunization supplies across countries in need.

Reportedly, this is the largest partnership established so far aimed at supporting UNICEF's efforts to procure and supply two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines and auxiliary vaccination supplies through the COVAX Facility. Led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the COVAX facility is a global initiative to procure COVID-19 vaccines and carry out their fair and equitable distribution to governments across the world. 

In addition, DP World and UNICEF have come together to facilitate other global programmes to support health, education, women’s empowerment and water and sanitation.

As a leading global end-to-end supply chain logistics, DP World will be assisting UNICEF with logistics solutions and supply-chain expertise. UNICEF will be using the DP World’s warehouse facilities in Dubai which will allow it to have optimal access to other countries worldwide.

DP World has also vowed to provide its global logistics infrastructure and services to UNICEF on a pro-bono basis to support its logistics needs of the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. With its global presence, DP World will help in facilitating logistics needs such as transportation, port and storage requirements in the distribution process. As of now, UNICEF is using Dubai as its strategic hub for propositioning auxiliary materials such as syringes and safety boxes, required for the COVID-19 vaccine distribution campaign.

As per a WAM report, the partnership agreement was signed between Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of the DP World and Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. This partnership has been facilitated with the help of UNICEF’s collaboration with the World Economic Forum’s Supply Chain and Transport Community, noting that DP World is a member of the Community.

UNICEF and DP World's partnership is aimed at promoting collective action from the global community to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines to all countries across the world.

Speaking about the development, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said that distributing the COVID-19 vaccines to countries in need has emerged as the biggest logistics challenge since the end of the Second World War.

"We offer our infrastructure and expertise to support this effort because everyone should have access to vaccines, especially the most vulnerable in our society. Unless the vaccine is available to all, the pandemic will not end for anyone," he added.

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore also noted that vaccines will help in bringing normalcy in the lives of children whose lives have turned upside down due to disruption in education, health and protection.

"This new partnership will support our collective efforts to ensure equitable, affordable and sustainable access to COVID-19 vaccines," the UNICEF Executive Director added.

DP World and UNICEF are seeking to share knowledge and expertise and use advocacy to address the logistical bottlenecks that are hampering children and their families’ access to essential supplies in education and health. 

WAM