UK Signs VT6 Million Grant Agreement To Support Phase 3 Repatriation Efforts

The British High Commission in Port Vila is pleased this week to sign an agreement to provide logistical support to the Vanuatu Government efforts in the 3rd phase of the repatriation process.

The grant support, valued at VT6 million, is for two projects: one is to support the vital security and escort services provided by the Vanuatu Police Force and the second project is to provide the central medical store at Vila Central Hospital with extra storage facilities.

The agreement with Vanuatu comes in the same week that British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab confirmed the UK had helped to raise $1 billion for the coronavirus COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), which will help distribute one billion doses of coronavirus vaccines to 92 developing countries this year.

“The British High Commission in Port Vila is pleased to be able to support the work that the Vanuatu Government is doing to keep Vanuatu free from COVID. We also aim to put global health security at the top of the agenda for our G7 Presidency in 2021. We look forward to working with our partners in Vanuatu and the wider international community to deliver concrete steps which will build global resilience and prevent future pandemics,” says High Commissioner Karen Bell.

The Minister of Health, Silas Bule expressed appreciation for the support and thanked the UK for the contributions and progress globally to manage the pandemic.

(Source; Vanuatu Daily Post 14 January 2021)