06 April, 2021 In a statement released today, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation has called for a series of urgent actions aimed at upscaling vaccine access in Africa. Africa is one of the world’s most vulnerable regions. The continent is home to 17% of the world’s population and yet accounts for just 0.5% of global vaccine distribution, according to the latest data. Ensuring equitable and balanced access to vaccines is a matter of global security and shared interest. If the virus is not defeated everywhere, it will continue to spread and mutate. The statement, signed by the Foundation’s Board Members, Ibrahim Prize Committee and Prize Laureates, calls for immediate and united efforts to advance vaccine equity. This includes unlocking additional resources to fill Africa’s vaccine gap and build the continent’s vaccine manufacturing capacity in the longer term.