On 4 May 2020 a fund-raising teleconference conference event, organized by the European Union, brought in monetary pledges from countries around the world (except the US) raising 7.4 billion euros ($8 billion) for the Coronavirus Global Response which went to CEPI, Gavi, The Global Fund, and Unitaid for coronavirus vaccine research, distribution and the newly formed ACT-Accelerator. [2, 3, 4]
The pledging summit was hosted by EU President Ursula Van de Leyen who said “none of this would have been possible” without her friend Victor Dzau of the GPMB (the organisation who wrote the report that “started” Event 201). She also warned that it is just the start of an effort that must be sustained over time to beat the disease. [1]
For more than three hours, one by one, global leaders said a few words over video link all stated in some form the need for “diagnostics, therapeutics and universal access to a safe and effective vaccines.” [@2:20]
The commission then announced its joining with international advocacy organisation Global Citizen to launch the ‘Global Goal: Unite For Our Future’ a global pledging summit and concert for Saturday 27 June, it was hosted by President von der Leyen and raised €15.9 billion. [1] Country leaders appeared to be reading from the same script.
Australian Prime Minister pledged $352 million.
Notably on May 29, 2020 President Trump withdrew US funding from the WHO, at the same time the pledging summit and concert was announced and Trump was absent from this event.