Abu Dhabi’s HOPE Consortium has announced the inaugural World Immunisation & Logistics Summit, a major international gathering of front runners and senior decision-makers leading the charge in the collective human effort against the Covid-19 pandemic. 

 

Among the international speakers will be DrTedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO; Mark Suzman, CEO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and Stanley C. Erck, President and CEO, Novavax.

 

The summit is organised by the HOPE Consortium, an Abu Dhabi-led public-private partnership responsible for the mass distribution of Covid-19 vaccines to the global population. It will take place virtually on March 29 and 30, and will further cement Abu Dhabi’s pioneering role in the fight against Covid-19.

 

The summit provides an open forum for global leaders to discuss the logistical challenges associated with vaccine transport and distribution - from production to patient - with the aim of finding scalable, real-world solutions to achieving mass and broad worldwide vaccine delivery and vaccination, a statement said. 

 

The two-day summit will see the participation of over 1,000 attendees from all corners of the globe representing governments, key multi-national NGOs, IGOs, pharmaceutical and global supply chain players, as well as leading academics.

 

The delegates will tackle key logistical and technological challenges facing global supply chains and associated emerging trends - including the rise of vaccine nationalism - to ensure equitable and rapid delivery of the life-saving vaccines at this critical juncture facing the health, wellbeing, and prosperity of all humankind.

 

A virtual exhibition alongside the summit will offer attendees one-to-one networking and interactive exhibition booths to engage with key local and international stakeholders.

 

Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, Chairman, HOPE Consortium Executive Committee, said: “The World Immunisation & Logistics Summit is part of Abu Dhabi’s continuous efforts in the global fight against COVID-19, and is a clarion call to the global community, key public and private sector leaders and experts to join hands in solving the largest and most complex logistical effort ever to be undertaken in human history.” 

 

“As we pass the pandemic’s one-year mark, it is incumbent on the international health and logistics players to overcome this enormous challenge through an open forum that brings about scalable, sustainable and equitable vaccine distribution solutions, delivering help and hope to all those in need.” 

 

“The global community is united in its need for solutions and through this summit, Abu Dhabi and the HOPE Consortium are seeking to leverage the power of human will and ingenuity to combat the virus and draw the Covid-19 era to a close.”  

 

Dr Jamal Mohammed Alkaabi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), said: “Hope is Abu Dhabi’s message to the world. Combating this pandemic is not impossible, and we are confident that life as we all know it will go back to normal through our relentless work with all concerned parties to provide and transfer billions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to all parts of the world. This stems from our belief in Abu Dhabi’s vital role in eliminating the virus and limiting its spread, and its position as a global logistics centre.”

 

“Through the summit, local and international leaders and decision-makers, who are committed to facing the pandemic, will come together to discuss logistical challenges and cooperate to achieve a comprehensive and fair distribution of these vaccines around the world."

 

Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO, Abu Dhabi Ports, and Chairman of the Operations Steering Committee, HOPE Consortium, said: “In assembling a global alliance, the World Immunisation & Logistics Summit reflects our leadership vision and its efforts to find a comprehensive supply-chain solution that touches billions of lives for the better.

 

“Keeping pace with an ever-evolving virus is a race against time that requires a combined strategic response from global experts across a broad spectrum of domains and industries. The summit offers Abu Dhabi Ports and our partners an unprecedented opportunity to not only help solve emerging cold chain and logistical challenges, but to work hand-in-hand with the world’s leading health experts to deliver mass volumes of vaccines to a wide range of geographic locations at the right time and in the right ambient environments.”

 

A key element in the two-day summit’s proceedings will centre on the revolutionary role that technology is playing in enabling end-to-end, safe, secure supply chain operations that protect vaccine integrity throughout its journey. – TradeArabia News Service