Globally Acclaimed Leaders in Healthcare and Philanthropy join Lineup of Speakers at The World Immunisation & Logistics Summit

• Senior decision-makers including Director-General of WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Novavax among speakers.

Abu Dhabi, 28 March 2021 – Acclaimed global healthcare and philanthropic professionals, decision-makers, experts and senior world government officials are joining the upcoming World Immunisation & Logistics Summit, a two-day event hosted by Abu Dhabi’s HOPE Consortium, to discuss a unified global approach to overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, outlining how success can only be achieved through solidarity and international collaboration.

Global speakers include Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO, Henrietta H. Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF, Prof. José Manuel Barroso, Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Mark Suzman, CEO, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Stanley C. Erck, President and CEO, Novavax, Nadhim Zahawi MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Minister for COVID Vaccine Deployment, UK, Dr. E. Osagie Ehanire, Honourable Minister of Health, Nigeria, Prof. Nachman Ash, COVID-19 National Coordinator, Israel, and Wesley P. Wheeler, President, UPS Healthcare.

They will join H.E. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman, Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, H.E. Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Ports, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), H.E. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, and Honorary Chairman of Hope Consortium in discussing topics such as ensuring vaccine access for developing countries, addressing challenges relating to logistics and supply chain integrity, and feature focus panels on the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

The Summit is set to welcome over 1,000 senior decision-makers, government officials, industry stakeholders, NGOs, and leading academics on March 29^th – 30^th, 2021. It will provide an open forum for global players to discuss the logistical challenges associated with vaccine transport and distribution with the aim of finding solutions to achieve mass and equitable worldwide vaccine access.

H.E. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, and Honorary Chairman of Hope Consortium, said:

“The HOPE Consortium reflects Abu Dhabi’s commitment to supporting regional and international efforts to combat the pandemic, in a manner that strengthens its strategic relationships with the consortium partners and leverages Abu Dhabi’s strategic positioning and outstanding logistics capability.”

He also stressed that “the Summit will come up with significant results through constructive discussions, which will in turn speed up the joint international efforts for hope and return of normal life to the rest of the world.

H.E. Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Ports and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), said:

“The Summit is a testament to our ongoing commitment and dedication in cementing Abu Dhabi’s leading position as a trade and logistics hub to best serve humanity, with Abu Dhabi Ports playing a key role in making this possible through its advanced logistic capabilities. We will work with partners around the world to establish Abu Dhabi Ports as the central point for the distribution of vaccines and other pharmaceutical products and supplies, through our world-class cold storage and ultra-cold facility. This is not only for the COVID-19 pandemic but also for the future of the world’s healthcare.

The Summit will play a significant role in generating new global partnerships needed for the next phase in overcoming the pandemic, which is perhaps one of the greatest logistical challenges in recent history. We strongly emphasise the importance of global and multi-lateral collaboration and look forward, with the support of our wise leadership, to contribute to this endeavour in any way possible.”

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said:

“The summit is an opportunity to reaffirm that strong and enduring private-public partnerships are critical to the fight against COVID-19. Only by working together can we help every country get back to normal faster, and restore hope that children can return to school, that communities can rebuild and that economies can recover.”

Prof. José Manuel Barroso, Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, stressed:

“Global and local supply chains have been critical to the success of deliveries and rollout of tens of millions of vaccine doses through COVAX.” Barroso added: “HOPE Consortium and the World Immunisation & Logistics Summit are excellent initiatives that clearly demonstrate the leadership of the United Arab Emirates in building innovative public-private partnerships and bringing the world together to address the vital challenge of delivering COVAX to the last mile – their work will help us meet our goal of ending the acute phase of the pandemic.”

Nadhim Zahawi MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and Minister for COVID Vaccine Deployment, UK, added:

“As the UK’s Vaccines Minister, I am enormously proud to play my part in this national success story – it’s a huge team effort. More than 25 million of our adults have now received their first dose, cementing the status of our vaccination rollout as the fastest across Europe.

“The UK is a proud multicultural nation, home to people of myriad ethnicities and religious beliefs. We are working closely with faith leaders and grassroots organisations to give people in diverse communities across the country the best advice and information about the universal benefits of vaccination.

“We have been clear from the beginning that vaccines are the way out of this pandemic. They will protect people from this dreadful virus and save thousands of lives. We are backing worldwide vaccination efforts through our leading role in COVAX, and I am delighted to be joining figures at the heart of the global fightback against Covid-19 at this Summit.”

Ashish Koshy, CEO, G42 Healthcare, added:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nations and people across the globe and through it all, a critical element has stood out, and that is the value of collaboration and partnerships when facing a crisis of this scale. At G42 Healthcare, we are proud of the role we continue to play bringing together our technological capabilities along with the expertise and knowledge of various partners and government entities to advance healthcare solutions and ultimately achieve a COVID-19 free world. We look forward to our participation in The World Immunisation and Logistics Summit to share learnings and learn anew, explore opportunities, and work together to future proof the health of our nations.”

A fully interactive, virtual 3D exhibition and networking zone will take place alongside the Summit offering attendees the opportunity to meet and network with key local and international stakeholders. The recently released agenda provides a preview of the topics and delegates and can be viewed here. To register and secure your slot at the virtual Summit, please click here.

The HOPE Consortium is a public-private partnership that has developed into a leading international effort, broadening its global transport and delivery capabilities by attracting new partners, including Agility, Aramex, Bolloré Logistics, CEVA Logistics, DB Schenker, DHL, FedEx Express, Hellmann, Kuehne + Nagel, MICCO Logistics, RSA Global, and UPS.

Comprising leading Abu Dhabi entities, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Ports, Etihad Cargo, Rafed, SkyCell, and Maqta Gateway, as well as a wide body of global logistics players, the HOPE Consortium is developing capacity to transport, store, and distribute 18 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses by the end of 2021.