On 20 October 2021, a donation of 149,760 Astra Zeneca vaccines arrived in Maputo, Mozambique, flown in directly from the European producer. Séverine de Potter de ten Broeck, Head of the Diplomatic Office of Belgium in Mozambique, and Geraldine Reymenants, General Representative of Flanders in Southern Africa, were amongst those welcoming the flight on the tarmac at Maputo International Airport.

This donation forms part of a commitment by the Federal Government of Belgium and its regions to distribute at least 4 million vaccines to middle and low income countries by the end of 2021. Distribution takes place via multilateral distributor COVAX, and coordinated by UNICEF. A second shipment of 207,300 doses is due to follow in the near future.

The Government of Flanders is delighted to be able to contribute to these donations, in partnership with the Belgian Federal Government, via financial support (20% of the cost of the vaccines is covered by the regions of Belgium) and also in the framework of our longstanding cooperation with partner country Mozambique in the health sector. As a long-term partner in sustainable and structural health cooperation with Mozambique, we see this donation as an important and urgent gesture of solidarity in the current health crisis.