The below is attributable to Spokesperson Rebecca Chalif:
Today, Administrator Samantha Power met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva to discuss how USAID and the IMF can enhance coordination and collaboration around the world to increase vaccination rates and end the COVID-19 pandemic. They discussed the Initiative for Global Vaccine Access, or Global VAX, the United States’ whole of government initiative to accelerate efforts at turning COVID-19 vaccines into vaccinations, as well as next steps for working together to more quickly identify and overcome barriers to vaccine delivery. Administrator Power and Managing Director Georgieva also discussed the IMF’s continued role in broader COVID-19 response efforts, and how both USAID and the IMF are addressing the spread of the Omicron variant.