On behalf of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), I would like to congratulate Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, on the substantial progress made in the first two years of its 2016-2020 Strategy, as highlighted in the Mid-Term Review (MTR) that is taking place in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, from December 10-11, 2018. By then, funding from Gavi will have helped the world's poorest countries immunize 700 million people, which has helped to save 10 million lives since the Alliance's establishment in 2000.

Gavi is an international public-private organization created with the goal to make new and underutilized vaccines more affordable and accessible to lower-income countries. Since 2001, the U.S. Government has been a proud member of the Gavi Alliance. In October 2018, the United States made its latest contribution to Gavi by providing $290 million in annual funding through USAID. The MTR is a high-level convening of Gavi-supported governments, current Gavi donors, prospective new donors, advocates, the private sector, and civil-society partners. The event provides an opportunity to review Gavi's performance and achievements in the 2016-2018 period, and to inform the vision and strategy for Gavi's next replenishment and 2021-2025 period.

Gavi contributes directly to USAID's goals to prevent child and maternal deaths, protect communities from infectious diseases, and to support countries on their Journey to Self-Reliance. Vaccines save lives, prevent the spread of infectious disease within and across countries, and reduce antimicrobial resistance. Sustainability and self-reliance are central to Gavi's model, which employs a unique policy that requires all countries to pay a share of their vaccine costs, and to take on a greater share as their economies grow. We are proud to continue to work with Gavi and support efforts in achieving its 2020 targets to immunize 300 million additional children, transition 20 countries to full self-financing, and save upwards of six million lives.