The United States has long supported the immunization of people around the world to save lives and combat the spread of infectious diseases. Our support reflects American generosity and compassion, but also demonstrates our understanding that global health security is a collective effort. As the current pandemic has demonstrated, a disease threat anywhere is a disease threat everywhere. Today, researchers are racing to develop a vaccine that provides people with protection from COVID-19. The value of vaccines has never been more clear. But COVID-19 is far from the only infectious-disease threat. All over the world, vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, yellow fever, and diphtheria continue to devastate communities and take lives. This does not need to happen—we have the tools to confront and overcome this challenge. That is why today, I am proud to announce the U.S. Government's multi-year commitment of $1.16 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This marks America’s largest-ever contribution to Gavi, and underscores our commitment to expanding access to immunizations worldwide. Through this funding, the United States is helping to prevent outbreaks of deadly disease, and to strengthen the global infrastructure for delivering vaccines. These efforts will provide a strong foundation for the future deployment of vaccines against COVID-19. The United States and Gavi share the core value of advancing innovative approaches to meet the world’s development needs in cooperation with the private sector. We also believe strongly in Gavi’s model of fostering increased self-reliance as national governments absorb more of the costs of health care and immunizations. We talk about our mission as ending the need for foreign assistance, and Gavi is helping us to show how we'll implement this vision. We look forward to working with Gavi, the United Kingdom, and the entire Alliance to protect people through vaccines, and to create a healthier, safer, more prosperous, and self-reliant world.