2nd GAVI Partners' Meeting

Dakar, Senegal -- 20-22 November 2002

Featuring the theme, "Immunization, an investment for life", the 2nd GAVI Partners' Meeting gave Alliance partners and the larger international health and development community an opportunity to reflect on the progress of, and future challenges for GAVI and The Vaccine Fund in meeting their goals.

It was a chance to highlight issues of great importance to the Alliance, such as financial and programmatic sustainability and compatibility with other global initiatives and countries' health systems.

Finally, it was a time to call the public's attention to a simple truth: Vaccines are one of the most effective and economical health interventions available to humanity.

Major Events:

Keynote opening speech by H.E. Mr Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal; welcome address by Carol Bellamy, GAVI Chairperson and Executive Director, UNICEF

Ministers of Health and Ministers of Finance co-signing ceremony (from 13 financial sustainability plan pilot countries)

Launch of new book: State of the World's Vaccines & Immunization

Roundtable discussion with Ministers of Health, moderated by Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General, World Health Organization and Awa Coll-Seck, Minister of Health, Senegal

Report on progress and challenges by Tore Godal, Executive Secretary, GAVI, and Jacques-François Martin, President, The Vaccine Fund