We very much welcome the fact that Gavi – The Vaccine Alliance has announced today that it will make its first deliveries of vaccines from COVAX. This is an important step towards defeating the pandemic around the world. In February, 18 pilot countries are to be supplied with vaccines, including countries in our immediate neighbourhood such as Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Germany and the EU have supported the COVAX platform from the outset and are among its biggest donors. We will continue to lend it our support also in the future.