Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announces Canada's intention to join International Vaccine Institute during official visit to headquarters in Republic of Korea

SEOUL, South Korea, July 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, today visited the International Vaccine Institute's (IVI's) headquarters in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and announced Canada's intention to join the IVI as a state party. The IVI is an international organization with a mission to discover, develop and deliver safe, effective and affordable vaccines for global health.

Minister Joly's visit, on which she was accompanied by Tamara Mawhinney, Ambassador of Canada to the Republic of Korea, and other departmental officials from Global Affairs Canada, follows a formal written request for Canada to join the IVI. This request has since been approved by IVI's Board of Trustees (BOT).

George Bickerstaff, Chairperson of IVI's BOT, said: "On behalf of the BOT, it is my great pleasure to share that the Board has approved Canada's request to join IVI as a State Party. We look to our member countries for guidance on how best to serve the international community and deliver on not only IVI's goals but their contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals as well. With Canada's membership, IVI and its Global Council will gain a critical new voice to champion equitable global health."

The Honourable Mélanie Joly said the following: "Through its membership to the IVI, Canada will advance its global health priorities by complementing existing partnerships with Gavi, CEPI, UNICEF, and the WHO to support global immunization, and protect vulnerable populations against infectious diseases. As one of the first G7 countries to announce that it is joining the IVI, Canada will continue to demonstrate leadership in the Indo-Pacific region and encourage other countries to expand ties with institutions headquartered here."

Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of IVI, added: "We are thrilled to welcome Canada as a member country of IVI, bringing a committed stance on equitable vaccine access and making meaningful progress on global goals, including through participation in multilateral organizations. We are grateful to the Embassy of Canada in Seoul for the continued support in fostering this partnership, and to Honorable Minister Joly for visiting IVI and sharing the Government of Canada's enthusiasm and vision for vaccine science and global health impact."

The Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health of Canada, said: "Canada plays an important role in global health. We are working closely with international partners in many areas, including vaccines, and our relationship with the International Vaccine Institute will help advance domestic and global knowledge on vaccines. These collective efforts will improve the health of people in Canada and around the world." 

With the IVI BOT's approval, the Government of Canada will now proceed with its domestic accession process. 26 countries and the World Health Organization are Parties to IVI's Establishment Agreement, the 1996 United Nations treaty that established IVI as an international organization. The Agreement remains open for accession by any state or intergovernmental organization.

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