New Zealand To Purchase COVID-19 Vaccines For Pacific Island Neighbours, Including Samoa And Tonga

New Zealand will purchase enough Covid-19 vaccines to cover its Pacific Island neighbours, including Samoa and Tonga.

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The Government on Thursday announced it has signed two further pre-purchase agreements for Covid-19 vaccines, allowing it to begin vaccinating New Zealand's entire population from mid-2021.

Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said New Zealand would also purchase enough vaccines for New Zealand Realm countries Tokelau, Niue, and the Cook Islands, as well as neighbours Tonga, Samoa, and Tuvalu, if those countries want to take up the offer.

The Government had allocated $75 million of development assistance money to help roll out the vaccine to these countries.

Foriegn Minister Nanaia Mahuta says New Zealand will support Pacific Island neighbours to roll out Covid-19 vaccines.​

“Pacific countries have worked hard to keep Covid-19 out, or to stamp it out, and New Zealand has been committed to supporting them in this,” Mahuta said in a statement.

“But their success has been hard-won. A safe and effective vaccine will be key to the region’s economic and social recovery.”

Some $10m of the $75m assistance funding will go to the global COVAX facility, which works to provide equal access vaccines to countries across the world.

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