IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva visited a vaccine institute during her first trip to Africa since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in Dakar, Senegal Saturday (December 11).

She was briefed by staff and leadership at the Pasteur Institute, which has received tens of millions of dollars in donations to help produce Covid-19 vaccines for Africa.

The World Health Institute reports that only 107 million people – or 7.5% of the population – on the continent are vaccinated to date. Currently Africa imports nearly all of its vaccine supplies from overseas.

The IMF hopes that some of the funds made available to its member countries through expansion of its Special Drawing Rights can be made available to vaccine producers and researchers such as the Institut Pasteur.

Georgieva also met with students and faculty at the Universite Cheikh Anta Diop where she discussed climate change and green energy with young leaders.

See more on the Fund’s work with Senegal at: Senegal and the IMF.