The World Economic Forum (WEF) has announced that 18 shipping, airlines and logistics companies, including A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk), have collaborated to support its global efforts to deliver COVID-19 vaccines.
The partners will work with the WEF and UNICEF on four main ways, including engaging with governments, customs authorities, UNICEF and other UN agencies and NGOs and participating in operational asset and competency sharing.
They will also assign expertise to support governments, where requested by UNICEF and support the organisation’s Global Vaccine Logistics Distribution initiative, with consideration given to international and domestic distribution solutions.
The WEF said the unprecedented challenges raise by the pandemic required innovative and bold collective action from multinational organisations, governments and industries.
“With lives and livelihoods of millions across the globe depending on multiple stakeholders harnessing the power of collective action – whether in the field of health delivery, goods delivery or humanitarian service delivery, the logistics sector and UNICEF will play a central role in vaccine distribution,” it said in a statement.
In an online update, Maersk said, “We are proud to join forces with 18 shipping, airlines and logistics companies and sign the World Economic Forum Supply Chain & Transport Industry Charter in support of UNICEF and the Covid-19 vaccine distribution task.
“At Maersk we are dedicated to serving society in the fight against the coronavirus. We will focus our best efforts as a strong collective in the efficient distribution of safe vaccines.”
