The European Union intends to develop the production of vaccines against coronavirus on the African continent.

As the head of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday during the Global Health Summit, investments will reach € 1 billion, TASS reported.

African countries are now forced to import vaccines, the EU intends to develop national production centers in different countries, where European specialists will work. This implies an investment of € 1 billion, said von der Leyen.

She also noted that the summit will touch upon issues of licensed production, for which, according to her, there are already instruments and legal frameworks, as well as the transfer of intellectual property rights.

Earlier, the head of the EC announced its intention to transfer at least 100 million doses to low- and middle-income countries by the end of 2021. Von der Leyen also summed up that EU industrial partners have pledged to donate 1.3 billion doses to low-income countries free of charge and at a reduced price to middle-income countries by the end of the year.

The same amount is foreseen in 2022. The head of the European Commission clarified that the distribution of vaccines will be carried out through the COVAX mechanism.