The European Union says Fiji will receive 108,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccines this year.
On Saturday, 12,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Nadi under the multilateral COVAX initiative.
Erja Askola, third from right, with Fiji PM Frank Bainimarama and other international partners. Photo: Supplied
The EU said the arrival of the vaccine kick-started the vaccination campaign in Fiji with those most at risk to receive the first jabs.
The EU's deputy head for the Pacific, Dr Erja Askola, said the delivery was part of a first wave of vaccine arrivals that would continue in the coming months.
Askola said the EU had contributed over $US2.6 billion to this facility to ensure international vaccine solidarity.
Askola joined delegates from the Fiji government, WHO, UNICEF, Gavi and bilateral donors from New Zealand and Australia during the historic handover of the vaccines from head of the UN in the Pacific, Sanaka Samarasinha, to Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama at the Nadi International Airport.
Askola said the COVAX Facility was a 'great illustration of global solidarity and real multilateralism in action'.
"The EU is proud to join Fijians, the UN agencies and bilateral donors to make this happen," she said.
"Team Europe - the EU, its member states and financial institutions - are a leading contributor to the COVAX facility.
"We have contributed over $US2.6 billion to this facility to ensure international vaccine solidarity.
Askola said the first batch of vaccines was only the beginning.
"There will be more.
