Press Releases
Courtesy Call on Minister for Foreign Affairs IWAYA by Dr. Sania Nishtar, Chief Executive Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and Mr. Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund
August 21, 2025
August 21th, commencing at 3:25 p.m., for approximately 15 minutes, Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, received a courtesy call by Dr. Sania Nishtar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Mr. Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Both visited Japan to participate in the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9). The overview of the courtesy call is as follows:
- At the outset, Minister IWAYA emphasized that Japan prioritizes global health as a key pillar of its foreign policy, aiming to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). He also highlighted the growing importance of sustainability in light of the current situation surrounding global health.
- Minister IWAYA stated that the Gavi's support for vaccination in low- and middle-income countries contributes to improving the health standards of recipient countries. He also expressed gratitude for the Global Fund's contributions to combating AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and to strengthening health systems.
Furthermore, he stated that Japan will continue to take leadership in the field of global health, working closely with both organizations to achieve a world where "No one will be left behind." - Responding to Minister IWAYA, both the CEO and the Executive Director emphasized that the environment surrounding global health is now at a critical juncture, expressing their appreciation for Japan's contributions and leadership, and their expectations for continued collaboration.