The Pandemic Fund

Established in September 2022 and officially launched during a G20 meeting, the Pandemic Fund, hosted by the World Bank, is the first multilateral financing mechanism dedicated to providing multiyear grants to help low- and middle-income countries better prepare for future pandemics.

The Fund received 179 applications from 133 countries in its first Call for Proposals. The first round of awards were granted in July 2023, totalling US$338 million that will leverage over US$2 billion to help 37 countries strengthen their capacity to prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics. Over 30 percent of the grants allocated are for projects in sub-Saharan Africa and over 75 percent are in low and lower-middle income countries. The selected projects will receive funding to strengthen disease surveillance and early warning, laboratory systems, and human resources. 

FAO will co-lead the implementation of 12 projects worth $264 million aimed to boost local and global health security as part of the Pandemic Fund’s first round of financing. The 12 projects involve FAO’s participation in partnership with governments and other agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank (WB), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Directly under FAO's oversight, approximately $60 million will be utilized over three years, working through implementing partners in countries. The initiatives will benefit Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Togo, Zambia, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Paraguay and Yemen, as well as the West Bank and Gaza. Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are also part of a regional project specifically for Central Asia.