Six Pacific countries are now eligible to apply for the UN Covid-19 response and recovery fund.
Established by the UN Secretary General, the funding mechanism aims to help support low-and middle-income countries overcome the health and development crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and support those most vulnerable to economic hardship and social disruption.
UN staff working with government officials to teach correct handwashing techniques in Vanuatu. Photo: United Nations
The resident coordinator of the UN Pacific's multi-country office in Fiji, Sanaka Samarasinha, says a lot of work remains to be done and two funding appeals have been launched within the region to support the Covid-19 response work.
"One is focussed on the health sector and the other is focussed on all the other sectors, on livelihoods, recovery, education, water and sanitation and protection and the very, very important aspect of logistics," said Mr Samarasinha.
Mr Samarasinha said together these two appeals amount to about $US80million which is the gap identified in the region's response to the pandemic.
Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tokelau, The Federated States of Micronesia, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands are the Pacific countries eligible for the UN Covid-19 response and recovery fund which will provide around a billion US dollars over the next five months to low- and middle-income countries all around the world.