The UK will give Kenya 817,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, the government has announced.

Ministers said the offer would help the nation – which has a population of around 52 million – to combat the COVID pandemic, with the first 400,000 doses due to be sent this week.

There have been growing concerns that supply shortages in some African countries have held back the continuing rollout of their vaccination programmes.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is due to announce that a total of nine million Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines will be sent through COVAX – an initiative to distribute jabs worldwide – to individual countries.

The UK has committed to share 100 million doses internationally by June 2022.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to meet Kenya‘s President Uhuru Kenyatta at Chequers this afternoon ahead of the two leaders hosting the Global Education Summit in London on Thursday.

The PM and Mr Kenyatta will hold talks on issues including trade, defence, development and the global fight against COVID-19, the government said.

The leaders will also plant a tree at the PM’s official country residence to mark the ambition to grow the partnership between the two nations and to tackle climate change together ahead of COP26.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, the PM said the UK is sharing vaccine doses with Kenya to support the country’s fight against the pandemic.

“The UK and Kenya share a long and rich history, but this is a relationship that is focused on the future,” Mr Johnson said.

“As friends and allies, we are sharing UK vaccine doses to support Kenya’s fight against the pandemic.

“From boosting economic growth to addressing climate change and getting girls into school, the UK and Kenya are working hand-in-hand to deliver a more secure and prosperous world.

“I look forward to welcoming President Kenyatta today to drive that agenda forward, and to joining forces tomorrow to raise vital funds at the Global Education Summit in London.”

The government said the UK and Kenya are also working together to boost investment and business links between the two countries.

Mr Kenyatta is also due to meet with Health Secretary Sajid Javid on Thursday.

Related posts:

Labour steps up call for PM to sack health minister over use of private email address Hancock affair a ‘Westminster bubble’ issue, PM suggests Fully vaccinated travellers from EU and US won’t have to quarantine on arrival in England from Monday Number of Tory MPs say they think PM won’t follow through and introduce domestic vaccine passports MPs raise concerns after finding 56 asylum seekers ‘packed’ into room at intake facility Under my leadership Labour will be ‘back in business’, Starmer to tell party conference Chancellor’s budget a case of the good, the bad and the bubbly Acid test for Sunak’s budget will follow in the coming months MP dialled 999 and evacuated children from her home after ‘immediate firearms threat’ Labour demands investigation into COVID support scheme fraud No 10 refuses to guarantee any partygate fines will be made public No 10 refuses to comment on fresh reports detailing lockdown parties PM allegedly attended