Japan has signed an agreement with Mongolia to extend 883 million yen (USD 8 million) in grant aid to help the country fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the agreement, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide Mongolia with cold chain equipment such as refrigerated vaccine transport vehicles as promptly as possible, according to the government-backed body.

Aside from procuring COVID-19 vaccines, Mongolia and other developing countries are facing distribution issues. Vaccines must be kept at low temperatures when transported and stored, a process known as the cold chain.

The new aid for Mongolia – signed between JICA and the Mongolian government in Ulaanbaatar on July 19 – is part of the “Last One Mile Support,” a Japanese government project intended to ensure every country gets vaccinated.