The GAVI vaccine alliance has stated that the first of nearly 100 million doses of US pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) (NYSE:JNJ) COVID-19 vaccine being donated by the European Union by year-end have begun arriving in African countries, Reuters news agency reported on Monday.

GAVI, which leads the COVAX vaccine sharing facility, said that this deal was negotiated as part of the bloc's overall pledge to share at least 500 million doses with low and lower-middle income countries by mid-2022.

Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president, was quoted as saying: "The first doses have reached Niger, with more doses arriving in a number of countries this week."

The commission's statement also listed Guinea Conakry, Mauritania, the Central African Republic, Djibouti, Nigeria, Togo and the Republic of Congo.