The shots will be made available over the next year through a medical supplies platform set up by the African Union (AU). 

"This donation embodies South Africa's solidarity with our brothers and sisters on the continent with whom we are united in fighting an unprecedented threat to public health and economic prosperity," the South African government said in a joint statement with an AU vaccine task team. 

AU COVID-19 envoy Strive Masiyiwa said the 2,030,400 donated doses would be distributed to the lowest-income countries as quickly as possible. 

South Africa has fully vaccinated about 38% of adults, more than in many other African countries but well short of the government's year-end target. It recently delayed some vaccine deliveries due to oversupply as the pace of inoculations slowed.