The European Union will contribute €550 million to the replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, announced European Council President Donald Tusk at the G7 Biarritz Summit.
This promise was made at the opening of the G7, which has dedicated part of its work to the fight against inequality in the world (see EUROPE 12311/1).
This would be a record contribution from the EU. However, its confirmation is subject to an agreement on the EU's 2021-2027 budget that does not deviate too much from the guidelines proposed by the Commission.
Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund, which aims to end pandemics of these three so-called poverty diseases by 2030, has already saved 27 million lives.
In a statement, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker recalled that the EU has been “a strong supporter of the Global Fund since its creation”. And added: “We hope that the international community will follow suit”.
The subject was on the G7 agenda to generate pledges, in preparation for the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment pledging conference in October in Lyon. This international partnership seeks to raise at least €12.5 billion (US$14 billion) for the period 2020-2022. This would save an additional 16 million lives from 2023, prevent 234 million infections, cut the mortality rate from the three diseases in half and strengthen health systems in developing countries.
According to the NGO The ONE which campaigns against extreme poverty in the world, “the EU's commitment sends a clear message to other donors in Biarritz to intensify the fight now”.
Since 2002, the European Commission's contribution to the Global Fund has exceeded €2.6 billion. By adding the contribution of the Member States, the EU contribution totalled more than 50% of the resources. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)