/ 6 December 2013

Financing the response to Aids

Financing The Response To Aids

On December 3, donors at the launch of the Fourth Replenishment of the Global Fund pledged $12-billion for the next three years for the fight against Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.

The Global Fund is an international financing institution that fights those diseases through partnerships and results-based funding.

“The 21st century ideals that led to the founding of the Global Fund are now stronger than ever: partnership, shared responsibility and mutual accountability.

“In many ways, this is a replenishment of hope. It is a lifting up of the human spirit,” said Mark Dybul, executive director of the Global Fund, at the event.

The contributions announced include funding from 25 countries, as well as the European Commission, private foundations, corporations and faith-based organisations.

US President Barack Obama said that the US would uphold its challenge to pledge $1 for every $2 committed by others through September 2014.

As such, it pledged $4-billion, although that could rise as additional pledges are made by other donors, up to a maximum of $5-billion.

Japan announced a contribution of $800-million, while Canada will contribute $612-million to the Global Fund for the 2014 to 2016 period.

Germany will contribute €600-million.

In recent months, France, the UK and Nordic countries also announced large new commitments to the Global Fund.

French president Francois Hollande announced in July that the country would contribute $1.5-million while the UK announced in September that it will contribute $1.6-billion.

Partners from private sector foundations and corporations also unveiled significant increases in their commitment of resources in the fight against the three diseases.

Bill Gates announced on Monday that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is committing up to $500-million to the Global Fund. (RED) said that it is contributing $40-million over the next two years.

Other companies and faith-based organisations also making significant pledges included Vale, Ecobank, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company and the United Methodist Church.

This article forms part of a supplement paid for by Unicef. Contents and photographs were supplied and signed off by Unicef