AHF Lauds UK’s £1 Billion (USD $1.6B) Commitment to the Global Fund

In G20, Global, United Kingdom by AHF

Announcement, made before the start of the UN General Assembly in New York, follows a pledge earlier this month by Nordic countries, including Sweden and Norway, of US$750 million for the 2014-16 period.

Global Fund officials hope to secure US$15 billion from donor countries for the period; United States, by far the largest contributor to the Fund, urges China to step up its contribution to the Fund

WASHINGTON (September 24, 2013)—AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today lauded the United Kingdom on the news that it has committed £1 Billion (US$1.6 billion) to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for the 2014-2016 period. According to the Global Fund press release, “The announcement, made in New York just before the start of the United Nations General Assembly, followed a pledge earlier this month by Nordic countries, including Sweden and Norway, of US$750 million for the 2014-16 period, representing an increase of US$150 million.” The US, by far the largest contributor to the Fund, committed $5 billion for this same period.

“We applaud the United Kingdom for its commitment of £1 Billion—nearly $1.6 billion U.S. dollars—to continue the lifesaving work of the Global Fund,” said Dr. Jorge Saavedra, former Head of the National AIDS Program of Mexico and now Global Ambassador for AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “This is very welcome news: I believe it may be the largest pledge the UK has ever committed to the Fund.”

“The United Kingdom has set a great example that must be followed by other G20 countries like China that have contributed almost nothing,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “In order to meet its $15 billion goal, China must step up its commitment to the Fund.”

In it press release on the UK donation, The Global Fund also noted, “The UK commitment is geared toward encouraging other donors to maximize their own pledges to the Global Fund, effectively unlocking additional funds with each contribution, as the UK contribution is limited to a maximum of 10 per cent of the total raised for the Global Fund.”

The Global Fund is an international organization set up to provide funding to poorer countries that do not have the financial or political ability to combat diseases such as AIDS and malaria. The Fund relies on the donations of many developed countries, such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Japan and Spain for the money to fund these services. The United States is by far the largest contributor to the Fund. Since its inception in 2002, the Global Fund has “…supported more than 1,000 programs in more than 140 countries, providing AIDS treatment for 5.3 million people, anti-tuberculosis treatment for 11 million people and 340 million insecticide-treated nets for the prevention of malaria.”

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