Global Fund still short of $8billion - Some countries stepping up to the table but G8 contribution still falls short
BERLIN – Campaigners in Berlin urged donors to come up with the $18 billion needed to ensure the Global Fund meets its target to fight AIDS, TB and malaria over the next three years.
This three year replenishment meeting resulted in actual and projected pledges of $9.7 billion USD for the period 2008-2010. This leaves a gap of about $8 billion USD to meet the target of 18 billion USD that the Global Fund needs. This figure needs to be put into perspective as 6.5 billion USD is needed simply in order to keep the current Global Fund programmes going. Today’s pledges are welcome but more needs to be mobilised if the world is to meet its commitment to the universal access and millennium development goals.
“As someone representing the communities affected by the diseases, I welcome that some countries have stepped up to the realities of the impact these three killer diseases. We urge other donors to do more to close the gap of over 8 billion USD that still remains. Civil society hence calls for another replenishment meeting within the next 18 months in order to meet the Global Fund resource needs” said Francoise Ndayishimiye, Board member of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria
The Berlin replenishment did deliver several glimmers of hope. Certain countries, like Spain, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands, demonstrated leadership both in terms of amounts pledged as well as calling for more burden-sharing from the larger economies.
Germany played a strong role in the lead up to the replenishment both in mobilising donors and delivering concrete recommendations to improve the gender focus of the Global Fund’s work. Germany also doubled their contribution. The UK announced an 8-year pledge providing greater predictability. However UK, Germany and France are all providing half of what they should have given the size of their economy. The projected US contribution while larger than promised is still one third of what they should provide.
Meeting the $18 billion target required top donors particularly the G8 to triple or quadruple their contributions to the Fund. So there remains an urgent need for the G8 to abide by the promises they have made to deliver universal access and millennium development goals. Japan as the next Chair of the G8 will need to pick up the baton.
For more information contact: Aditi Sharma, ActionAid International +49 1577 1986843
On behalf of following organisations:
ActionAid International, Global Aids Alliance, Health GAP, Norwegian Church Aid, Project Ring, Japan AIDS and Society Association, Stop AIDS Campaign, UK
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