Civil Society Letter to G7 Finance Ministers

Letters were also sent to the German, Japan, UK, Italy and Canada G7 Finance ministers. Please click on the country names to view them.

International SIGN ON letter

Supported by civil society actors and NGOs who are active in the international World Aids Campaign

Dear G7 Finance Ministers

As representatives of civil society organisations from across all G8 countries, we are writing to you collectively to appeal for your active support in the fight against HIV & AIDS. As you meet together in Essen, Germany, we urge you to include, among your top 2007 agenda items, the agreement of a comprehensive long-term funding package to ensure that the goal of Universal Access to Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support by 2010 is fully financed and delivered.

At the G8 Heads of Government Summit in July 2005, G8 leaders promised to “develop and implement a package for HIV prevention, treatment and care, with the aim of as close as possible to universal access to treatment for all those who need it by 2010.” This promise was made global at the UN World Summit in September 2005, and in June 2006 all UN member states endorsed a commitment to “universal access to comprehensive prevention programmes, treatment, care and support by 2010”.

However, without sufficient financial commitment from G8 countries the above promises of Universal Access simply cannot be kept. Already, we are just 3 years away from the target date and are facing a major funding shortfall. As a result, over 75% of people urgently needing life-saving treatment are not receiving it, and last year 3 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses.

The inclusion of a Universal Access funding plan on the G8 agenda for 2007 would provide an opportunity to re-invigorate global efforts aimed at reversing the HIV & AIDS pandemic, which has already killed some 30 million people. According to UNAIDS estimates, effective measures against the global pandemic require investments of US$22.1 billion in 2008, and only a funding plan agreed across the G8 in 2007 can ensure these needs are met. This plan should map out how donor countries intend to increase revenue and channel much-needed additional money to fully fund all developing countries’ national targets.

As civil society groups in the G8, we are committed to ensuring our governments deliver on their commitments. We are calling on you, our Finance Ministers, to play your part in the fight against HIV & AIDS and make the agreement of a financing plan for Universal Access a key agenda item for the ministerial meeting in Essen.

Only with your active support can the goal of Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support become a reality for the millions of people across the world who so urgently need it.

Yours sincerely,

Organisations supporting the request for a funding plan:

Action against AIDS Germany (Germany)

Act Up-Paris (France)

ActionAid International

Africa Action (USA)

American Public Health Association's (APHA) (USA)

European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG) (Belgium)

Global AIDS Alliance International

HIV/AIDS Task Force, Africa Forum (Japan)

Interagency Coalition on AIDS andDevelopment (ICAD) (Canada)

Intersect Worldwide (USA)

Japan AIDS and Society Association (Japan)

MEDECINS DU MONDE JAPON (Japan)

Moment (Japan)

OXFAM Japan (Japan)

Rainbow/PUSH Coalition (Rev. JesseJackson) (USA)

Results Japan (Japan)

Society Association HIV.LV (Lativia)

Stop AIDS Campaign (UK)

Student Global AIDS Campaign (USA)

The Osservatorio Italiano sull'AzioneGlobale contro l'AIDS - ItalianNetwork against AIDS (Italy)

Together with Africa and Asia Association (TAAA) (Japan)

2050 (Japan)

World AIDS Campaign (International)

Individuals supporting the request for a funding plan:

Sally Fisher Intersect

WorldwideRev. Jesse Jackson Rainbow/PUSH Coalition

Richard Miller ActionAid UK

Aleksandrs Molokovskis Society Association HIV.LV

Ken Bluestone Stop AIDS Campaign(UK )