During the G7 summit in Biarritz, which is dedicated to the fight against inequalities this year, the EU announced a €550 million pledge to The Global Fund, to contribute to the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria around the world. The Fund is an international partnership and its work has already saved 27 million lives since it was created in 2002.
“The EU has been a strong supporter of the Global Fund since its creation, when the AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis epidemics seemed to be unbeatable. And today we are announcing a record contribution of a further €550 million. We hope the international community will follow suit and step up the fight to fulfil the Fund’s target of ending these diseases’ epidemics by 2030,” said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
European Council President Donald Tusk, who represented the EU at this year’s G7, made the announcement in Biarritz, ahead of the Global Fund donors’ conference that will take place in October in Lyon.
The Global Fund seeks to raise at least €12.6 billion (US$14 billion) for the period 2020-2022. By 2023, these funds should help save an additional 16 million lives, avert 234 million infections, cut the mortality rate from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in half, and build stronger health systems.
Today’s pledge is made under the assumption that the EU’s new Multiannual Financial Framework for the period from 2021-2027 and the new external action instrument, which would provide the budget for today’s pledge, are adopted broadly along the lines proposed by the European Commission.
More than 60 countries have contributed to the Global Fund. In 2017 alone, the fund provided 17.5 million people with antiretroviral therapy for HIV, distributed 197 million mosquito nets to protect children and families from malaria, and tested and treated 5 million people for tuberculosis.
EU global support to health in developing countries
Since its creation, the European Commission has contributed more than €2.6 billion to the Fund. Together with the additional support from EU countries, the overall EU contribution represents almost 50% of all resources received by the Global Fund.
On top of the overall €1.3 billion contributions made to global initiatives such as the Global Fund, the Global Vaccination Alliance (GAVI) or the WHO’s universal health coverage partnership, the EU’s development cooperation supports with additional €1.3 billion the health sector in 17 countries (mostly in Africa) during the period 2014-2020.
In global health, the EU focuses on equitable and accessible health care, sustainability of health systems, human rights, women and girls, and private sector engagement.
