The EU steps up the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria

21 September 2022 – Today the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria hosted its 7th replenishment conference raising USD 14.25 billion, a record number in the fight against these killer diseases. President von der Leyen made a political commitment to contribute EUR 715 million. This amount will go towards the partnership’s efforts to defeat HIV, TB and malaria and protect humanity from future pandemics. 

Guadalupe de las Casas Escardó, Acting EU Director at The ONE Campaign, said:

“With 20 years of proven experience and 50 million lives saved, investing in the Global Fund is a no brainer. We’re pleased to see the European Commission agrees – matching its support for this lifesaving partnership with the needed funds to get back on track to defeat HIV, tuberculosis and malaria following deadly setbacks due to COVID-19.

The fact that the Commission more than doubled its increase over the last Global Fund replenishment shows its commitment to fight this emergency. After two years of battling COVID-19 and its aftershocks, the Commission demonstrated today that it has paid attention to lessons learned, reminding the world that investments in global health are in everyone’s interest, and we should not back down.”

Mark Vermeulen, Director of Aidsfonds, said:

“Today, at a critical juncture in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, the European Commission has stepped up, as it did 20 years ago, when it contributed to the creation of the Global Fund. We express our deep appreciation to EC President Urusla von der Leyen and DG INTPA Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen for increasing the EC’s contribution to the Global Fund by 30%. Thanks to the EC’s funding, millions of lives and futures will be saved, communities will thrive, and gender equality and human rights will be advanced. This is critical in the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, and for healthy and fair societies.”

ENDS

• ONE’s new analysis laid out the impact over the next three years of falling just USD 1 billion short of the Global Fund’s USD 18 billion target.
• According to the Global Fund, the overall resources needed to tackle AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria total USD 130.2 billion.