Washington, DC – Sheila Nix, U.S. Executive Director of the anti-poverty group ONE, issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s announcement of a three-year commitment for FY 2011, 2012, 2013 of $4 billion – a 38 percent increase over the last three years – to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria:

“President Obama’s pledge to the Global Fund is a solid increase, given difficult economic times, but overall international commitments leave this proven, effective tool short of what it needs to meet demand for programs to fight three killer epidemics.

“We are glad the U.S. upgraded its current approach by making a three-year pledge and committing to work more closely with the Fund – especially at the country level –  to improve its impact and efficiency.

“We are disappointed that the U.S. is not making better use of the Global Fund to achieve its goals on AIDS, TB, and malaria. With a strong record of success, this results-driven vehicle leverages funding from other donors and focuses on supporting country efforts to help themselves.  This is a far more sustainable path and one the President himself repeatedly says is the right one for U.S. global health assistance.

“ONE views this pledge as a starting point and looks forward to working with Congress to improve upon this investment, as reforms are made, to better support this vital instrument.”