EU announces record €550 million contribution to save 16 million lives from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria

The EU announced a commitment of 550 million euros to the Global Fund during the G7 summit in Biarritz. The Fund is an international partnership to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria worldwide. Its work has already saved 27 million lives since its creation in 2002.

European Commission President Juncker said on this occasion: “The EU has been a strong supporter of the Global Fund since its inception, when the epidemics of AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis seemed insurmountable. And today we announce a record contribution of an additional €550 million. We hope that the international community will do the same and step up the fight to meet the Fund’s objective of ending the epidemics of these diseases by 2030.”

The President of the European Council Tusk, who represents the EU at this year’s G7, made the announcement in Biarritz. It comes ahead of the Global Fund donors’ conference in Lyon in October, as more support is needed for developing countries to improve their health systems, achieve universal health coverage and help end the three epidemics by 2030.

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, prevent 234 million infections, halve the mortality rate from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and build stronger health systems.

This pledge is made on the assumption that the new EU multiannual financial framework for the period 2021-2027 and the new external action instrument, which would provide the budget for today’s pledge, are broadly adopted along the lines proposed by the European Commission.

Background

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.

Since its inception, the European Commission has contributed more than €2.6 billion to the Fund. Together with additional support from EU countries, the overall EU contribution represents almost 50% of all resources received by the Global Fund.

Overall EU support for health in developing countries

In addition to global contributions of €1.3 billion to global initiatives such as the Global Fund, the Global Alliance for Vaccines (GAVI) or the WHO Universal Health Coverage Partnership, EU development cooperation supports the health sector in 17 countries (most of them in Africa) with an additional €1.3 billion over the period 2014-2020.

More information

Access the full news