EU to donate 550 mn Euro to Global Fund to fight against AIDS, TB, malaria

The European Union has announced to donate an amount of 550 million Euro to The Global Fund to fight against AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and, malaria. The Union announced the "record" contribution to save 16 million lives today on Saturday during the G7 summit in Biarritz.

The Fund is an international partnership to fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria around the world. Its work has already saved 27 million lives since it was created in 2002.

Today, the EU announces a record contribution of €550 million to the @GlobalFund, in order to save 16 million lives from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.The Fund has already saved 27 million lives around the world since 2002.More → https://t.co/HP9Gim5avl #StepUpTheFight pic.twitter.com/mdWyDbEwzc

— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) August 24, 2019

European Commission President Juncker said on this occasion, "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 Euro. We hope the international community will follow suit and step up the fight to fulfill the Fund's target of ending these diseases' epidemics by 2030."

European Council President Tusk, representing the EU at this year's G7, made the announcement in Biarritz. It comes ahead of the Global Fund donors' conference that will take place in October in Lyon, as more support is needed so that developing countries can improve their health systems, reach universal health coverage and help end the 3 epidemics by 2030.

The Global Fund seeks to raise at least 12.6 billion Euro (USD14 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, is adopted broadly along the lines proposed by the European Commission.