Global Fund

Dr Elly Katabira, president of the International AIDS Society has released a letter on the eve of a critical meeting to replenish the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. He explains why it is critical to replenish the fund if we want to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a demand-driven public private partnership established in 2002 to mobilize and intensify the international response to the three diseases. The Global Fund is the largest multilateral funder of public health in developing countries and is making a significant contribution to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
As many of you know the 3rd Voluntary Replenishment of the Global Fund will be taking place on the 4-5th October in New York. The Global Fund has developed three resource scenarios in preparation for the replenishment meeting:
Scenario 1 - US$ 13 Billion
- Would allow for the continuation of funding of existing programmes. New programmes could only be funded at a significantly lower level than in recent years.

Scenario 2 - US$ 17 Billion
- Would allow for the continuation of funding of existing programmes. In addition, funding for new programmes would come close to that of recent years.

Scenario 3 - US$ 20 Billion
- Would allow for the continuation of funding of existing programmes. In addition, well performing programmes could be scaled up significantly, allowing for more rapid progress towards the achievement of the health-related Millennium Development Goals.
Through the Universal Access Now Campaign, IAS Secretariat has been actively advocating for the full replenishment of the Global Fund as an effective means to bring us closer to reaching universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services and also to the health related MDGs. In a final push before the Replenishment meeting the IAS has taken a decision to target Germany and Sweden, two key donor countries to the Global Fund. Both countries have not yet stipulated whether they will increase their contributions to the Global Fund. We believe there is a window of opportunity to lobby these two countries and to call on them to increase their contribution and commitment to the Global Fund. If Germany and Sweden increase their contributions it may in turn encourage other European donors to follow suit. I am urging all IAS members to send the attached draft letter to the governments of both Germany and Sweden, please make your voices heard!
In addition there are a number of advocacy activities that are currently underway to which I would like to draw your attention:
The Millennium Development Summit will be taking place from the 20th - 22nd September in New York. The primary objective of the Summit is to accelerate progress towards all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, taking into account the progress made towards the internationally agreed development goals. The summit is expected to undertake a comprehensive review of successes, best practices and lessons learned, obstacles and gaps, challenges and opportunities, leading to concrete strategies for action. The IAS will provide an update on the outcomes of the MDG Summit via the Stronger Together Blog.
A Global Week of Action running from the 20th - 28th September to the support the 3rd Voluntary Replenishment of the Global Fund has been launched. A number of CSOs have planned media and outreach activities taking place during this week. For additional information on the Global Week of Action and how to get involved, please visit: http://www.globalfundreplenishment.org/global-week-of-action/
An International sign-on letter calling on governments to fully finance the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria has been launched. This petition will be delivered to world leaders at the 3rd Voluntary Replenishment Meeting. I would like to encourage all IAS members to support this initiative by adding your name to the petition. For additional information please visit: http://www.globalfundreplenishment.org/
Without a successful Global Fund Replenishment, the world will not meet the health related MDGs - the Global Fund that provides over 50% of AIDS treatment in resource poor countries and two thirds of international funding for TB and malaria is crucial to this effort. Many of you have seen directly the impact of the Fund on the lives and wellbeing of the communities and people most affected by HIV and AIDS. I encourage all of you to make your voices heard, we must continue to hold governments accountable to ensure that universal access targets and the health related MDGs are achieved.

Elly Katabira, IAS President
International AIDS Society (IAS)

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