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The Global Fund has raised USD 14.25 billion for the next three years to end AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment Conference hosted by President Joe Biden in New York on Wednesday 21 September, and held on the side-lines of the UN General Assembly brought together leaders from the Asia Pacific region alongside global leaders who made a series of significant financial pledges.
The Asia Pacific alone contributed an impressive USD 1.3 billion. Contributions from five countries in the region included:
- Japan – USD 1.08 billion
- Korea – USD 100 million
- Indonesia – USD 10 million
- Australia – USD 177.55 million
- New Zealand – USD 1.47 million
The Republic of Korea showed outstanding commitment by quadrupling their pledge from the sixth replenishment in 2019 to US 100 million, a 300% increase in contribution. First-time donor Indonesia also made a remarkable pledge of USD 10 million. During his remarks at the conference, Indonesia’s Health Minister, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, highlighted that efforts to achieve the target of controlling HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria must be sustained in Indonesia.
These latest pledges follow Japan’s commitment of USD 1.08 billion to the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment, announced by Prime Minister Kishida Fumio at the Eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD8) held in Tunisia on 27th August.
Although the Global Fund’s target of USD 18 billion has not been met, these latest commitments will go a long way in supporting countries across the world to save millions of lives and strengthen health and community systems to reinforce pandemic preparedness.
Dr Sarthak Das, CEO, Asia Pacific Leaders Alliance said:
“Asia Pacific has shown tremendous leadership by joining the global health community to fight for what counts. Not only is this a historic show of global solidarity but a heartening and much needed boost towards global health equity. Thank you, to all donors and partners for the extraordinary commitment and support.
Our fight to end malaria in our region and across the globe is far from over. The Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance looks forward to continuing to serve governments and communities to ensure these financial commitments support the most vulnerable and save lives.”
Other highlights of the Global Fund pledges made earlier this year and at the conference included a commitment from the United States of USD 6 billion over the next three years, 1.3 billion Euros from Germany, CAD 1.2 billion from Canada, 1.6 billion Euros from France and 715 million Euros from the European Commission. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation also pledged USD 912 million to help end these diseases and prevent future pandemics.
Over the last 20 years, the Global Fund has saved 50 million lives across all three diseases and played a crucial role in mobilising malaria resources for some of the hardest to reach communities across Asia Pacific.
To date, malaria focused funding supported by the Global Fund in the Asia Pacific region has saved 1 million lives and resulted in the distribution of 21 million mosquito nets in 2021, alone. The sustained efforts from the Global Fund and the Global Fund’s Regional Artemisinin-resistance Initiative (RAI) have been crucial in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Once plagued by malaria, the subregion is a beacon of hope for other countries in Asia Pacific working towards malaria elimination.
As the leading international source of malaria funding, continued global support for future Global Fund Replenishments will be fundamental, until the world has ended all three diseases for good.
For more information and a full list of pledges: The Global Fund
For any questions or queries contact:
Serene Ng
Account manager
serene.ng@gcihealth.com
GCI Health Singapore
Or
Dimple Natali
Director, Global Communications
dnatali@aplma.org
Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance
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