European Commission pledges new contribution to Global Fund

Brussels, 08/06/07: European Commission President José Manuel Barroso has announced the European Commission's contribution to the Global Fund. President Barroso pledged to contribute 100 million in 2007 and another EUR 300 in the coming three years. In the previous five years the European Commission contributed EUR 522 million to the Global Fund. The new pledges were made on the day President Barroso met representatives of the Global Fund and other stakeholders to discuss how the European Commission can ensure continued support to the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

The Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) is a unique financing instrument supporting developing countries to confront these three communicable diseases related to poverty. Over the last five years, the Global Fund has grown to become a prominent financier of programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with over US$10 billion in firm pledges and commitments of more than US$ 7 billion for programmes in 136 countries. So far programmes supported by the Global Fund have saved approximately 1.8 million people's lives, and the number is increasing rapidly with an estimated 3,000 additional lives saved per day.

Click here to read the Commission's press statement