Douglas Alexander's AIDS Announcement Not Quite as Good as it Sounds

09.25.07

Secretary of State for Development Douglas Alexander 's announcement that the UK will commit £1 billion over 8 years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria is a large sum, but it will not put the UK on track to do its fair share of funding of this lifesaving mechanism in the medium term.

DATA's European Director Oliver Buston said:

“With this announcement the UK does show a long term commitment with decent funds in the first year or so, but does not show a growing level of commitment in the fight against diseases which are spreading and growing all the time. This is disappointing and in our opinion not strategic. The announcement is not yet commensurate with the scale of the challenge. The UK does have other ways of programming health money, but needs to make the global fund more central to its global health strategy than it currently is. Overall the Uk is a leader on development, but in this instance is not leading. Others must now fill this breach.”

NOTES

• DATA is the Africa advocacy group that works with Bono and Bob Geldof
• The Global Fund is an extremely effective mechanism that has saved an estimated 2 million lives since 2002 (see linked fact sheet)
• In Germany this year, the G8 pledged to fund the Global Fund to a level of $6-8 bn (£3-4bn) by 2010.
• Britain's fair share of funding in 2010 would be $430-580m (£215-290). Douglas Alexander’s announcement suggests a level of funding from the UK of about $260 (£130m) in 2010, well short of the mark
• Britain looks likely to fall to 4^th place behind the USA, France, and Germany in financing the Global Fund

Britain has made the announcement on the eve of the Global Fund Replenishment Conference in Berlin, which will be chaired by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Chancellor Merkel will open the conference on Thursday.

The conference is a critical test of G8 commitment to fighting disease, especially in Africa.

Contact:
Oliver Buston - 07963 288 446

What is the Global Fund? 09.25.07