Friends of the Global Fund

Friends of the Global Fund Europe (Friends Europe) is a political advocacy organization whose missions are to contribute to the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria, to promote the Global Fund, and to mobilize additional resources to its benefit in Europe.

Friends Europe implements its advocacy activities in 11 European countries where it supplements civil society organizations’ efforts through its political network: France, Germany, Italy, European Union institutions, Luxembourg, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Based in Paris, the organization is a French not-for-profit association (under 1901 law) with a European scope of missions and activities. Its board of directors is composed of prominent European political figures and experts.

Friends Europe’s activities aim at informing and sensitizing European decision-makers, political leaders and stakeholders on international development policies for health – and specifically for the three diseases – and on the strategy, results and impact of the Global Fund. The ultimate objective is to mobilize additional resources to end the three epidemics as public health threats by 2030 and, through this, to contribute to health systems strengthening and to making progress toward universal health coverage.

Friends Europe’s activities reflect a comprehensive approach of the three diseases, from research to program implementation, from access to prevention, treatment and care for all, and to innovative financing mechanisms for development. The organization highlights connections between the fight against the three epidemics and global health issues. Based on partnership, Friends Europe targets a wide audience of decision-makers, parliamentarians, civil society organizations, researchers, private sector representatives and the media.

Friends of the Global Fund, Japan is a private initiative that promotes greater understanding of the Global Fund and encourages Japan to expand its role in the fight against the three diseases. The organization works to raise awareness and engage the resources of diverse sectors of Japanese society, including key leaders and officials from government, business, academia and the nonprofit sphere.

Friends of the Global Fund, Japan is operated by the Japan Center for International Exchange, which is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan organization dedicated to strengthening Japan’s role in international networks of dialogue and cooperation. The Japan Center has been a leading voice in the field of human security – a central component of Japan’s foreign policy. Friends of the Global Fund, Japan works closely with the Japan Center’s Program on Global Health and Human Security to promote synergies between Japan’s response to communicable diseases and its efforts to strengthen health systems more broadly.

Pacific Friends of Global Health (Pacific Friends) was established in March 2020 as a joint initiative by the Global Fund; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; and Unitaid to position global health as a key priority for Australia’s official development assistance, increase knowledge and understanding of the work of the three organizations, and mobilize political and financial support for the organizations. Pacific Friends is hosted by the Nossal Institute for Global Health at the University of Melbourne.

Engaging with key leaders and decision-makers in government, the private sector, academia and civil society organizations in Australia, Pacific Friends aims to raise awareness of global health issues in the context of the Pacific region. It increases an understanding of the distinct and complementary roles of the Global Fund, Gavi and Unitaid in the global health response by showcasing the synergies from their interrelated work and each organization’s unique role and contribution.

Created in early 2004, Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Friends U.S.) works to educate, engage and mobilize U.S. decision-makers to support the Global Fund and its mission to end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Friends U.S. is an independent nonprofit organization whose activities primarily focus on policy issues and communications. The organization works to secure robust funding from the U.S. (the single largest investor in the Global Fund) by advocating on behalf of the Global Fund with Congress and the presidential administration. A primary method for achieving this goal is through education. Friends U.S. serves as a primary resource in communicating the Global Fund’s innovative, efficient and transparent approach to global health funding, and the significant impact the partnership achieves.

Friends U.S. also serves as a convener of substantive and outcome-oriented discussions in the U.S., building strong credibility among government, global health, private sector, faith-based and “grass tops” partners who are committed to improving global health.