02 December 2004
Geneva , Switzerland - Germany has announced that for 2005 it will more than double its pledge to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to € 82 million. Germany 's pledge for 2004 stands at € 38 million. The announcement was made by Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul in Berlin before World AIDS Day.
This announcement makes Germany the Global Fund's fourth largest donor, after the United States, France and Italy who have also pledged over US$ 100 million each for 2005.
Germany has been a consistent, committed and highly valued support er of the Global Fund since its inception, and was the second donor country to renew its initial pledge to the organization.
“The German contribution is very timely and most welcome as the board of the Global Fund has just announced a new funding round in 2005 that will help to finance new lifesaving programs in many countries”, said Dr. Christoph Benn , Director of External Relations at the Global Fund in Geneva referring to the announcement in Berlin.
Further support continues to come from Germany 's advocacy within the G8 and European Commission as well as through its tradition of strong commitment to overseas development assistance (ODA). The German agency for international cooperation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) support s the work of Global Fund partners in-country to facilitate proposal development and the implementation of programs.
The Global Fund is a unique global public-private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents a new approach to international health financing. The Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts dealing with the three diseases.
Apart from a high standard of technical quality, the Global Fund attaches no conditions to any of its grants. It is not an implementing agency, instead relying on local ownership and planning to ensure that new resources are directed to programs on the frontline of this global effort to reach those most in need. Its performance-based approach to grant-making is designed to ensure that funds are used efficiently and create real change for people and communities. All programs are monitored by independent organizations contracted by the Global Fund to ensure that its funding is having an impact in the fight against the three pandemics.