News Releases

Friends of The Global Fund Africa officially launched

12 February 2007

Kigali – The Board of Friends of the Global Fund Africa (Friends Africa) today convened its first board meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, where Rwandan President Paul Kagame inaugurated the new pan-African advocacy organization.

Friends Africa brings together some of the most committed, credible and influential voices of Africa as an indication of African leaderships’ determination to lead the fight against the three diseases. (The full list of Board members can be found below)

Friends Africa was founded in order to create and sustain visibility and awareness for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria across the African continent, as well as to build political and financial support for the organization. Friends of the Global Fund Africa joins Friends organizations in the U.S., Japan and Europe as nongovernmental advocates on behalf of the Global Fund.

In just five years, the Global Fund has become a leading force in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa. It has signed more than 200 grant agreements for US$ 3,2 billion in almost every country on the continent.

While the majority of Global Fund investments in Africa support efforts to fight AIDS, the Global Fund has emerged as the predominant funder of TB and malaria programs, making up two-thirds of international commitments for these diseases in 2006 globally.

To date, tens of millions of people have already been reached with life-saving services. Programs in Africa financed by the Global Fund have provided antiretroviral treatment to 575,000 Africans with HIV, treated 442,000 people with effective tuberculosis medications and distributed nearly 11 million insecticide-treated bed nets to protect children and families from malaria.

List of “Friends of the Global Fund Africa” Board members