15 April 2008
Geneva – The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria welcomes the announcement made today by the Government of Kuwait of a contribution worth US$ 500,000.
The Ambassador of Kuwait to the United Nations in Geneva, His Excellency Mr. Dharar Abdul-Razzak Razzooqi, met today with Dr Michel Kazatchkine at the Global Fund Secretariat where he made the announcement. This donation brings Kuwait’s total contribution to the Global Fund to US$ 1.5 million.
“I welcome Kuwait’s new contribution to the Global Fund and I thank the Kuwaiti Government for its continuous support,” said Dr Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “Many people infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria will benefit from the resources provided by Kuwait and other donor countries in the Middle-East.”
Kuwait is one of the main donors from the Gulf region to the Global Fund. In the Middle-East and North Africa, the Global Fund is currently supporting 16 countries and territories in their fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis and malaria.
Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the dominant funder of programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with approved funding of US$ 10.7 billion for more than 550 programs in 136 countries. To date, programs supported by the Global Fund have averted two million deaths through providing AIDS treatment for 1.4 million people, anti-tuberculosis treatment for 3.3 million people and the distribution of 46 million insecticide-treated bed nets for the prevention of malaria.