News Releases

Sweden announces increased three-year pledge to The Global Fund

18 October 2011

Geneva – The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria warmly welcomes Sweden’s decision to disburse its 2011 contribution to the Global Fund in full and to announce a pledge of Swedish kronor 2 billion (U.S. $300 million) for 2011–2013, an increase of 11 percent over its contributions for the previous three-year period.

“Sweden has been a long term strong supporter of the Global Fund and has played a lead in the work to strengthen the Global Fund’s risk management and fiduciary controls,” said Professor Michel Kazatchkine, The Global Fund’s Executive Director. “We appreciate the trust and confidence Sweden has shown in the Global Fund and our current efforts to transform the institution to become a highly efficient channel for resources for a sustainable, long-term response to improve the health of millions of people.”

Sweden was the first country to voice concerns that the Global Fund’s fiduciary controls need to improve after the organization’s Inspector General in October last year revealed that in four countries receiving funding, several million dollars had been lost by the recipients through fraud and inadequate accounting. Sweden, which shares a seat on the Global Fund Board with Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands and Ireland, has worked closely with the Global Fund over the past 12 months to help drive the organization’s reforms and strategy.

Sweden has consistently been a strong supporter of the Global Fund since its creation in 2002. Today’s announcement brings Sweden’s total pledges and contributions to the Global Fund since 2002 to U.S. $842 million.

In informing the Global Fund of her decision, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation, Gunilla Carlsson said: “The Global Fund is one of the most important tools the world has to improve health, and it has been highly successful in overcoming the emergency situation we faced in the past decade in the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria. I have made it very clear that the Global Fund needs to change from an emergency response mechanism to a sustainable channel for resources for health. The developments over the past weeks and months have reassured me that the Global Fund is making such an undertaking. Sweden will follow this process closely and will consider its future contributions based on the progress in this transformation process.”