News Releases

Saudi Arabia donates US $25,000,000 to the Global Fund

24 January 2012

Geneva – The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria welcomes the recent announcement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of a contribution worth US $25 million. The contribution, to be paid in full by 2013, will bring the total contribution from Saudi Arabia to the Global Fund in the decade since it was established to US $53 million.

The announcement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia came in a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in response to an appeal Mr. Ban had made on the Global Fund's behalf.

"I commend King Abdullah for his strong commitment to global health," said Mr. Ban. "The world has made great progress against infectious diseases in the past few years. But unless we continue investing, millions of lives will remain at risk. This timely and generous contribution by the Government of Saudi Arabia to the Global Fund will advance our shared effort to win this fight."

Saudi Arabia 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 20 countries and territories in their fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis and malaria.

"I warmly welcome this contribution from Saudi Arabia," said Prof. Michel Kazatchkine, the Global Fund's Executive Director. "It sets an example for other countries, which can afford, to scale up investments in global health."