Japan to Host Key Global Fund Meeting
16 March 2015
日本語: 日本政府主催によるグローバルファンド主要会合の開催決定 [ download in 日本語 ]
TOKYO - The Government of Japan today announced it would host the Global Fund's Replenishment Preparatory Meeting in December 2015, an important milestone in the three-year funding cycle aimed at ending AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics.
The Replenishment Preparatory Meeting will be held in Tokyo on 17 December 2015, and will provide partners with key information on the impact achieved and the resources needed to accelerate efforts to end the epidemics over the next three years. A Replenishment Pledging Conference is planned for mid-2016.
The meeting also provides a forum for representatives of governments, civil society, the private sector and multilateral agencies to exchange views on innovative approaches to end the epidemics in partnership with the Global Fund. This is the first time the Preparatory Meeting has been held in Asia.
At a symposium to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke about the Government of Japan's support for the Global Fund. "Japan was instrumental in the launch, and has worked tirelessly towards the development, with the fund aiming at ending the "big three" infectious diseases of AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. This year as well, Japan will make a contribution of 190 million U.S. dollars to that Fund, and come December, we will host a meeting to discuss the future of the Fund in Tokyo."
Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund, welcomed Japan's contribution as a strong vote of confidence in the Fund.
"Japan has been an unwavering supporter of the Global Fund since inception, providing both financial and intellectual leadership to our partnership," Dr. Dybul said. "Prime Minister Abe's commitment to ending these epidemics and promoting the achievement of universal health coverage demonstrates genuine global health leadership."
Japan is the Global Fund's fifth largest donor. Japan introduced infectious diseases to the G8 Summit's agenda in Okinawa, which paved the path for the Global Fund's establishment. Since then, and with the formal inception of the Fund in 2002, Japan and the Global Fund have been close partners.
The previous Preparatory Meeting was held in Brussels in May 2013, followed by the Global Fund's Fourth Voluntary Replenishment Conference in Washington DC in December 2013, where US$12 billion was raised.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's statement
(Source: Official Website of the Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet)