Canada to Host Global Fund Replenishment
09 May 2016
OTTAWA - The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, announced today that Canada will host the Fifth Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Montréal, Québec, on 16 September 2016.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledges support for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and announces that Canada will host international donors at a pledging conference in Montréal in September 2016. From left to right: Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; Loyce Maturu, Zimbabwean HIV and TB survivor, Global Fund Advocates Network Speaker (youth representative); and Dr. Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
This conference will bring global health leaders together to further mobilize efforts to end the epidemics of three of the world's most devastating diseases - AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria - by 2030.
The Prime Minister also announced that Canada is pledging CAD785 million to the Global Fund for the next three years, a 20 per cent increase from its previous pledge three years ago. This investment will make a significant contribution to the ultimate goal of saving an additional 8 million lives and averting an additional 300 million new infections by 2019.
"This is an historic opportunity for Canada and the world," said Prime Minister Trudeau. "By fast-tracking investments and building global solidarity, we can bring an end to three devastating epidemics - AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria - that have tragic and far-reaching impacts on the world's most vulnerable people."
The Global Fund expressed gratitude to Canada and Prime Minister Trudeau, who made the announcement at a town hall event in Ottawa, attended by students from local schools and universities, as well as numerous partners in global health.
"Canada is demonstrating outstanding leadership in global health and development," said Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund. "Prime Minister Trudeau's insight and the commitment of his government to global partnership and cooperation can translate into saving millions of lives and creating opportunity and prosperity for countless more."
The Prime Minister also voiced his support for the Global Fund's new youth-driven social media campaign "End It. For Good" aimed at action to increase support for the global effort to end AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Those who get involved in the campaign will have the opportunity to join others who are dedicated to making the world a better place at a concert in Montréal in September. The Prime Minister encouraged supporters to get involved by taking a first action and sharing a short film.
During the town hall event, Melinda Gates, Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, highlighted the need to invest effectively to address the inequality and discrimination that puts adolescent girls and young women at increased risk for infectious diseases, and provide them with more opportunities in life. Adolescent girls and young women are disproportionately affected by HIV. Currently, more than 7,000 young women and girls are getting infected with HIV every week.
Marie-Claude Bibeau, Canada's Minister of International Development and La Francophonie; Alexander Percival Segbefia, the Minister of Health of Ghana; Moustafa Mijiyawa, Minister of Health and Social Protection of Togo; Christine St-Pierre, Minister of International Relations and Francophonie for the Government of Québec; Deb Dugan, CEO of (RED); Loyce Maturu, a community activist from Zimbabwe who is a Global Fund Advocate; and several other supporters, also spoke.
"As part of Canada's renewed commitment to focusing international development on the poorest and most vulnerable, Canada is honored to host the Global Fund's Fifth Replenishment Conference," said Minister Bibeau.
Canada has committed more than CAD2.1 billion to the Global Fund since the Fund's inception in 2002, including CAD650 million for 2014-2016.
The Global Fund partnership has saved more than 17 million lives, supporting more than 1,000 programs in more than 100 countries where the burden of disease is greatest.
The Global Fund set a target for raising US$13 billion for its next three-year cycle of funding. In addition to saving millions of lives and averting hundreds of millions of new infections, it will lay the groundwork for potential economic gains of up to US$290 billion in the years ahead. Strong investment in global health can significantly bolster international stability and security, while creating greater opportunity, prosperity, and well-being.
The Global Fund's Replenishment Conference is held once every three years. President Barack Obama of the United States hosted the previous Replenishment Conference in Washington, D.C., in December 2013.