Norway Makes Strong Pledge to Global Fund
29 September 2019
NEW YORK – The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria welcomed a pledge of NOK 2.020 billion by Norway, stepping up the fight to end HIV, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics.
The announcement was made last night by Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway during the Global Citizen festival in New York. The festival makes commitments to help end extreme poverty by 2030 as part of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
The Norwegian Government has made global health a top priority because efforts in this area promotes economic growth and development. Financial support is essential, but the political will to combat prejudice and discrimination is equally vital.
“We must end the epidemics of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in our lifetimes. To this end, Norway will increase its contribution to the Global Fund to two billion twenty million Norwegian kroner by 2023,” said Prime Minister Solberg.
Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund, commended Norway’s unwavering support to the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.
“Norway’s commitment to global health and international development has always been outstanding,” said Sands. “Through global solidarity and effective partnerships like Norway’s, we will save millions of lives.”
Norway, whose pledge is equivalent to around US$220 million, has been a strong supporter of the Global Fund since its inception in 2002, contributing NOK 7.29 billion since 2002. Norway is 11th largest public donor to the Global Fund and the most generous on a per capita basis.
This month, the Global Fund announced that its partnership has saved more than 32 million lives, and provided prevention, treatment and care services to hundreds of millions of people, helping to revitalize communities, strengthen local health systems and improve economies.
French President Emmanuel Macron will host the Global Fund’s Sixth Replenishment pledging conference in Lyon, France, on 9-10 October 2019. The Global Fund has set a target for raising at least US$14 billion for the next three years. A successful Sixth Replenishment will equip the Global Fund partnership to save 16 million lives, cut the mortality rate from HIV, TB and malaria in half, and build stronger health systems by 2023. In addition, every US dollar invested in the Global Fund will have a return in broader economic gains of US$19.
Photo: Dmitry Valberg / Wikimedia Commons