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Germany signs EUR150 million contribution to the Global Fund’s COVID-19 response

12 November 2020

GENEVA – The German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and the Global Fund signed an additional contribution agreement of EUR150 million to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries, signaling a strong partnership in the fight against the pandemic.

Germany’s contribution to the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism, announced by Chancellor Angela Merkel in June, was signed on the sidelines of the Global Fund’s 44th Board meeting in Geneva.

“We are extremely grateful for Germany’s leadership and support in providing additional funding for our response to help countries fight COVID-19,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “Thanks to Germany’s support and solidarity we are able to deliver COVID-19 tests, protect health workers with personal protective equipment, maintain critical health services and protect our hard-won gains against HIV, TB and malaria.”

With the support of donors and partners, the Global Fund is playing a key role in the global response to the pandemic and in protecting progress against HIV, TB and malaria. The Global Fund immediately made available up to US$1 billion to help countries fight COVID-19, shore up health systems and mitigate the impact on lifesaving HIV, TB and malaria programs; however, those funds are now almost fully deployed, while country demands continue to increase as the pandemic accelerates in many regions.

The Global Fund is also a founding partner of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a global collaboration of organizations and governments working to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to new COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines once available.

As a result of the Global Fund’s collaboration under the ACT-Accelerator, the Global Fund made available an initial US$50 million from its COVID-19 Response Mechanism to enable countries to purchase 10 million new rapid tests to ensure equitable access and support testing capacities. Today, testing is the only effective tool for containing the pandemic, saving lives and allowing economies to reopen safely.

As the world’s largest provider of grants for strengthening systems for health, Global Fund investments in community responses, health workers, laboratories, supply chain improvements and health information systems are underpinning the response to COVID-19 in many low- and middle-income countries.

“The consequences of the COVID-19 crisis will run deep, even more so for the poorest and most vulnerable. To sustain these efforts and catch up on the global health goals, increased collaboration, innovation and solidarity will be critical. No one is safe until everyone is safe,” Sands said.