Source: http://www.theglobalfund.org
The Netherlands recently announced its decision to contribute a further €163.5 million to the Global Fund for the period 2011-13. The Global Fund has welcomed this decision, as the financial resources will help the fund support the countries that need finances to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and to save lives of the people.
The Netherlands Minister for European Affairs and International Cooperation Ben Knapen confirmed the decision through a statement posted on the website of the ministry. He also expressed his appreciation for the good results the Fund has achieved. The Fund’s programmes have saved more than 6.5 million lives in less than 10 years.
The Netherlands made the significant new funding pledge despite a reduction in the country’s overall official development assistance (ODA) budget.
The Netherlands is the tenth largest donor to the Global Fund and has been among the most generous in terms of its contributions as a percentage of gross national income. It has pledged more than €648 million, including this latest pledge, to the Global Fund since its creation in 2002.
“The strong commitment shown by the Netherlands has been absolutely vital for the Global Fund’s success so far,” said Global Fund Executive Director Prof. Michel Kazatchkine, who met Mr Knapen in The Hague this week. “The announcement of this new contribution demonstrates the Netherlands’ continued confidence in the life-saving work of the Global Fund.”
The Dutch announcement comes at a time that the Global Fund is implementing extensive reforms, which include a further strengthening of its fiduciary controls and financial safeguards. Mr Knapen referred to the Global Fund’s openness in communicating after the Global Fund uncovered and made public earlier this year that some of its grant money had been misappropriated in 4 countries. While concerned about the irregularities, Mr Knapen said he is satisfied with the measures taken by the Fund and its openness in communicating about the misappropriations. ‘The Netherlands does not wish to either reward secrecy or punish transparency,’ said the minister.
The Global Fund is a unique, public-private partnership and international financing institution dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents an innovative approach to international health financing. The Global Fund’s model is based on the concepts of country ownership and performance-based funding, which means that people in countries implement their own programs based on their priorities and the Global Fund provides financing on the condition that verifiable results are achieved.
Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the main financier of programs to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, with approved funding of US$ 21.7 billion for more than 600 programs in 150 countries (as of 31 December 2010). The Global Fund works in close collaboration with other bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts in dealing with the three diseases.
