European Commission To Donate Additional $52M to Global Fund
The European Commission announced on Thursday that it will pay an additional $51.94 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, AFP/Yahoo! News reports. "We need to offer an urgent and comprehensive response if we are to win the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis," E.C. Development Commissioner Poul Nielson said (AFP/Yahoo! News, 7/15). He added, "With today's decision, we have already honored over 80% of our pledge to the Global Fund for 2002 to 2006" (Associated Press, 7/15). Dr. Lieve Fransen, head of the E.C. human and social development unit, said the Commission, which is the executive arm of the 25-member European Union, would "argue, motivate and mobilize" to get additional pledges from other donor governments (Reuters AlertNet, 7/16). The latest donation is part of a $569 million pledge for 2002-2006 and will go toward prevention, treatment and care for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The Commission is now the second-largest donor to the Global Fund after the United States, according to the Associated Press (Associated Press, 7/15).