Aidsfonds commends the EC’s continued support to the Global Fund and the fight against the three diseases. 20 years ago, when HIV/AIDS was decimating entire communities, the EC led efforts to establish the Global Fund. Today, we express our deep appreciation to EC President Ursula von der Leyen and DG INTPA Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen for their remarkable leadership, at a critical juncture in the AIDS response and in a context of multiple crises. Aidsfonds also thanks the European Parliament for its unwavering support to the Global Fund. 

The Conference was hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden and aimed to raise at least US$18 billion to get back on track to end HIV, TB, and malaria as public health threats by 2030. World leaders committed $14.25 billion - the largest sum ever raised for a global health initiative. 

Aidsfonds is concerned that with the UK and Italy still to pledge there is a $3.75 billion funding gap. The failure to meet the 18 billion target means that a portion of President Biden’s $6 billion pledge will be left on the table as U.S. funding cannot exceed 30% of the total contributions. This comes amidst a trend of shrinking resources for the HIV/AIDS response - in 2021, international resources available for HIV were 6% lower than in 2010, whilst domestic resources have declined by 2% in 2021 compared with 2020, following a similar drop in the previous year. The HIV response in low- and middle-income countries is US$8 billion short of the US$29 billion needed by 2025 to get the world on track to end the AIDS pandemic as a global health threat by 2030. 

For the past months, Aidsfonds has been working with communities from around the world to advocate for a successful pledging conference. They know, we know, what lies behind all these numbers: Ani, Aaron, Anton, Olya, Joyce and many more are living testimonies of the difference the Global Fund makes. 

Aidsfonds urges donors to pledge additional resources to the Global Fund over the next three years. It is critical to free all available U.S. funding and not to further exacerbate the international funding gap for the HIV response. Aidsfonds also calls on all parties to step up their investments in the AIDS response to regain lost ground and get us back on track towards ending AIDS by 2030.