France Pledges $1.4 Billion for Global Fund’s Fourth Replenishment

Author:

David Garmaise

Article Type:

Article Number: 1

ABSTRACT France announced that it will contribute approximately $467 million a year to the Global Fund for the period 2014–2016. This is about the same amount as France pledged for 2011–2013.

France has announced that it will contribute € 1.08 billion ($1.4 billion) to the Global Fund for the Fourth Replenishment period (2014–2016). That works out to about $467 million a year. This approximately the same as the amount France pledged for the Third Replenishment (2011–2013).

There had been fears that France would lower its contribution. However, in recent months, France tried to dispel these fears (see GFO article).

France is the largest European contributor to the Global Fund. Globally, France is second only to the US, which pledged about $4.0 billion for the Third Replenishment.

“Despite having to make difficult budgetary adjustments in many areas, France has made the right choice in maintaining its strong commitment to this critical fight,” said Mireille Guigaz, Vice-Chair of the Global Fund Board and France’s former Ambassador for the fight against HIV/AIDS and communicable diseases.

Global Fund Executive Director Mark Dybul said President François Hollande was showing strong leadership in reaffirming France’s financial backing for the Global Fund. “France has for years tirelessly defended the Global Fund’s founding values, which emphasize the key role played by communities affected by the diseases, by civil society and by recipient governments.”

It is expected that up to 5% of France’s pledge will be earmarked for capacity-building activities in Francophone countries aimed at improving the effectiveness and health impact of Global Fund grants. France started this practice in 2011.

Some of the information for this article is from a Global Fund news release.