The goal of 14 billion dollars collected (12.72 billion euros) was achieved in Lyon to fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria at the end of the 6th Global Fund refinancing conference. The threshold is even slightly exceeded, to 14.02 billion dollars (12.74 billion euros), according to Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund to fight against these diseases.
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This conference has gathered 700 participants since Wednesday. Thursday morning, the goal was far from being achieved. "We're not there," admitted Emmanuel Macron while speaking in the gallery. He put pressure on several governments to find the missing money, after announcing a 15% increase in the French contribution, from 1.08 billion euros to 1.29 billion. A group of twelve civil society organizations, including Aides, Oxfam, Solidarité sida and Sidaction, had demanded a "at least 25%" increase for France.
Russia and Latin America, large absentees
"I will not let anyone out of this room or leave Lyon until the 14 billion have been obtained," had launched the head of state by seeking especially the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The three countries thus increased their contribution, as well as Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Luxembourg, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Fund, created in 2002, also registered the arrival of new contributors, especially Africans: on the whole, the African countries have brought "twice as much" as the last time, underlined the president of the Republic, regretting, on the contrary, Japan's lack of significant effort. Russia and Latin America are largely absent from this conference.
NGOs satisfied
Several associations were satisfied with the amount obtained. "It's a relief that we reached the minimum of 14 billion dollars," said Marc Dixneuf, general manager of Aides, for whom nevertheless "it was not a very ambitious goal." "We consider it a success, regardless of the money, what we have noted is really the momentum of solidarity and the mobilization of all," said Abdourahmane Diallo, president of the RBM Partnership. malaria. Gayle Smith, president of NGO One, spoke of "a huge victory for humanity". "Impossible is not French, long live France", meanwhile launched the Irish singer Bono, committed through the RED initiative, describing the moment as "historical".
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Avoiding 234 million infections by 2023
The three pandemics still kill nearly three million people a year, including 1.6 million for TB in 2017 and more than 435,000 for malaria. By 2018, nearly 38 million people were living with HIV and the number of infections, of the order of 1.7 million, "remains unacceptable," according to the Fund.
The money raised is expected to save 16 million lives and avert 234 million infections by 2023.