By RFIPosted on 09-10-2019Modified on 09-10-2019 at 00:05

For the first time, the Sixth Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund for HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria will open this October 9 in Lyon, France, with the goal of raising at least $ 14 billion in funding.

The Sixth Replenishment Conference of the Global Fund to Fight HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which opens this October 9, is being held for the first time in France, in Lyon, in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron.
This conference is held every three years to renew the resources of the Fund, aims to overcome, by 2030, these epidemics that cause an annual loss of 3 million worldwide.

Year after year, the number of new HIV-AIDS patients is decreasing, but this progress is slowing down. Tools for overcoming the epidemic, however, are there, whether prevention or treatment. But in the opinion of all those involved in this fight, the most important tool is not sufficiently available. The money is so scarce that some even fear a rebound in the epidemic. Hence the importance of this Global Fund Replenishment Conference, which aims to mobilize at least $ 14 billion over the next three years from public and private partners.

More than 70% of the Fund's resources go to Africa

More than 70% of the Fund's resources are destined for the African continent. The primary beneficiaries are Nigeria, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Some African countries, like Nigeria or South Africa, are also contributors. But the contribution of the states of the continent amounts to less than 1% of the total resources of the organization.

Among the dozen heads of state and government expected in Lyon, the vast majority are Africans. The presidents of Niger, Madagascar and Cameroon, in particular, must be received by their French counterpart.

14 billion dollars to bring a fatal blow to the disease

The French presidency insists on the importance of the mobilization of the donor countries, but the Elysée also evokes the need for the beneficiaries, particularly African, to reinforce their investments in their own health systems. But even if the $ 14 billion seems high, it may not be enough to deal a fatal blow to the disease. This is at least what associations and NGOs believe. Especially since it is not certain that this objective is achieved.

This is what is understood in the speech of France who organizes this conference. She considers that this reconstitution will be a success as long as one reaches a " nice increase " compared to the last one dating from 2016, when a little more than 12.2 billion dollars had been raised. What will be the new endowment of the Fund? Answer this Thursday.

►Also read: Pandemic: Expected increase in contributions for the Global Fund

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