French Civil Society Declaration
9 October 2019 | Press Release
Fighting HIV / AIDSFighting tuberculosisMALARIA
The Global Fund Replenishment Conference is opening today in Lyon, France. The French President and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria have set a target of raising at least 14 billion dollars for 2020-2022, which will save 16 million additional lives. An increase of the French contribution by at least 25% is a prerequisite to reach this target. The success of the Global Fund Replenishment Conference depends on it.
This increase of at least 270 million euros represents more than 342,000 deaths and 5 million new infections averted for the next three years. Any increase below 25% for the French contribution will mean that the 14 billion target will not be reached. As the host of the Conference, President Emmanuel Macron will be held accountable.
There is less than 24 hours left for the French President to avoid a disaster and to craft historical success.
Signatories:
AIDES, Coalition PLUS, Crips Ile-de-France, Elus locaux contre le sida, Equipop, Friends of the Global Fund Europe, Global Health Advocates France, Oxfam, Le Planning Familial, Sidaction, Solidarité Sida, Solthis
Note to editors:
- French contribution: the French contribution represents an annual 360 million euros (400 million dollars), or 1.08 billion euros for the 2017-2019 cycle. It represents 10% of the available funds for the Global Fund. This contribution has not increased since 2010, putting France in the 3rd place for donors in the current cycle, after being the 2nd one in previous cycles.
- France's historical role and impact of the Global Fund : since the creation of the Global Fund in 2002, on the initiative among others of President Jacques Chirac, France has contributed 4.61 million euros. Its contribution has participated in saving more than 32 million lives.
- Leverage on the US contribution. The United States' contribution will represent 33% of the total funding for 2020-2022 – the Congressional delegation to the Conference will reaffirm their support in Lyon. This means that for every 2 dollars pledged by other donors, the US will add 1 dollar. If France doesn't increase its contribution by 25%, 150 million dollars of US contribution will be lost. This represents 171,000 lives and 2.55 million new infections that could have been prevented. These figures are to be counted in addition to the other 342,000 deaths and 5 million new infections that the French contribution could have prevented. 513,000 deaths, that is the total population of Lyon sacrificed.
- Current pledges: the main donors to the Global Fund have already announced their contributions for the 2020-2022 cycle. Germany has increased by 25% its contribution compared to the announcement in 2016. Countries facing major political crises also chose to significantly increase their pledges: Spain (100 million euros compared to 0 previously), the United Kingdom (+16.7%; the UK is the 2nd contributor with GBP 1.4 billion) and Italy (+15%) for instance.
- France, leader for multilateralism: This year, France hosted the G7 Summit in Biarritz and presented itself as the leader of a renewed and strengthened multilateralism. The French President highlighted this again at the United Nations in September by calling for a strong multilateralism in front of his counterparts. Not increasing the French contribution to the Global Fund would be inconsistent with the position defended by France on the international stage, and would send mixed signals regarding the French leadership in multilateral organisations and on global health.
