Italy has announced a three-year pledge of 185 million euros in support of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for the period 2023-2025. With a 15% increase over the previous three-year period, Italy – ranking ninth among Global Fund donors – reaffirms its support for the Fund, which was set up in 2001 under the aegis of the G8 Summit. The pledge – from Italian Cooperation resources – concretely reaffirms the Foreign Ministry’s commitment to promoting global health and more resilient health systems in developing countries.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria applauds today’s announcement by Italy of a €185 million pledge for the upcoming three-year period to help the world get back on track to end HIV, TB and malaria as public health threats by 2030, mitigate the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years, and build resilient and strong health systems. Italy’s pledge represents a 15% increase over their previous commitment.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced Italy’s commitment at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, on 15 November.
The European Union and its member states, united as Team Europe, are a major donor to the Global Fund, accounting for 35% of total contributions. Italy’s renewed commitment is part of the joint Team Europe support.
“The government of Italy is truly demonstrating its commitment to ending HIV, TB and malaria by 2030, and to building stronger and more resilient systems for health that will enable countries to be better prepared for future pandemics,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “We are extremely grateful to Italy for their extraordinary support, which will help save millions more lives.”
The new pledge comes on top of the record-breaking US$14.25 billion raised by the Global Fund last September in New York at its Seventh Replenishment Conference and additional significant announcements for the next three-year cycle of grants. The Global Fund’s Board Meeting on 15-17 November 2022 will approve the total funding available for the 2023-2025 grant allocation period.
“Today I am glad to announce that Italy is adding an extra 185 million euros to the Global Fund to defeat HIV, tuberculosis and malaria,” said Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy. “With this addition, Italy will have given more than one and a half billion dollars to the Global Fund. We are among the top ten donors, and we will continue to contribute to the fight against these three plagues.”
The first meeting of donors to replenish the Global Fund’s resources was held in Rome in 2005 under the auspices of the Italian government and the 20th Anniversary of the Global Fund was co-hosted with Italy during its G20 Presidency in 2021. Italy remains a major donor, and the Global Fund’s ninth largest public donor.
The Global Fund is a worldwide partnership to defeat HIV, TB and malaria and ensure a healthier, safer, more equitable future for all. We raise and invest more than US$4 billion a year to fight the deadliest infectious diseases, challenge the injustice which fuels them and strengthen health systems in more than 100 of the hardest hit countries. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have invested an additional US$4.4 billion to fight the new pandemic and reinforce systems for health. We unite world leaders, communities, civil society, health workers and the private sector to find solutions that have the most impact, and we take them to scale worldwide. Since 2002, the Global Fund partnership has saved 50 million lives.
