Resources and funding

GENEVA, 8 September 2022—UNAIDS warmly welcomes Germany’s pledge of €1.3 billion for the 7th replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an increase of 30% on the country’s contribution of €1 billion made in 2019. The announcement is a significant step towards reaching the goal of raising at least $18 billion when President Biden hosts the 7th Global Fund Replenishment Conference in New York later this month.

“This announcement demonstrates Germany’s continued leadership in global health, its commitment to multilateralism and its determination to save millions of lives by ending AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by 2030,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima. “This is an investment in young people’s health and wellbeing—particularly of young women and girls —and it will strengthen global security by instilling resilience into systems needed to protect all of us from emerging health threats. I look forward to other donors matching Germany’s increase in funding.”

The United States is the Global Fund’s largest donor and has pledged $6 billion for the organization’s 7th replenishment contingent on the $18 billion target being fully met. Last week, Japan announced that it was increasing its contribution to the Global Fund by 30% to more than $1 billion.

The Global Fund Replenishment Conference takes place from 19—21 September at a time when funding for the HIV response remains under intense pressure. In 2021, international resources available for HIV were 6% lower than in 2010. Overseas development assistance for HIV from bilateral donors other than the United States has fallen by 57% over the last decade. The HIV response in low- and middle-income countries is US$8 billion short of the US$29 billion needed by 2025 to get the world on track to end the AIDS pandemic as a global health threat by 2030.   

To maximize the effectiveness of their investments to the Global Fund, donors are also being urged to fully fund the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS is present in 70 countries worldwide working in partnership with governments, civil society and communities, collecting the data that shapes the HIV response, advocating for the reversal of harmful laws and policies to create an enabling legal environment, working for an end to HIV-related stigma and discrimination, and challenging the inequalities driving the HIV pandemic among vulnerable and marginalized groups of people.  

UNAIDS latest report In Danger, shows that recent crises have knocked the global AIDS response off track, with HIV infections on the rise in 38 countries. It shows also that the end of AIDS by 2030 is possible, if leaders act boldly together.

The announcement of Germany’s increase was made in Berlin by the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Svenja Schulze, at the Get Back On Track international conference organized by civil society organizations, including Action Against AIDS Germany.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

MONTREAL, CANADA 29 July 2022—The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) welcomes the latest data released by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which demonstrate the life-saving impact of PEPFAR funding and programmes on countries and communities. UNAIDS also applauds the continued, strong bipartisan leadership of the United States in the global response to HIV.

“PEPFAR’s latest impressive results show the outstanding impact and unique contributions of the United States to meeting the 2025 global HIV targets,” said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director. "At a moment when some other bilateral donors retreated from their global commitments, the United States Administration and Congress continued to give strong, and critical support to PEPFAR, enabling countries to transition from epidemic control towards ending their AIDS epidemics,” said Ms Byanyima. “Together we are rallying other donors to follow the United States’s example.”

PEPFAR announced the new data on the opening day of the 24^th International AIDS Conference, presenting the life-saving impact of PEPFAR investments and programmatic support to partner countries.

Ambassador John Nkengasong, United States Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Health Diplomacy said, “Comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment programmes have always been a priority for PEPFAR. Through the reduction of incidence and prevalence of HIV among adolescent girls and young women, women of childbearing age, and adult men, an additional 3.5 million babies were born HIV free between 2004 to 2021 and a total of 5.5 million babies have been born HIV-free as a result of PEPFAR and its partners.”

PEPFAR’s statement can be read at https://www.state.gov/pepfar-shows-impact-with-5-5-million-babies-born-hiv-free-due-to-comprehensive-program-efforts/

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

GENEVA, 7 April 2022—The German Federal Government has agreed to host a new UNAIDS office in Bonn. The agreement is part of Germany’s commitment to reinforce its partnership with the United Nations and part of UNAIDS’ commitment to realign its work to the new Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026: End Inequalities, End AIDS.

“UNAIDS welcomes this important support by Germany,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Germany is continuing to demonstrate its commitment to end AIDS through shared responsibility and global solidarity, and we look forward to working ever more closely into the future towards our common goals.”

The UNAIDS office will house UNAIDS’ management support functions, including People Management, Information and Communications Technology, Finance and the Independent Evaluation Office. Operations will begin in mid-2022 and will be part of the UNAIDS Secretariat’s more geographically distributed “global centre”. Approximately 45 UNAIDS staff will be working in Bonn, a location that also hosts United Nations organizations that include the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Volunteers programme, the United Nations Global Centre for Human Resources Services and the United Nations System Staff College Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development. It will become the third largest United Nations office in Bonn and joins 25 other United Nations entities with a presence in the city.

“With this relocation of UNAIDS staff to Bonn, Germany shows its commitment to supporting the important work of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS in the global AIDS response and reflects Germany’s commitment to global health overall. We hope that this move as part of the realignment process will contribute to a more effective and cost-efficient UNAIDS. We welcome the United Nations staff to Bonn,” said the German Minister of Health, Karl Lauterbach.

The Government of Germany, parliamentarians, civil society and other partners in Germany have long shown commitment to the global HIV response and to global health and health security. Germany has provided regular contributions to UNAIDS and was the third largest donor in 2020, investing a total of almost US$ 30 million in that year, and pledged US$ 1 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria at its last replenishment.

A valued partner of UNAIDS, the Government of Germany is firmly committed to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 and has invested significant resources to ensure that no one is left behind. In 2020, Germany contributed an additional €20 million to UNAIDS above its core contribution to strengthen the response to HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

DUBLIN/GENEVA, 1 March 2022—Ireland has today announced that it is increasing its core funding for UNAIDS from €2.4 million in 2021 to €2.5 million in 2022. The announcement was made at a meeting in Dublin between Ireland’s Minister for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Colm Brophy, and the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima.

Ireland has been a partner and supporter of UNAIDS for more than 20 years. It has supported programmes that reduce the impact of HIV among some of the most-at-risk groups, including gay men and other men who have sex with men and young women and girls. In addition to the €2.4 million contribution in 2021, Ireland provided €1 million in support of UNAIDS’ zero discrimination agenda.

“Ireland is a strong leader in the global AIDS response and continues to be a steadfast ally to UNAIDS,” said Ms Byanyima. “This additional financial contribution from Irish Aid is an important signal at a time when the world must step up its efforts to remove laws that harm and instead create laws that empower so that people can receive life-saving and life-changing HIV services.”  

This year on Zero Discrimination Day, which is being held under the theme “Remove laws that harm, create laws that empower”, UNAIDS is highlighting the urgent need to take action against discriminatory laws. In many countries, laws result in people being treated differently, excluded from essential services or being subject to undue restrictions on how they live their lives, simply because of who they are, what they do or who they love. Such laws are discriminatory—they deny human rights and fundamental freedoms.

On Zero Discrimination Day, 1 March, we celebrate the right of everyone to live a full and productive life—and live it with dignity and free from discrimination.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Message by Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations

Excellencies, distinguished guests, colleagues and friends,

I am sorry not to be with you in person today.

This year will be 41 years since the first cases of AIDS were reported, 26 years since the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS started its work and 21 years since the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) partnership came into existence. Since then, communities, countries, activists, technical partners and donors have come together to deliver impressive results.

Throughout it all, the Global Fund has been a key player and an important funder of critical interventions. Thanks to Global Fund grants, AIDS-related deaths have dropped by 65% and new HIV infections by 54% since 2002. Global Fund grants support 22 million people on life-saving HIV treatment, keeping them healthy and strong.

And yet the world did not meet the 2020 HIV targets. Progress, which was already off track, is now under even greater strain as the COVID-19 crisis continues to rage, disrupting HIV prevention and testing services, schooling, violence prevention programmes and more. We know that HIV infection makes a person much more likely to die of COVID-19. We also know that sub-Saharan Africa is home to two thirds of people living with HIV. But just over 12% of people in Africa have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. This is a terrible health injustice and one that the AIDS community is far too familiar with given the history of unequal access to the first antiretroviral medicines.

We know that new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths follow the fault-lines of inequality.

Women and girls account for the majority of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa—six in seven new HIV infections among adolescents are among adolescent girls. This shocking disparity all is about discrimination against girls and women in society and social norms that tolerate violence and exclusion.

In 2020, key populations, including sex workers, gay men and other men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs and transgender people, and their sexual partners accounted for 39% of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa, 65% of new infections globally and a staggering 94% in the Asia–Pacific region.

To close the inequality gaps that drive AIDS, last year we adopted the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026: End Inequalities, End AIDS. That strategy sets out evidence-informed priority actions and bold targets to get every country and every community on track to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

Achieving the goals and targets of the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026 requires that annual HIV investments in low- and middle-income countries rise to a peak of US$ 29 billion by 2025. This is of course a shared responsibility, with domestic and international resources coming together.

The strategy was reaffirmed by the bold United Nations Political Declaration on AIDS, adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in June last year. The new Global Fund strategy is very much in line with the path the world has chosen to end AIDS.

We now need a successful seventh replenishment in order to reach the agreed targets and get back on track towards the 2030 goal of ending AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

The Global Fund provides more than 20% of international funding for the HIV response, making it one of the key players in our collective effort to end AIDS. I have no doubt that my friend Peter Sands and Timothy Hallet have set out a very compelling case for a fully funded Global Fund. So many lives and futures, hopes and dreams depend on this!

The United States of America was one of the founding supporters of the Global Fund and is the largest donor and we are delighted that the United States is hosting the seventh replenishment conference—a clear sign of the United States’ steady leadership of global health.

UNAIDS will, as always, support the Global Fund to ensure a successful replenishment and I urge everyone to step up and support it at this critical moment for pandemics, old and new, and global health.

Thank you. 
 

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Global health and financing leaders and experts have come together at a high-level virtual event to tackle one of the most pressing issues facing the world today—health security. The event, “Investing in health is investing in economic recovery: Financing for HIV, stronger public health systems, and pandemic preparedness and response” was held ahead of the sixth Africa - European Union (EU) Summit which is taking place on 17 and 18 February.

While hosting 16% of the global population, and facing 26% of the global disease burden, Africa accounts for only 2% of global health spending. Despite the 2001 Abuja Commitment of governments to allocate 15% of their budget to health, the average is still only 7%.

Speakers discussed how Africa has been left behind in the COVID-19 response, with less than 12% of people in Africa fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Insufficient access to vaccines, medicines and technologies, and weak health systems have impeded the realization of the right to health of all Africans during the pandemic. In addition, fiscal constraints and unsustainable debt burdens, are hindering the path to recovery.

Cosponsored by the Government of France, the event was convened by UNAIDS, the African Union, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and the World Health Organization. Moderated by Dr. Donald Kaberuka, High Representative for Financing, African Union (AU), the session strived to find ways of broadening the revenue base available to African countries to increase health financing and to boost global solidarity.

Participants underlined the overarching need for investment in strengthened public health systems for universal healthcare, including community-led services, and avoiding overburdening the most vulnerable with out-of-pocket expenses to overcome the COVID-19 crisis. Further, tackling the current pandemics of HIV and COVID-19, and other infectious diseases such as malaria and TB, must happen simultaneously to prevent future pandemics and protect global health security.

Leaders stressed how essential HIV, health systems and pandemics preparedness investments are to save human lives and for economic recovery, and how there will be no steep recovery for Africa without health security for all.

Tackling existing pandemics, such as COVID and HIV, needs to happen at the same time as countries strengthen health systems and build up pandemic preparedness. 

Participants praised the increased African leadership and sovereignty and called for a renewed Africa-EU partnership that would support African institutions and rely on its leadership, in collaboration with multilateral institutions. Specifically, they called on the EU to further dedicate financing mechanisms for HIV, health and pandemic preparedness, including sustained and increased overseas development assistance (ODA).

The panel members also recognized the importance of domestic financing for long-term sustainability. However, the current financial constraints are overwhelming for many countries in the region. Decisive action to eradicate tax evasion and tax dodging will be critical: every year between 25 and 50 billion that could be used for the health and education of Africans are lost. Increasing domestic revenues requires brave international and national tax reforms. Possible ways forward discussed for broadening the revenue base included combating tax evasion, improving the conditions under which African countries obtain financing, debt relief and cancellation policies, and Special Drawing Rights reallocation.

Speakers highlighted that a growing share of revenue allocation, as well as better investment and the use of health and pandemics´ resources are urgently needed, leveraging the AIDS infrastructure and lessons learned from the rights-based AIDS response to prevent future pandemics.

The leaders called for robust international financing, through special drawing rights reallocation, debt relief, new concessional sources and additional ODA. They identified The Global Fund replenishment in 2022 as a key moment to ensure overarching support for the fight against AIDS, malaria and TB, to get back on track.  

Watch the event