PHA-Exchange> Gen: Global AIDS fund wants more private donor money

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Vern Weitzel" <vern at coombs.anu.edu.au>
To: "[health-vn discussion group]" <health-vn at cairo.anu.edu.au>
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 12:24 AM
Subject: [health-vn] Global AIDS fund wants more private donor money


> sent to health-vn MDG List by Vern Weitzel <vern at coombs.anu.edu.au>
>
> http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L0572622.htm
>
> Global AIDS fund wants more private donor money
> 05 Mar 2007 16:22:21 GMT
> Source: Reuters
>
> Background
> AIDS in Africa
> Malaria
> AIDS pandemic
> AIDS in Asia
> AIDS
> More
> By John Acher
>
> OSLO, March 5 (Reuters) - A global fund that combats AIDS, tuberculosis 
> and malaria hopes to attract more money from private donors, fund 
> officials said on Monday.
>
> Launched in 2002 with the backing of then U.N. Secretary-General Kofi 
> Annan, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has raised 
> $10 billion but is looking to raise a further $15 billion in 2008-2010.
>
> So far about 96 percent of the Fund's money has come from governments, 
> including the G8 countries, but private sources, such as corporations, 
> foundations and individuals, should provide more in the future, they said.
>
> "We have a major effort under way to increase private financial 
> contributions to the Global Fund and also private contributions of other 
> kinds," the Fund's Executive Director Richard Feachem said at the start of 
> a two-day donor meeting.
>
> The Fund supports 450 programmes in 136 countries.
>
> Feachem said it was also exploring avenues for private non-financial 
> contributions, such as donations of goods and services.
>
> One part of that is a "Product Red" campaign which allows consumers to 
> give a fraction of their monthly mobile phone bill, a percentage of a 
> special red American Express card bill or proceeds from goods such as a 
> red Armani watch to the Fund.
>
> He said it had raised over $20 million and was growing fast.
>
> Chairwoman Carol Jacobs said the Fund did not have a target for funding 
> from private donors, but added: "Between 10 and 20 percent -- I do not 
> think would be unreasonable."
>
> By far the biggest private contribution so far is $650 million from the 
> Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, set up by the Microsoft <MSFT.O> 
> founder, Feachem said.
>
> About $250 million of that pledge has been paid so far.
>
> About 35 of the Fund's 50 donor governments were expected to attend the 
> Oslo meeting, but pledges were not expected until a conference in Berlin 
> in September.
>
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