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Africa: Fund the Fund
AFRICA ACTION
Africa Policy E-Journal
May 17, 2003 (030517)
Africa: Fund the Fund
(Reposted from sources cited below)
This posting contains an appeal from the Fund the Fund
international coalition, of which Africa Action is a member. The
coalition is asking organizations and individuals around the world
to sign a letter demanding that the wealthy countries meeting in
France on June 1-3 fulfill their commitments to provide adequate
funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis,and
Malaria. International organizations initiating the letter incluce
the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+), the
International Council of AIDS Services Organizations (ICASO), and
the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies.
In Washington yesterday, the U.S. Senate approved an authorization
bill for $15 billion over 5 years for global AIDS, beginning in
fiscal year 2004. President Bush is taking credit for the bill as
indicating new levels of U.S. commitment. As noted below in press
reports and in press releases from Africa Action and the Global
AIDS Alliance, however, the bill is only potentially a step
forward. Several right-wing amendments limiting the use of the
funds were maintained intact from the House version. In addition,
the funds will only be available if Congress also overrules
President Bush's budget request which provides only $200 million
for the Global Fund in fiscal year 2004.
The need for additional funds for the Fund immediately is widely
recognized, despite the President's opposition. A report to
Congress from the U.S. General Accounting Office released on May 7
found that the Global Fund has made progress, but that its ability
to finance additional grants is threatened by lack of resources.
"Without significant new pledges, the Fund will be unable to
support all of the already approved grants beyond their initial
2-year agreements." See highlights of the report at:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d03755t.pdf
And a report just released by the Global HIV Prevention Working
Group (available at
http://www.unaids.org/publications/Prevention130503_en.pdf) notes
that globally fewer than one in five people at risk of infection
have access to basic prevention strategies, and less than one-thrid
of the estimated annual need for prevention alone is now being
funded.
For additional advocacy resources related to the G8 meeting, see
http://www.fundthefund.org and
http://www.massiveeffort.org/html/g8.html
For a short background resource on the Global Fund,
see http://www.africaaction.org/action/gf2003.htm
+++++++++++++++++end summary/introduction+++++++++++++++++++++++
From the Press:
New York Times (May 17, 2003):
The measure does not actually provide money for the initiative;
that will be left to House and Senate appropriators. Senate
Democrats complained today that Mr. Bush's budget for 2004 includes
only slightly more than half the $3 billion promised in the Senate
bill. "The real test of America's resolve," said Senator Tom
Daschle of South Dakota, the Democratic leader, "is whether we fund
this promise."
Washington Post (May 17, 2003)
Also rejected were proposals to require that AIDS drugs be
purchased at the lowest possible price and to pledge at least $500
million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and
Malaria. The bill would permit but not require a $1 billion U.S.
contribution to the fund next year, and the administration plans to
donate no more than $200 million.
Sign-on Letter: Fund the Fund
http://www.fundthefund.org
PLEASE NOTE: Individual and organizational signatures for the
letter below should be sent to: info@fundthefund.org
PLEASE SIGN ON TO THIS LETTER TO G7 HEADS OF STATE
FUND THE FUND
KEEP THE PROMISE
The Fund the Fund campaign is a network of organizations committed
to raising contributions to the Global Fund the Fight AIDS, TB, and
Malaria. We recognize that the Global Fund is the financing
mechanism for fighting the global AIDS crisis and we call upon
wealthy governments to contribute the resources necessary to combat
the three killers--AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria-that threaten to
decimate whole societies.
Fund the Fund contends that wealthy countries have given too little
money to the Global Fund and ignored the immediate, overwhelming
need in the developing world for medicines and treatment of
HIV/AIDS. Fund the Fund demands Heads of State commit at least the
amount necessary to meet the need estimated in the third round of
proposals--USD 1.4 billion according to the GFATM officials-by the
time of the G8 summit in Evian, France in June 2003.
People with AIDS and their advocates-at the frontline of the AIDS
crisis-and "Fund the Fund", will not allow the rich governments of
the world to walk away from the Global Fund and betray the hopes of
the 42 million people now living with HIV/AIDS. Heads of state must
not turn their backs on millions of people in need only two years
after authorizing the Fund's creation at the G8 summit in Genoa in
July 2001.
Individuals and organisations from anywhere in the world are
welcome to sign this letter to the heads of the wealthiest counties
in the world by completing the form below. The letter will be
delivered to the media and heads of state at the end of
May--directly before the G8 Summit in Evian. Fill out the form at
the end of this email and send to info@fundthefund.org.
For more information on Fund the Fund goals and events, go to
http://www.fundthefund.org
Thank you.
LETTER TO G7 HEADS OF STATE
Mr. Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada
Mr. Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic
Mr. Gerhard Schroeder Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
Mr. Silvio Berlusconi, Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers
of the Italian Republic
Mr. Junichiro Koizumi, Prime Minister of Japan
Mr. Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Mr. George W. Bush, President of the United States
Dear G7 Heads of State,
The annual G8 meetings rightly prioritise action to improve the
lives of the poorest people of the world. That was the impetus for
commitments made at the Okinawa G8 in December 2000 to tackling
AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria; and again during the 2001 summit
in Genoa where you formally declared your support for the Global
Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (the Fund). Saving
and improving lives was also the impetus for support you have
expressed for increasing access to medicines in developing
countries for treating these and other killer diseases.
The Global Fund is only two years old but has already committed
US$1.5bn to fund high quality grant from 85 countries, and has
accumulated significant successes. But without immediate, dramatic
increases in funding from G7 countries, the Fund will not be able
to sustain and build on these life-saving successes. The Fund's
third round of grant approvals is scheduled for October 2003, and
the Fund is in danger of being unable to meet the demand generated
by eligible projects, because the Fund is virtually out of money.
We, the undersigned, representing concerned groups and individuals
including people living with HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, from
rich countries and poor countries, from the northern hemisphere and
the southern hemisphere, call on you, the leaders of the richest
countries in the world, to act urgently to ensure that desperately
needed programs designed to win the war on AIDS, tuberculosis, and
malaria get full funding from the G7. US$1.4bn is urgently needed
to fund the Global Fund's third round of grant requests this year.
According to equitable funding principles, at least US$793m should
come from G7 countries by October 2003 and at least US$8.2bn to
ensure successful rounds in 2004 and 2005. We also urge you to
publicly support policies that promote access to lowest cost
medicines, including quality generics, thereby ensuring that the
greatest number of people gain access to medicines as a result of
your contributions.
This must not be another G7 summit of broken promises and empty
declarations. The wealthiest countries in the world have an
obligation to help reverse the suffering and death caused by AIDS,
tuberculosis and malaria. Keeping your promise to fund the Global
Fund is our best hope to reverse the devastation wrought by these
diseases and see the most heavily impacted countries lift
themselves out of poverty.
Yours sincerely,
Fund the Fund Campaign
International Organizations:
- Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+)
- International Council of AIDS Services Organizations (ICASO)
- International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
National and Continental Organizations (partial listing):
- ACT UP East Bay, USA
- ACT UP New York, USA
- ACT UP Paris, France
- ACT UP Philadelphia, USA
- Action AID, UK
- AEDES Foundation, Brussels
- Africa Action, USA
- AIDES, France
- AIDS Task Force of Africa Japan Forum, Tokyo
- Aidspan, USA
- Association Nationale de Soutien aux Seropositifs (ANSS), Burundi
- Access Working Group, European AIDS Treatment Group, European
AIDS Treatment Group (EATG), Italy
- German Institute for Medical Mission, Berlin, German
- Grupo Portugues de Activistas sobre Tratamentos de VIH/SIDA-Pedro
Santos (GAT), Portugal
- Health GAP (Global Access Project), USA
- Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development (ICAD), Canada
- LILA Cedius, Italy
- The Massive Effort Campaign, Switzerland
- SENSOA, Belgium
- Stop AIDS Alliance, Belgium
- Student Global AIDS Campaign, USA
- World Development Movement (WDM), London
PLEASE SIGN THIS LETTER.
Individuals and organisations from anywhere in the world are
welcome to sign this letter by completing the form below. If you
are an organisation, please let us know whether you would be like
to be listed as a member of Fund the Fund.
SEND TO info@fundthefund.org
I am endorsing as an:
[_] Organization [_] Individual [_] Both
Name*
Organisation
City*
Country*
Email address*
Would your organisation like to be a member of Fund the Fund?
[_] YES [_]NO
Fund the Fund would like to send you more information as the
campaign continues. Would you like to receive updates and action
alerts from the Fund the Fund Action Network?
[_] YES [_]NO
Africa Action Press Release
May 16, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ann-Louise Colgan (202) 546-7961
Africa Action asks: "How can Congress Claim so Much Credit for
doing so very Little?"
Senate AIDS Bill moves U.S. both backward & forward in fighting
AIDS in Africa
Friday, May 16, 2003 (Washington, DC) – The U.S. Senate this
morning passed a five-year authorizing bill on AIDS, described by
many as a huge victory and a milestone of progress in the war on
AIDS in Africa. Africa Action urges a closer look at these claims.
Salih Booker, Executive Director, said this morning, "If you
followed the recent votes on AIDS bills in the House and Senate,
you might think that the U.S. government has finally made a major
decision to provide the leadership needed in the war on AIDS. But
you would be wrong."
Africa Action emphasized that both bills provide NO new money to
fight AIDS this year, and authorize only the minimum that the U.S.
should be providing in coming years. Booker said that, "These bills
represent contradictory movement in U.S. policy -- forward
movement to raise funding levels to near where they should be; but
backward movement on the question of how to fight this pandemic,
especially in Africa."
Conservative amendments to both the House and Senate bills
restrict how the U.S. contributes to fighting AIDS in Africa. The
funding for abstinence-only programs, and the measure ensuring
faith-based groups who are subsidized by the U.S. government are
free to oppose and denigrate condom use, represent what Booker
described as "the triumph of fundamentalist dogma and ideology
over science and public health, with enormous consequences for
Africa."
Booker said, "Senator Bill Frist is 'Doctor Do-Little'. He does
little to ensure an urgent U.S. response to Africa's AIDS crisis.
Though he claims to be a champion of Africa's people and their
right to health, he opposed efforts to expand the provisions of
the bill to increase U.S. support."
Booker said this morning, "Such weak leadership makes hollow
President Bush's call on other rich country leaders at the G8
summit next month to give more to the war on AIDS. We in the U.S.
cannot afford to have such low expectations of the U.S.'
commitment to Africa. $3 billion a year is only the equivalent of
what Washington provides the small nation of Israel annually."
Africa Action is calling on the U.S. to focus on strengthening the
international mechanism to fight AIDS by contributing at least $3.5
billion per year to the Global Fund. Africa Action is also calling
for the immediate cancellation of Africa's illegitimate external
debts as an essential step to support African efforts to increase
their spending on health care and the fight against AIDS.
GLOBAL AIDS ALLIANCE
May 16, 2003 - Press Release
Contact: David Bryden, 202-549-3664
http://www.globalaidsalliance.org
AIDS Bill Is a 'Bad Check' that will Bounce
Bill Also Fails to Mandate Vitally Needed Debt Relief
WASHINGTON, May 16 -- the United States Congress has passed an AIDS
bill that promises a large increase in AIDS program funding for FY
2004, up to $3 billion. But, chances of the Congress actually
providing even close to the full amount authorized seem remote. As
a result, the bill may do little to assist the US in leveraging
contributions from other nations.
"This bill is a check given to countries fighting AIDS, but it will
come back marked 'insufficient funds,'" noted Dr. Paul Zeitz,
Executive Director of the Global AIDS Alliance. "Sadly, the
President, and top Congressional decision-makers like Senator Frist
and Speaker Hastert seem to have little intention of actually
providing this level of funding. They are playing a cruel joke on
countries battling for their very survival."
In a speech on April 29, the President made clear he was sticking
to his original proposal for FY 2004, $2 billion ($1.7 billion
subtracting funds for research). With pressure from the President,
House and Senate Appropriators could improve on that, but, given
the tax cut for wealthy Americans, Congress would likely have to
cut other programs to make room for additional spending. Congress
would likely preserve, however, costly aid to relatively wealthy
nations or military aid.
"The President says he needs this as he goes to the G8 Summit June
1. But, how can he show credible leadership when the other leaders
at the Summit know he doesn't really back this? And, when he
travels to Africa, surely people will demand to know why he blocked
a provision that would have ensured deeper debt relief for
countries fighting AIDS."
In addition, the bill uses an extreme formula for encouraging other
nations to contribute to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and
Malaria. "This bill asks European and other nations to assume such
a large share of the burden that it will prove unworkable. In that
sense, it is a step backward. This and other errors could have been
fixed, were it not for Senator Frist's rush to pass a bill. This
bill is deeply flawed."
The bill limits US contributions to the Global Fund to a third of
what all other sources, besides the US, contribute. The bill fails
to include the US contribution in the total used for this
calculation. So, for the US to maintain just its current level of
donations, $350 million in FY 2003, other sources would have to
donate $1.4 billion. An amendment by Senator Durbin to correct this
obvious mistake failed, 48 to 52. Another amendment to require the
purchase of drugs to combat AIDS at the lowest price possible was
also rejected, 43-54.
Vitally important debt relief provisions were included, but in a
non-binding form. "Despite the best efforts of many Senators, this
bill betrays the hopes of Jubilee supporters and millions of people
in countries living with the burden of debt, who cannot rely on
President Bush to ensure debt relief is meaningful and effective.
It is also deeply disappointing the Senate failed to remove
impractical requirements regarding AIDS prevention strategies, to
adequately emphasize orphans or to fully address the needs of
women, despite important amendments offered by Senators Feinstein,
Clinton, and Boxer."
+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
Date distributed (ymd): 0305317
Region: Continent-Wide
Issue Areas: +economy/development+ +health+ +US policy focus+
The Africa Action E-Journal is a free information service
provided by Africa Action, including both original
commentary and reposted documents. Africa Action provides this
information and analysis in order to promote U.S. and
international policies toward Africa that advance economic,
political and social justice and the full spectrum of
human rights.
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