The Japanese government announced on March 21, 2009, that it would contribute US$194.4 million to the Global Fund this year. This new contribution increases Japan’s total contributions to the Global Fund to more than US$1 billion since the Global Fund’s creation in 2002. Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone made the formal announcement at the Tokyo International Conference on African Development Ministerial Follow-up Meeting, which was held in Gaborone, Botswana, on March 21–22.
This new contribution is part of a multi-year commitment of US$560 million made by then Prime Minister Fukuda at an FGFJ conference in May 2008. The announcement comes at the same time that the Global Fund is preparing for its Mid-Term Review Meeting of the Second Global Fund Replenishment process, where the performance of the Global Fund will be reviewed and considerations made about future funding for the organization.
In announcing the contribution, Global Fund Executive Director noted that “Japan is a leader in the fight against infectious diseases and a leading supporter and partner of the Global Fund. The country’s new contribution to the Global Fund is setting an example for other countries. We are grateful to the Japanese people for their continued generosity in the fight against poverty and infectious diseases.”
