This week our campaign to Take Out TB took a big step forward with some fantastic news from Canada: Justin Trudeau announced that Canada will pledge CAD785 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for its 2017-19 replenishment (a 20% increase on its last pledge three years ago) and that Canada will also host the Fund’s Pledging Conference on 16 September 2016 in Montreal.

This increased contribution from a G7 country is a great boost to the Global Fund’s 5th replenishment campaign, with the starting gun well and truly sounded and a clear finish line in sight.

Last year the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria began its 5th replenishment campaign with a call for donors to contribute US $13 billion to accelerate progress towards ending the three epidemics by saving eight million lives and averting 300 million new infections across the three diseases over the next three years.

Canada’s declaration of support for this cause follows earlier, and similarly ambitious, pledges from New Zealand, Luxembourg and the European Commission.

In March the European Commission pledged €470 million, representing a 27% increase on the commitment it made at the last replenishment in 2013.

New Zealand, a country with a population almost half of the size of London’s, is contributing NZ $1 million  – or just under £500,000. What’s more exciting is that this is the first pledge New Zealand has given to the Global Fund since 2011.

Meanwhile, Luxembourg has pledged €8.1 million. For a country with a population less than that of Glasgow, this commitment is one of the most generous per capita.

So what about the UK? At the Global Fund’s last replenishment the UK bolstered its reputation as the third largest donor, pledging up to £1 billion to save a life every three minutes – something as UK citizens we can be very proud of.  

As this replenishment gets under way we are calling on the UK to continue to show leadership and to follow the examples of Canada, the EC, New Zealand and Luxembourg.

Help us call on Nick Hurd, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development, to ensure that the US $13 billion target is met.

So, congratulations Canada, EC and Luxemburg, welcome back New Zealand and here’s to a successful replenishment and a fully-funded Global Fund for years to come!