MPs have expressed deep disappointment that the UK did not make a
pledge at a conference to replenish a major fund fighting
worldwide diseases, putting it behind the Democratic Republic of
Congo, which donated $6m., and other much poorer nations. The
United States led the big donors, giving $6bn.
The UK failure to donate took place in New York last night at the
pledging conference for the The Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria, a partnership of United Nations,
national and private bodies.
Other countries – led by the United States, Nordic nations,
France and Germany pledged more than $14bn. The UK has
traditionally been a major donor to the Global Fund – delivering
at least $1.4bn during the last pledging round.
The Global Fund recently reported that 50 million lives had been
saved in the past 20 years thanks to the work of its partner
organisations. The independent UK aid watchdog, the Independent
Commission for Aid Impact, said the Fund had “performed well
despite the multiple challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic”. The
watchdog said the number of deaths each year from AIDS,
tuberculosis and malaria had been slashed since 2002 by 70%, 21%
and 26% respectively.
The Chair of the International Development Committee,
said:
“This is shameful. We know the Global Fund works well. We know it
has saved many millions of lives. It is good value for money by
anyone’s reckoning.
“The UK has pledged precisely nothing while our major partners in
Europe and across the Atlantic give billions. The Democratic
Republic of Congo has promised more than us. I am deeply
disappointed. The government can still act – it can still pledge
our rightful share in helping the fight against these dreadful
diseases. It should do so as soon as possible.
“The UK’s stated goals in international development include
improving global health - especially helping vulnerable women and
girls. There is no question that the Global Fund can help us
fulfill these goals. We should step up with at least as much
funding as last time round”.
The Foreign Office recently announced a freeze on what it
described as ‘non-essential’ foreign aid payments, citing budget
pressures. When asked the Foreign Office
Minister, , what this meant, Ms. Ford
answered:
“We will prioritise spending that is vital to protect against
immediate threat to life and wellbeing (…) in addition to
considering the value for money of any decisions”.
