Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
South African Press Association - July 15, 2004
The money -- part of a Ç460 million ($569-million) pledge for 2002-2006 -- will go toward programs geared to boost prevention, treatment and care of the three diseases, the European Commission said.
"With today's decision, we have already honored over 80% of our pledge to the Global Fund from 2002-2006," said Poul Nielson, the EU's commissioner for development and humanitarian aid, who called on other donors to follow promises with payments.
The commission is the second-largest single contributor to the fund after the United States.
Including separate funds from individual countries, Europe has contributed Ç1,2-billion ($1,5-billion) to date, or 59% of the total. The United States has contributed Ç504-million ($623-million) to date, 24% of the total, according to fund statistics released last month.
Pledges from Europe through 2008 reach Ç2,3-billion ($2,9-billion) while the United States has pledged Ç1,6-billion ($2-billion) through 2008, according to the fund.
An estimated 6-million people die every year from Aids, tuberculosis and malaria, a figure that increases yearly. HIV-Aids is spreading fast across eastern Europe, notably in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which are among ten nations that joined the EU on May 1.
The Global Fund was established in 2002. So far, 296 programs have been approved in 128 countries, with the vast majority of funds going to African nations.
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