Global Health – World AIDS Day (1 December 2023)

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On the occasion of World AIDS day, France reaffirms its longstanding commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS. A founding member of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, established in 2002, France – which together with Brazil spearheaded the establishment of Unitaid in 2006 – was one of the very first countries to lead an international effort based on the values of solidarity and universal access to treatment, accompanied by a financial effort commensurate with the challenges involved.

While considerable progress has been made over the past 30 years, France deplores the fact that in 2022, more than 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes and 1.3 million people contracted HIV.

Against this backdrop, France calls on all international stakeholders to step up their efforts to end this pandemic by 2030, in keeping with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

For its part, France is maintaining its resolute commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS:

  • as the second-largest provider of funds, historically, to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, with nearly €6.7 billion provided to date, and an unprecedented contribution of €1.6 billion for 2023-2025.
  • through its support for civil society organizations, notably by funding 20% of L’Initiative for 2023-3035. This program operates in 40 of the most vulnerable countries.
  • as the largest donor to Unitaid. France funds 56% of its efforts to promote innovative treatments, diagnosis and prevention.

This multilateral, solidarity-based approach is central to the French Global Health Strategy for 2023-2027 released in Lyon this past October by Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna together with Minister of Health and Prevention Aurélien Rousseau and Minister of Higher Education and Research Sylvie Retailleau.