G8 members will increase HIV and AIDS spending

Members of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialised nations have revealed commitments to increase spending for fighting the HIV and AIDS pandemic during this week's summit meeting hosted by Germany. German Chancellor, Angela Merkel's spokesperson, Ulrich Wilhelm, said details of the spending commitments would be announced during the summit.

In response to President Bush's 30 May announcement that he was asking Congress for a USD 30bn, five-year extension of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Wilhelm elaborated: "That's an important and very interesting initiative. It's obvious that this is a very important subject, with Africa as the priority area. The discussion is going to centre on what framework we'll use to increase our efforts as well as our financial support for combating AIDS."

G8 leaders also want to increase commitments aimed at strengthening health infrastructures in African countries. The document outlines a plan by leaders to increase efforts to meet the goal of providing Africans with universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care programmes by 2010.

The draft document also says that member countries will work with donors and contribute to ensure that multiyear funding based on ambitious but realistic targets is made available to the global fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

UNAIDS estimates show that global funding for HIV and AIDS efforts will increase to about USD 10bn in 2007 from about USD 8.9bn in 2006.

UNAIDS added that USD 18.1bn is needed for HIV and AIDS in 2007 and forecast that approximately USD 22.1bn will be needed by 2008.

In related news, the EU Commission has revealed it will donate EUR 400m, or about USD 537m, to the global fund during the next four years. The EU's executive board announced it had pledged EUR 100m, or about USD 134m, to the global fund.