An open letter from Italian and international civil society to President Berlusconi
ITALY SHOULD FINANCE THE GLOBAL FUND AGAINST PANDEMICS AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS, AND MALARIA CAN'T WAIT!
Rome, July 2011
Mr. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi,
In anticipation of the world's largest scientific meeting on HIV/AIDS, the 6th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, which opens on July 17 in Rome, we are writing to urge the Italian Government to renew its historic commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM).
Since 2002, the Fund has become the leading funder of programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, saving the lives of 6.5 million people. It has also helped improve maternal and child health by promoting access to sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS services.
Italy played a leading role in launching the Global Fund at the 2001 G8 Summit in Genoa, but its commitment has waned in the last two years, as the Italian government has not yet disbursed the contributions promised for 2009 and 2010, has not made any financial commitments for the three-year period 2011-2013, and no longer holds a single seat on the Fund's Board of Directors.
We are aware of the difficulties Italy is experiencing due to the global economic crisis, we know, however, that the cuts to the Fund and more generally, to Official Development Assistance, will fall particularly hard on women, girls and children who do not have access to prevention, healthcare, social services and whose human rights are therefore violated on a daily basis.
Other European countries with economic recovery plans similar to Italy's have equally respected their commitments.
The G8 Summit in Deauville last May reaffirmed its support for the Global Fund and welcomed its commitment to reform it to improve oversight, accountability, and the effectiveness of its use of resources, which will allow donors to honor their financial commitments. Last month, the United Nations adopted a Declaration recognizing adequate funding for the Global Fund as essential to achieving universal access to prevention, treatment, and support for the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Italy cannot, Mr. President, deny such an important commitment which, if maintained, together with an adequate relaunch of development cooperation, would also contribute to the social and economic development of the South.
We therefore urge you to ensure as soon as possible that Italy:
• communicate a repayment plan for the disbursement to the Global Fund of contributions for 2009 and 2010 – equal to 260 million euros – and of the additional 30 million dollars that you promised at the 2009 G8 Summit in L'Aquila
• renew the financial commitment to the Global Fund for the three-year period 2011-2013.
Failure to secure the necessary resources for the Global Fund would jeopardize its ability to achieve its strategic objectives and would also have repercussions on our country's international credibility.
We look forward to hearing from you and take this opportunity to send you our best regards.
Actionaid – Italy
ANLAIDS Onlus – National Association for the Fight against AIDS – Italy
Arcigay – Italy
Mario Mieli Homosexual Culture Circle – Italy
CNCA – National Coordination of Reception Communities – Italy
Committee for the Civil Rights of Prostitutes Onlus – Italy
Italian Civil Society Forum on HIV/AIDS – Italy
Drug Forum – Italy
Gruppo Abele Onlus – Italy
The Bench Boys Onlus – Italy
LILA Nazionale Onlus – Italian League for the Fight against AIDS – Italy
MIT – Transgender Identity Movement – Italy
Nadir Onlus – Italy
NPS Italia Onlus – Network of HIV-Positive People – Italy
Italian Observatory on Global Action against AIDS – Italy
Villa Maraini – Italy
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English version
Open Letter of the Italian and international civil society to the Italian Prime Minister Mr Silvio Berlusconi
ITALY FUND THE GLOBAL FUND
AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS AND MALARIA WILL NOT WAIT!
Rome, July 2011
Dear Prime Minister Berlusconi,
In view of the world's largest scientific meeting on HIV/AIDS, the 6th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, which will start the 17th July in Rome, we are writing you to urge the Italian Government to reconfirm its historical commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM).
Since 2002, the Global Fund has become the main financier of programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, saving 6.5 million lives and has contributed to improving maternal and child health also through the promotion of the access to sexual and reproductive and HIV/AIDS health services.
Italy played a leading role in the launch of the Global Fund at the G8 Summit in 2001 in Genoa, but its commitment has failed in the last two years, as the Italian Government has not yet disbursed the 2009 and 2010 contributions, never pledged for 2011-2013 and is no longer the owner of a single seat at the Global Fund Board.
We are aware of the difficulties Italy has been experiencing because of the global economic crisis, but we also know that cutbacks to the Global Fund and more in general to ODA, will affect mainly women, girls and children who do not have any access to prevention, health care, social services, and whose human rights, therefore, are not respected every day.
The G8 Summit held in Deauville last May reconfirmed its support to the Global Fund and welcomed the commitment to implement a reform agenda to improve oversight, accountability and effectiveness in using its resources, which will enable donors to meet their pledges to the Global Fund. Moreover, last month, the United Nations adopted a Declaration which recognizes that to achieve the goal of universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support by 2015 it is imperative that the Global Fund be adequately funded.
Italy cannot, Mr. President, fail such an important commitment which, if maintained, together with an appropriate revitalization of development cooperation, could also contribute to the Southern countries social and economic development.
We strongly urge you, therefore, to ensure as soon as possible that Italy:
· announces a disbursement plan for 2009 and 2010 contributions – 260 million Euro – to the Global Fund, plus additional US$30 million you promised at the 2009 G8 Summit held in L'Aquila
· reconfirms its commitment to the Global Fund, pledging for 2011-2013.
Not ensuring the needed resources to the Global Fund would jeopardize its ability to achieve strategic goals and would affect the international credibility of our country.
Looking forward to your reply,
Yours Sincerely
Actionaid – Italy
ANLAIDS Onlus – National Association for the Fight against AIDS – Italy
Arcigay – Italy
Mario Mieli Homosexual Culture Circle – Italy
CNCA – National Coordination of Reception Communities – Italy
Committee for the Civil Rights of Prostitutes Onlus – Italy
Italian Civil Society Forum on HIV/AIDS – Italy
Drug Forum – Italy
Gruppo Abele Onlus – Italy
The Boys of the Bench Onlus – Italy
LILA Nazionale Onlus – Italian League for the Fight against AIDS – Italy
MIT – Transgender Identity Movement – Italy
Nadir Onlus – Italy
NPS Italia Onlus – Network of HIV-Positive People – Italy
Italian Observatory on Global Action against AIDS – Italy
Villa Maraini – Italy
