<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Spanish government announced this Monday a new contribution of €145 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria for the period 2026-2028, an 11.5% increase compared to the previous cycle of 2023-2025.</strong></h4> <div class="lRu31" dir="ltr"> The announcement was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, at the International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, in the presence of the CEO of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, and representatives from Luxembourg, Norway, and Portugal. "The joint presence of these stakeholders has made it possible to deliver a clear message: in the face of an international situation marked by reduced funding, Spain and its strategic partners choose to strengthen their commitments to global health and to the most vulnerable communities on the planet," the Ministry stated in a press release. </div> The Global Fund is an international financing mechanism created in 2002 and has saved more than 65 million lives since its inception by combating HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, and strengthening public health systems. “Spain has been a steadfast partner in this initiative, with a contribution of €130 million between 2023 and 2025, and shares its vision of the universal right to health and equal access to essential supplies,” the Foreign Ministry continued. “At a time when the World Health Organization estimates a drop of up to 40% in global investment in health and when many countries are forced to reduce their financial commitments, this partnership demonstrates that it is possible and necessary to strengthen multilateral commitments in the area of health,” it added. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, health has always been a priority for Spanish Cooperation, as demonstrated by the contribution of almost €1.5 billion to SDG 3 (Health and Well-being) between 2020 and 2023. During this period, Spain has committed to supporting the strengthening of public health systems, equity in access to essential supplies, and comprehensive care for vulnerable populations. "Spanish Cooperation will continue to promote synergies with other global health initiatives such as GAVI and the Health Financing Alliance (GFF), and its bilateral action. This integrated vision will continue within the framework of the Global Health Action Initiative (SPA), whose roadmap will also be presented in Seville in the coming days," the statement concludes.
