Publish Date: 28 June 2017 - 09:10

TEHRAN, Jun. 28 (MNA) – The Government of Germany has announced that it will double its funding to UNAIDS in 2017-2018, to €5 million per year.

Germany made the announcement at the 40th Meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board, being held in Geneva, Switzerland.

“With Germany, we have a common goal of ending AIDS and a shared commitment to strengthen health systems and improve the health and well-being of people across the world,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “We warmly welcome Germany’s support and its recognition of the important role that UNAIDS plays in ending AIDS and in broader global health and development efforts.”

“UNAIDS is an important partner for Germany’s health and development agenda, particularly in Africa. Increased investment in UNAIDS and the AIDS response will have a multiplier effect on the wider Sustainable Development Goal agenda,” highlighted Gerd Müller, Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany.

Germany has prioritized health on the global development agenda and under its current Presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20) held the first ever G20 health ministers meeting in May 2017.

“Ending AIDS is a historic goal and I firmly believe we can reach it. We have to increase our joint efforts and UNAIDS is central to that work,” said Hermann Gröhe, Federal Minister of Health, Germany.

HR/PR