Project RING Latest News

2011-05-11T06:47:00.000-07:00

Aid groups urge Kan to rethink ODA cut in draft extra budget

Associated Press

TOKYO, April 25 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Japanese aid groups on Monday urged the Cabinet of Prime Minister Naoto Kan to rethink its plan to cut Tokyo's contributions to a global fund to fight infectious diseases to raise funds for reconstruction work after the March 11 quake and tsunami.

The nongovernmental organizations supporting the poor in Africa and people living with HIV and AIDS called on Kan's government to explore ways to balance the rebuilding of disaster-hit eastern and northeastern Japan with the battle to eliminate poverty and infectious diseases in the world.

Last Friday, the Cabinet agreed to slash Japan's foreign aid allocation for fiscal 2011 by 50.1 billion yen from the initially set 572.7 billion yen, as it approved a draft first extra budget for the year to secure funds for post-quake recovery work.

Of the 50.1 billion yen, 15.9 billion yen was Japan's contribution allocated in the initial fiscal 2011 budget to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which Tokyo helped to establish in 2002.

The Africa Japan Forum and the Japan AIDS & Society Association said in a statement that the three major infectious diseases are often called "silent tsunami" as they kill more than 5 million people in the world every year.

"If our country, which has been hit by unprecedented disasters, continues to aid the global fund, the world's confidence in Japan will be unshakable and that will become a long-lasting asset for us," they said.

The global fund, an international financing institution fighting the three diseases, says it has saved 6.5 million people in the world since its establishment.

Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto has said that Japan's contributions made in fiscal 2010 to the fund have not yet been used up and that the cut is not expected to cause problems immediately.

He also said the foreign aid will be trimmed for only one year and Tokyo will later adjust the amount of its contributions to multilateral funds and international organizations.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9MQJQ0O0&show_article=1

Press Release: Japan commits upward to USD 800 Million to the Global Fund

2010-09-26T22:59:00.000-07:00

September 22, 2010 - At the United Nations Summit on Millennium Development Goals, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced a commitment of upward to USD 800 Million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM). This announcement came ahead of the October 4-5 the Third Voluntary Replenishment of GFATM, in which some of the major donors make its financial commitment to Global Fund FY 2011-2013.

Since 2002, the Global Fund has made unprecedented progress in the fight against the three most infectious diseases, including putting 2.8 million people on lifesaving HIV treatment, detecting and treating over 7 million cases of TB and distributing over 122 million bed nets. To ensure that these extraordinary gains are protected and to significantly accelerate life saving interventions for the attainment of Universal Access and the Millennium Development Goals, the Global Fund will require more than 20 Billion for the next three years.

Japan's commitment was cautiously welcomed by Civil Society in Japan, as USD 800 million is a increase from the total 625 Million in contribution from the last three years (FY 2008-2011). Furthermore, Japan has continued to sustainably increase its commitment to the Global Fund every year despite a very harsh national economical climate.

However, despite the sustainable increase, the 800 million is far from Japans' fair share of USD 1.8 Billion. Civil Society calls on the Government of Japan to significantly increase its contribution to the Global Fund through overall increase in the ODA to reach the 0.7% of GNI as well as the establishment of innovating financing mechanisms such as financial transition tax earmarked for global health.

Japan, as one of the founding countries of the Global Fund has continually stated that investments in global health is essential to protecting Human Security. Prime Minister Kan, at the Access to Life Symposium hosted in Tokyo on September 5, 2010 said, "Countries that have money should share it with others in the international community. Countries that have people who can help should send them to help. Countries with the technology should share their technology. The biggest task now for the world is for people to help people, which is the real meaning of creating a network of human security." However, civil society says the current commitment is far from what Japan can do to protect human security.

Japanese contribution to the Global Fund FY2010: USD 243 Million

2010-04-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

On March 24, 2010 the Japanese government approved the 2010 General Budget which includes USD 60 Million for‘new undertakings’for GFATM. Added with the USD 183 Million already approved from the second supplmental budget FY 2009, the total Japanese contribution will come to a total of USD 243 Million to the GFATM for 2010. This will be an increase of USD 49 Million from the USD194 Million Japanese contribution in 2009.

Traditionally, Japanese contribution to GFATM has always came from supplemental budget, thus this will be the first time in the history of Japanese contribution to GFATM, the Japanese Government contribution will come from the general budget.

Civil Society submits peitition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2009-06-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

June 30 - Civil Society organizations, led by Africa Japan Forum and

Japan AIDS and Society Association submitted a petition to the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, concerning the current financial gap

faced by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, one

of the leading financial institutions in the fight against the three

most infectious diseases of our times.

The petition with support of 16 Japanese NGOs, 50 Internatonal NGOs, 509 Japanese individuals and endorsements from Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Winners Dr. Miriam Were and Prof. Brian Greenwood and former Special Envoy to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and current Co-Director of AIDS-Free World, Stephen Lewis called on Japan to provide emergency funding for the USD 5 Billion + gap faced by the Global Fund; and to ensure that Japan pays the remaining USD 316 Million by calendar year 2010 and to maka new commitment in calendar year 2010 to an amount that is equal or above to Japan's fair share for funding term beyond 2010.

Mr. Masato Kitera, The Director General of the International

Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accepting the

petition, spoke of the importance of the Global Fund but showed

concern about the current economic climate of budget cuts among

different ministries. The submission was strategically set to coincide

at a time when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is preparing a budget

to submit to the Ministry of Finance for FY 2010. With this petition,

civil society is pushing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to submit a

budget proposal with the largest amount possible allocated to the

Global Fund.

The second half of the Global Fund petitioning campaign will be

launched towards the beginning of October to coincide with the budget

making process of the Ministry of Finance. Civil Society will push to

ensure that the full amount of the budget allocated to the Global Fund

by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be approved by the Ministry of

Finance.

In Need of Endorsements: Petition to the Gov't of Japan on Global Fund Funding Gap

2009-06-15T23:47:00.000-07:00

Please read the attached statement asking for emergency funding from the Japanese Government to fill the current USD 5 Billion + funding gap faced by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The deadline is the noon in Japanese standard time (or GMT 3am) on June 26. Please send your ORGANIZATIONAL endorsements to: project.ring@gmail.com

BACKGROUND

In April of 2008, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda pledged USD 560 Million in the coming few years to the Global Fund. In March 2009, Japan has begun rolling out this money for FY 2009 with USD 194.4 Million towards the Global Fund. However, this is amount provided too slow and too low from the fair share of Japan, and far from addressing the current funding gap of the Global Fund.

Now the Global Fund is facing a 5 billion USD funding shortfall, mainly due to the insufficient commitment from donor countries. Major donor countries including Japan must provide emergency funding to fill the shortfall.

Thus, we are calling on Japan to provide emergency funding for the USD 5 Billion + gap faced by the Global Fund; and to ensure that Japan pays the remaining USD 316 Million by calendar year 2010 and to make a new commitment in calendar year 2010 to an amount that is equal or above to Japan's fair share for funding term beyond 2010.

This statement will be sent to Mr. Taro Aso, Prime Minister of Japan through Ministry of Foreign Affairs; we have set the meeting with Mr.Masato Kitera, the Director General of Int'l Cooperation Bureau of MoFA on June 30.

We are hoping for your organizational endorsement to ensure that Japan will keep its commitment in the fight against the AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.

Thank you for your solidarity!

LETTER

His Excellency Taro Aso, Prime Minister of Japan,
His Excellency Hirofumi Nakasone, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Japan,

An Open Letter to the Government of Japan
on the Needs of Resource Mobilization for the Global Fund

Human security has always stood at the heart of Japanese policy; reaching out to provide aid or standing in solidarity at times when human security is threatened. In the wake of the 2004 Asian tsunami disaster, Japan provided USD 500 Million in grant aid to the thousands affected by the giant waves smashing into the coast lines. Most recently, when the economic crisis threatened the stability of the world, Japan declared a USD 17 Billion aid package to help Asian countries weather the economic downturn. Japan has quickly stepped up to the plate, providing unprecedented amount of emergency fund when catastrophes that shake the very foundations of human security occur.

Today, we write to you of another crisis the world is facing: A 5 Billion+ funding gap (2008-2010) of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis, the leading financial institution in the fight against the three most infectious diseases.

The Global Fund has begun to turn the tide against the three most infectious diseases that until its inception caused five million deaths every year, and have undermined the social, political and economic foundation and progress of countries. Seven years since the birth of the Global Fund, the Global Fund has approved the funding of USD 11.4 Billion for more than 550 programs in 136 countries, and is now responsible for a quarter of international financing for AIDS globally, two-thirds for tuberculosis, and three-quarters for malaria. To date the Global Fund has been responsible for:

i. Providing anti-retroviral treatments for two million people living with HIV/AIDS;
ii. Detecting and treating 4.6 million cases of infectious Tuberculosis;
iii. Distributing 70 million insecticide treated bed nets and 74 million on treatment for malaria

However, this progress towards the attainment of Millennium Development Goal 6 and Universal Access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care by 2010 is now under threat without an immediate USD 5 Billion + funding from the leading G8 countries.

In addition to the tremendous human toll, the economical impact is the loss of productivity due to tuberculosis drains USD 16 billion from the annual incomes of the world's poorest communities, while resource needs to fight the disease are estimated to be USD 4.2 billion in 2009. The economic impacts of malaria are estimated to cost African countries USD 12 billion per year in lost GDP; compare that to USD 3.4 billion needed to prevent such losses. Finally, AIDS threatens to reduce GDP in African countries by up to 2.6%.

In April of 2008, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda pledged USD 560 Million in the coming few years to the Global Fund. In March 2009, Japan has begun rolling out this money for fiscal year 2009 with USD 194 Million toward the Global Fund. However this is an amount provided too slow and too low, and far from addressing the current funding gap crisis of the Global Fund.

Today, we call upon the Japanese Government, once again, to answer to this emergency that is threatening human security by filling the gap of the Global Fund:

1. Provide emergency funding for the USD 5 Billion + gap faced by the Global Fund and call upon fellow G8 countries to also ensure that the funding gap is filled.

2. To ensure that this crisis will never happen again by paying the remaining USD 316 Million by calendar year 2010 and to make a new commitment in calendar year 2010 to an amount that is equal or above Japan's fair share for funding term beyond 2010 and set a deadline for this payment.

Prof. Masayoshi Tarui
President, Project RING
Japan AIDS and Society Association

Dr. Tatsuo Hayashi
President, Africa Japan Forum

Dr. Miriam Were
Laureate
Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize

Prof. Brian Greenwood
Laureate
Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize

(Signatures of Japanese NGOs)

Africa Japan Forum
Project RING, Japan AIDS and Society Association
World Vision Japan
SHARE (Services on Health in Asia and African Regions)
Stop TB Partnership Japan
Japan International Volunteer Center
Association for Aid and Relief Japan (AAR)
International Women's Year Liaison Group Japan

GoJ pays off remaining US$ 184 Million

2008-03-16T21:09:00.001-07:00

February 29, 2008

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially announced its contribution of US $ 186 million to the Global Fund, which was allocated from the governments supplemental budget FY 2007. This means the GoJ has finished paying off the promised US$500 million to the Global Fund made by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in June of 2005.

Yet, with the estimated contribution needed FY 2008-2011 standing at US $15-18 Billion dollars for three years, Japan will have to dramatically increase their contribution to the Global Fund in order for them to pay their "fair share". Japan, along with the United States and Italy are the only developed countries that are yet to make a commitment for 2008-2011.

Here is the official statement released by the MoFA:

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Japan contributes US$ 184 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

February 29, 2008

1. The Government of Japan provides its financial contribution of approximately US$ 184 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (hereinafter “the Global Fund”) on Friday, February 29, 2008.

2. Every year, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria – the three major infectious diseases – kill five million people all over the world. The prevalence of HIV is steadily increasing every year in all regions including Asia. It is estimated that 33.2 million people in the world are now living with HIV/AIDS. With regards to tuberculosis (TB), the rapid increase of drug-resistant TB and co-infection of HIV and TB spreading particularly in Africa have emerged as new major challenges to be addressed.

3. The contribution to the Global Fund, announced today, represents Japan’s firm commitment to fight against the killer diseases. It also reflects the importance attached by Japan to the Global Fund which plays a pivotal role on the fight against infectious diseases.

4. With this contribution, Japan has accomplished its disbursement of US$ 500 million to the Global Fund, pledged by the then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in June 2005. Now the total amount of Japan’s contribution to the Global Fund has reached around US$ 850 million. Japan will continue to support the activities of the Global Fund as it attaches importance to the fight against infectious diseases.
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