Geneva, Switzerland – The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) signed on Friday a $39 million multiyear contribution agreement with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The grant will support the fight to end global pandemics and strengthen health and community systems.
Announced during the Global Fund’s 7th replenishment, which observed a substantial 30 percent increase from the previous conference, this agreement bolsters Saudi Arabia’s standing as the 19th largest donor to the Global Fund.
The agreement was signed by Sultan Al-Marshad, CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development, and Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund.
Having already pledged $162 million and contributed $123 million, the kingdom continues to provide critical funding for resources and tools to combat these infectious diseases.
This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the Global Fund and the SFD, which has been the main channel of Saudi contributions to the Global Fund since 2003. Over the last 20 years, the Global Fund has worked to fight the world’s three deadliest epidemics: HIV, TB, and malaria. The programs supported by the Fund have saved 50 million lives since 2002 and cut the death toll from the three diseases by more than half.
In 2021, Saudi Arabia ranked first among donor countries in offering official development assistance to low and medium-income countries, according to data published by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
