Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development : Dirk Niebel meets Bill Gates in Davos, expresses confidence that fight against AIDS can be won

World Economic Forum Dirk Niebel meets Bill Gates in Davos, ex­pres­ses con­fi­dence that fight against AIDS can be won

24.01.2013 -

Davos - This evening, German De­vel­op­ment Minister Dirk Niebel will meet with Microsoft founder Bill Gates during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Gates is also an important partner and sponsor of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The event will also be attended by high-ranking representatives of the Global Fund for an ex­change of views about the future of the Fund's work.

In the afternoon, Dirk Niebel, Bill Gates and the Global Fund's new Executive Director, Mark Dybul, held a joint press conference, where Niebel said, "We need to continue to devote hard work and determined efforts to halting the spread of HIV, malaria and other infectious diseases. However, the latest UNAIDS figures on the HIV epidemic give us hope. We are close to turning the tide. I think we are witnessing the beginning of the end of AIDS. This is an achievement, not least, of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which recently undertook reforms."

Germany was already involved when the Fund was first set up and has been one of its most active donors since. Almost one third of Germany's official de­vel­op­ment assistance in the health sector is being channelled through the Global Fund.

"Germany has confidence in the Fund again and is a reliable partner for the Fund. The German government has announced that for the period of 2012 to 2016, it plans to provide a total of 1 billion euros to the Global Fund. This makes us the Fund's third largest donor, and as Germany has its own seat on the Board we are better able to ensure the target-oriented use of our contributions. The Fund now works more efficiently, achieves more impact and is less prone to corruption. So it is better positioned for the future than ever before," Niebel said.

Over the past ten years, the BMZ has tripled its funding for health in developing countries, bringing it to about 750 million euros a year. At the Davos meeting, too, health figures high on the agenda as one of the major issues for the future.

"Health is a vital prerequisite for human de­vel­op­ment. Polio is an example of how successful a campaign against a disease can be if it is mounted on a global scale. Polio has almost been eradicated. However, the in­ter­na­ti­o­nal community must not let up in its efforts now that this goal is almost within our grasp. Only then will we be able to wipe out polio once and for all," the De­vel­op­ment Minister pointed out.

During his visit to the World Economic Forum, Minister Niebel will also attend other de­vel­op­ment-related meetings and will have a number of bilateral political meetings.