August 21, 2018
Friends of the Global Fight released the following statement in memory of former UN Secretary General and Global Fund Founder Kofi Annan
“As the world mourns Kofi Annan’s death and celebrates his immense contributions to peace, security and development, we remember his incredible vision and leadership in global health,” said Chris Collins, President of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Friends). “Mr. Annan mobilized the world to create a breakthrough new approach to global health financing: The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.”
In 2001, Mr. Annan urged the world to create a new global health financing organization, stating, “The war on AIDS will not be won without a war chest, of a size far beyond what is available so far.” He called for a “quantum leap” in financing to fight the world’s deadliest infectious diseases: AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Mr. Annan remained a vocal advocate for the Global Fund over the last sixteen years, urging world leaders to make substantial funding commitments at each replenishment.
“Mr. Annan reminded the world that we should save every life we can—that no child should die from preventable and treatable diseases,” said Jonathan Klein, Board Chair of Friends and Co-founder and Chairman of Getty Images. “As a result, world leaders have continued to prioritize global health and invest in the Global Fund, an organization that has financed programing that has already saved more than 22 million lives.”