Following intense criticism, Germany’s ruling coalition decided to keep to its 2007 promise to contribute 200 million euros (USD272 million) to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria this year, Action For Global Health reports.
The German government initially included only 142 million euros for the Global Fund in its 2010 budget proposal, with the Ministry of Development saying that the remaining 38 million euros would be provided using unspecified funds not included in the budget. The move was criticized by civil society groups, including Action for Global Health, which published an open letter urging the German government to include in its budget the full amount pledged three years ago. German leaders responded by raising the total commitment to 204 million euros, and including that amount in the country’s 2010 budget.
