
Japan has given $216 million of the total funds it promised to contribute to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria this 2012.
The payment made March 13 fulfills part of the $340 million commitment for 2012 announced in January by former Prime Minister Naoto Kan at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. This is the country’s biggest contribution to the Global Fund in 10 years.
Japan pledged $800 million during the Global Fund’s third replacement round in 2010, which covers funding for 2010-2013. The country contributed $246 million to the fund in 2010 and $114 million in 2011, when it was dealing with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake and tsunami.
This initial contribution from Japan comes five days after Germany gave $265.5 million to the Global Fund.
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