UNAIDS on funding needs MAY 05

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PRESS RELEASE

For more information contact: T.Richard Corcoran 917-548-9595; Asia Russell 267-475-2645; Sharonann Lynch 646-645-5225

For Immediate Release: March 8 2005

Pressure from Donor Governments Slashes UNAIDS Funding Projections

Health GAP Calls on UNAIDS Director Peter Piot to Retract Unsubstantiated AIDS Financing Figures

(NEW YORK) UNAIDS intends to shrink its estimates of global AIDS resource needs at an international meeting March 9 in London, sponsored by UNAIDS, the UK, US and French governments on global AIDS financing, according to the most recent version of meeting documents obtained by activists. Health GAP was alerted to the new estimates by UNAIDS officials who were concerned about the impact of changes UNAIDS was making to its previous estimates.

The new UNAIDS numbers forecast the money needed by 2007, and represent a $6 billion reduction when compared with previous UNAIDS estimates of global financing needs. In UNAIDS' report at the July 2004 at the International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, UNAIDS stated that $19.9 billion by 2007 was needed. At the London meeting, UNAIDS is expected to state that approximately $14.1 billion is needed by 2007. Civil society organizations, including networks of people with AIDS and non governmental organizations, have criticized this controversial decision, and pointed out that this 30% cut comes without any technical substantiation by the UN agency.

"UNAIDS should not expect anyone, government or civil society, to agree to technically unsound, unjustified numbers that are vastly different from preceding estimates," said Asia Russell of Health GAP.

Activists are concerned that the major reduction in fiscal targets for 2005-2007 came in response to pressure on UNAIDS by donor countries. Activists predict that the G7 countries will use the downsized fiscal targets to justify downsizing their own obligations to fund the fight against AIDS during upcoming events such as the G8 Summit, where Africa is a focus of the agenda. This could curtail international momentum toward increasing the number of people with HIV who have access to life-saving treatment.

"UNAIDS has gotten into bed with the rich countries in generating these numbers," said T. Richard Corcoran, a person living with AIDS (PWA) who is a member of the Programme Coordinating Board of UNAIDS and also with Health GAP. "Every day we are fighting for the U.S. and other G7 countries to give their fair share of support to the fight against AIDS. This is the equivalent of UNAIDS letting all governments off the hook. The message is clear: 'Give less. Let millions more die,'" he added.

"We can score in lives the impact of UNAIDS and donor countries' efforts to reduce global funding targets between now and 2007. Lower funding will result in fewer people on treatment, fewer prevention tools and programs, and more orphans and vulnerable children with critical care and support needs unmet. The casualties of UNAIDS' capitulation will be the poorest people in the poorest parts of the world," said Sharonann Lynch, of Health GAP.

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