The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, today, Monday 30 June, has upheld Spain's commitment to global health at the International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville. Spain will make a further contribution of €145 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for the next replenishment cycle 2026-2028. This amount represents an increase of 11.5% compared to Spain's commitment for the 2023-2025 period and is part of Spain's strategy of international leadership in global health.
The announcement ceremony in Seville was attended by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, the CEO of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, and representatives from partner countries such as Luxembourg, Norway and Portugal. The joint presence of these actors has helped to send a clear message: in the face of an international situation marked by the reduction of funds, Spain and its strategic partners have chosen to strengthen their commitments to global health and to the most vulnerable communities on the planet.
Through this contribution, Spain is at the forefront of a group of countries that are not only maintaining but increasing their funding and leadership in global health.
The Global Fund is an international financing mechanism created in 2002 that has saved over 65 million lives since its inception by combating HIV, tuberculosis and malaria and strengthening public health systems. Spain has been a strong partner in this initiative, with a contribution of €130 million between 2023 and 2025, and shares its vision of the universal right to health and equal access to essential supplies.
Spanish Cooperation values the Fund's capacity to adapt to new global health challenges, its comprehensive vision for strengthening health systems and its inclusive governance model, which involves Governments, NGOs, the private sector and civil society.
The new contribution reaffirms the strategic nature of the relationship with the Fund and strengthens Spain's role as a reliable partner in the framework of the multilateral global health architecture.
At a time when the World Health Organisation estimates a drop of up to 40% in global investment in health, and when many countries are forced to reduce their financial commitments, this partnership shows that it is both possible and necessary to strengthen multilateral commitments to health.
Health has always been a priority for Spanish Cooperation, as demonstrated by the contribution of almost €1.5 billion to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) between 2020 and 2023. During this period, Spain made a firm commitment to support the strengthening of public health systems, equity in access to essential supplies and comprehensive care for populations in vulnerable situations.
Spanish Cooperation will continue to promote synergies with other global health initiatives such as GAVI and the Global Financing Facility (GFF), and its bilateral action. This integrated vision will be continued in the framework of the Global Health Action Initiative (SPA), the roadmap of which will also be presented in Seville in the coming days.