Italy

ABSTRACT The G7 countries, the world’s most advanced economies – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – are the Global Fund’s largest donors, and their contributions account for approximately 79% of all the funds raised by the Global Fund thus far. Their contributions have increased steadily since the Global Fund’s inception. So far, five of the seven countries – Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom – have announced their pledges for the 2020-2022 replenishment cycle, most of which have increased by about 15% relative to the last replenishment.

ABSTRACT France’s pledge for the Fifth Replenishment equaled what France contributed for the last replenishment. The Friends of The Global Fund Europe would have liked to see an increase. Meanwhile Italy increased its pledge by 30%.

ABSTRACT Italy has apparently reneged on a pledge that it will give 100 million euros (133 million dollars) to the Global Fund this year. This will be the first time that a country has cancelled a pledge to the Fund.

ABSTRACT Italy has decided that it will after all, although somewhat belatedly, pay its 2004 pledge of €100 million to the Global Fund.

ABSTRACT "The Italian about-face does not just mean that a pledge can no longer be regarded as a firm promise. It also, by direct and indirect means, enhances the possibility that the board will have to reverse its November decision to issue a call for Round 5 on 17 March."

ABSTRACT The Global Fund has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the Fund. It includes a video that conceptually illustrates disease being confronted by the Global Fund. It does this by showing a street-fighting bully who is eventually knocked flat by an even bigger fighter.

ABSTRACT Reading between the lines of what donors said at the Rome Replenishment meeting, it seems likely that some donors will match or exceed France's recent decision to double the rate at which it gives to the Fund, some will make more modest increases, and a few may make almost no increase. This suggests that the Fund will have great difficulty meeting its estimated total need of $7.1 billion for 2006-7, more than double the need for the previous two years.