Geneva, Switzerland – The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria decided today to call for a new round of grant proposals from countries striving to combat AIDS, TB and malaria. The call for a new round of proposals at this time — the sixth in the history of the Global Fund – puts the Board on track to approve a new round of Global Fund grants at its second meeting in November 2006, following the period needed for the submission and evaluation process.

Founded four years ago with the aim of drastically scaling up the resources available to fight the three diseases, the Global Fund currently mobilizes 20 percent of international financing to combat HIV/ AIDS, and 65 percent of all international funds invested in combating malaria and tuberculosis.

“Already, millions of people have benefited from the programs the Global Fund is financing around the world and hundreds of thousands of people are alive today who otherwise might not have been,” said Richard Feachem, the Executive Director of the Global Fund. “The launch of Round Six today allows us to maintain this vital momentum to win the battle against these three pandemics.”

The launch of Round Six enables countries to seek funding for achieving global targets such as universal access to AIDS treatment and prevention by 2010 and to cut the number of deaths from tuberculosis and malaria by half by 2015. In addition, the launch of the sixth round is especially significant for a number of countries whose current grants will reach the end of their five-year lifespan over the coming years. Where countries have shown effective use of donor resources, Round 6 presents the opportunity to build on programs which are having an impact in fighting and preventing the three diseases, and to ensure continuity for those already on treatment.

“The progress made by programs supported by the Global Fund must be rapidly accelerated,” said Dr. Carol Jacobs, chair of the Global Fund Board. “We know that countries and vulnerable populations are depending on it and we must not fail them. With the vote taken today to launch the Global Fund’s sixth round, the Board is proud to reinforce its commitment to this purpose.”

Following the launch of a new round, grant proposals are submitted by countries to the Global Fund, and evaluated by an independent Technical Review Panel. Proposals of high quality are recommended to the Board of the Global Fund for approval. The Board approves programs for two years, with an option to renew funding for a second three-year phase if the programs achieve targeted results. Since it was created in January 2002, the Global Fund has approved US$ 5.1 billion to 385 grants, supporting programs implemented in 130 countries.

The deadline for submission of grant proposals will be August 3 and the grants recommended for approval will be presented to the Board it its meeting, on 1-3 November 2006.

Simultaneous with the vote to launch the Global Fund’s sixth round of grants, the Board called for a concerted effort by current and potential donors to pledge the additional resources needed for full funding of Round 6 by the time the new grants are ready for approval in November. Global Fund policy requires that funds needed to finance the first phase of grants are deposited with the Global Fund by the time of grant signing.