April 2, 2025
Friends President and CEO Chris Collins testifies in support of the Global Fund (FY 2026)
On April 2, 2025, Chris Collins, president and CEO of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs in support of funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Written Testimony:
Chairman Diaz-Balart, Ranking Member Frankel, distinguished members of the Subcommittee:
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today about one of the United States’ most efficient and effective investments in foreign assistance: the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Friends is requesting $2 billion in funding for the program in fiscal year 2026, the first appropriations year of the Global Fund’s 8th Replenishment.
Mr. Chairman, I want to start by thanking you for your leadership on the Global Fund. Your fiscal year 2024 allocation to the program sent a clear message to other donors about sustained American commitment and had the direct impact of saving many lives.
With the considerable changes taking place in international assistance today, the subcommittee’s bill will play a critical role in shaping the future of US global health and health security leadership. I would argue that the Global Fund should play a foundational role in this future as a driver of burden sharing, transition to country leadership, pandemic preparedness and lifesaving results.
Established in 2002, the Global Fund is an international partnership that leverages contributions from governments and the private sector to provide lifesaving treatment and prevention for HIV, TB and malaria with the goal of bringing these epidemics to an end. Since 2002, the Global Fund partnership has reduced the combined death rate of these three diseases by 63% and saved more than 65 million lives.
The Global Fund is America’s way of ensuring that we share the burden for global health investments with other donors. Every $1 contributed by the U.S. must be matched by $2 from other donors. The Global Fund also accelerates the path to country independence from aid: partner countries are required to demonstrate increasing commitment to financing health as a condition of Global Fund assistance.
The organization is highly efficient, keeping operating expenses at just 6.2%. The U.S. has a central role in determining Global Fund policy with a permanent seat on its board. Private sector partners also have a dedicated voting seat and companies partner with the Global Fund in a variety of ways.
Investment in the Global Fund protects Americans – a Lancet study found that more than a third of the Global Fund’s investments contribute to pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
The Global Fund represents the best of foreign assistance: results driven, cost efficient, market oriented, partnering with the private sector and with strong independent oversight. It makes America safer, stronger and more prosperous—and it saves lives.
This year, donor countries will make pledges towards the Global Fund’s three-year replenishment cycle—and as always, they will look to the United States as an example. A $2 billion support level in FY26 is consistent with the U.S. historically providing one-third of Global Fund resources.
These are not forever investments. We are on track to win this fight and transition partner countries to eventually finance their own responses.
Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Frankel, thank you for your lifesaving support for the Global Fund.