Ending epidemics that affect the lives of millions of people in low and middle-income countries is one of the smartest investments anyone can make to create opportunity, promote social justice and foster growth and security. With today's announcement that it is supporting the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria with a €470 million contribution for the next three years - an increase of 27 percent - the European Commission is strengthening a partnership that is saving millions of lives and transforming communities. That is about €1 per citizen in the European Union - less than the price of a cappuccino in Rome, Brussels or Copenhagen. That is a terrific return on investment.
At a time when the world is facing challenges such as the migrant crisis, climate change and a sluggish economic recovery, our European partners understand that development cooperation makes more sense than ever. We are at a critical moment in the fight against the three diseases, and the EC announcement encourages others to contribute more to the fight and embrace the global goal of ending HIV, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics by 2030. We have made huge progress, but we still have a lot of work to do.
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