France Faces Criticism for Not Renewing Funding to Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria

On November 21, 2025, international concern arose as France decided not to renew its financial contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The decision was highlighted during a donor summit held in South Africa, where British Prime Minister Keir Starmer participated, and where the Global Fund raised $11.34 billion—falling significantly short of the $18 billion target needed for the next three years.

French NGOs including AIDES, Action Santé Mondiale, Coalition PLUS, ONE, and Sidaction publicly criticized the French government. They described France's failure to pledge any donations as a "betrayal" of global health efforts, warning that this move undermines France's credibility in international health diplomacy. The $18 billion target was designed to save 23 million lives and reduce mortality rates from AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria by 64% by 2029.

As of the summit's conclusion, neither the French Presidency (Elysée) nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Quai d’Orsay) had issued statements on the funding decision. This lack of response has added to the unease and criticism from global health advocates.

The substantial funding shortfall and France’s non-participation place additional strain on international efforts to combat three of the world’s deadliest diseases, potentially impacting millions of lives and the broader goal of improving global health outcomes by 2029.