In 2013 UK will meet its target to spend 0.7% of its national income on international development
GENEVA, 21 March 2013—The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) welcomes the announcement made by the Rt Hon George Osborne, MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, that the United Kingdom will meet its target of spending 0.7% of gross domestic product on international development this year.
“The UK is once again demonstrating its steadfast leadership,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Even in times of global economic difficulty it shows they have the interests of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people at the forefront and UNAIDS looks forward to continuing our close collaboration.”
The UK is an integral partner in the response to HIV and has made the UNAIDS vision of getting to zero a priority. The UK has shown particular commitment to focused investments in Africa to reduce new HIV infections, stop HIV infections in children, address TB––the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, strengthen human rights, tackle stigma and invest in scientific research.
The UK will be the first member of the G8 to meet the target of 0.7% of gross domestic product which was pledged by United Nations Member States more than 40 years ago in a 1970 UN General Assembly Resolution. This makes the UK the sixth country to meet or exceed the 0.7% target joining only Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
The Prime Minister of the UK, David Cameron, serves as co-chair to the United Nations Secretary-General’s high-level panel of eminent persons on the post-2015 development agenda.
