Promoting Regional Cooperation
From Okinawa to Toyako—Dealing with Communicable Diseases as Global Human Security Threats
Prime Minister Fukuda addresses the 2008 FGFJ symposium.On May 23–24, 2008, more than 150, NGO, business, and philanthropic leaders from around the world met in Tokyo for a major international FGFJ conference to explore how the world can respond more effectively to the spread of communicable diseases in developing countries. The conference, which was co-sponsored by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, opened as Japan was preparing to host two prominent international meetings—the Toyako G8 Summit in July and the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) from May 28.
East Asian Regional Cooperation in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
More than 100 government, business, NGO, and philanthropic leaders from around the world came together for a major conference in Beijing, China on July 10 and 11, 2006, to examine East Asian regional cooperation in the fight against communicable diseases. The meeting was co-sponsored by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Global Fund. China's Vice Minister of Health Jiefu Huang, Representative Ichiro Aisawa of Japan, and Global Fund Executive Director Richard Feachem opened the conference, and participants discussed the regional spread of the diseases, China's response, and effective strategies for promoting cross-border cooperation.
• Conference Report (English): East Asian Regional Cooperation in the Fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
The East Asian Regional Response to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
Prime Minister Koizumi announces new funding for the Global Fund.A commemorative symposium on June 30, 2005, examining East Asian regional cooperation in the fight against AIDS was held in Tokyo in commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the Kyushu-Okinawa G8 Summit. In his address, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced that Japan would dramatically raise its commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to $500 million, and he urged greater international cooperation in battling the spread of AIDS in Asia. The symposium brought together more than 100 government, business, philanthropic, academic, and civil society leaders from around the world.
More information....
• Conference Report (English & Japanese): East Asian Regional Response to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria [1.1 MB PDF]
Research & Dialogue
Case Studies of Human Security Approaches to HIV/AIDS
Effectively responding to HIV/AIDS requires a deep understanding of the complex and interconnected factors involved in its spread. Therefore, the FGFJ developed case studies of leading projects in Africa and Asia that address the spread of the disease in adverse conditions exacerbated by other human security challenges such as migration, human trafficking, and food shortages. The analysis of these studies was published in 2008 in Building Resilience: Human Security Approaches to AIDS in Africa and Asia.
Comparative Research on Responses to the Spread of Communicable Diseases in East Asia
In order to lay the groundwork for joint regional policy responses and action in East Asia, the FGFJ conducted a major study to examine responses to the spread of HIV/AIDS around East Asia. This project was designed to advance general understanding of the challenges of communicable diseases and develop a regional network of leaders from diverse sectors who actively seek common solutions. A conference was held in Tokyo on June 29, 2005, to exchange views on the reports of 12 project researchers from Australia, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The researchers' papers were then compiled and published in April 2006 as Fighting a Rising Tide: The Response to AIDS in East Asia. The volume has also been published in Chinese and Japanese.
Enhancing Human Security and Strengthening Regional Cooperation
On May 31, 2006, nearly 25 experts from international organizations, NGOs, and government agencies gathered for a workshop at the JCIE offices to explore practical strategies for enhancing human security and strengthening cooperation between Asia and Africa on this issue. Surin Pitsuwan, a member of Parliament and former foreign minister of Thailand, served as a key commentator.
Evaluating Human Security Approaches to HIV/AIDS
Twenty representatives from UN agencies, other international organizations, and academic institutions gathered in Pretoria, South Africa on March 10, 2006, for a half-day workshop to explore ways to more effectively employ human security approaches in HIV/AIDS projects in African countries. The workshop discussions were based on observations that an FGFJ research team made while compiling case studies of HIV/AIDS projects in South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, which have been supported by the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security.
Bringing Together Leaders from Japan and Overseas
Japan Consultation on Joint HSS Funding and Programming Platform with the Global Fund, GAVI, and World Bank
On February 9, 2010, close to 40 participants gathered to discuss the proposed new joint funding and programming platform for heath system strengthening (HSS) to be coordinated by the Global Fund, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), and the World Bank. The joint platform has been under consideration since May 2009 in response to the final report of the High Level Taskforce on Innovative International Financing for Health Systems (launched in September 2008), which called for more funding and international coordination for HSS efforts. Read more
Roundtable on the Roles of the Global Fund in Health System Strengthening
On October 6, 2009, more than 20 representatives from a range of health-related international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations gathered at a roundtable hosted by JCIE on the role of the Global Fund in health system strengthening. They listened to Dr. Christoph Benn, the Global Fund’s director of external relations, detail the increasing role the fund is playing in strengthening health systems while continuing to fulfill its mandate to fight the three major communicable diseases.
Friends of the Global Fund Africa Founder and CEO Dr. Akudo Anyanwu Ikemba visit to Japan
Dr. Ikemba speaks in front of FGFJ Board members in Tokyo.Dr. Ikemba visited Japan in from November 5–10, 2007, to strengthen the ties between the FGFJ and Friends of the Global Fund Africa in the fight against communicable diseases. Kicking off her intensive week-long stay, Dr. Ikemba met with FGFJ board members, including former Prime Minister and FGFJ Chair Yoshiro Mori. During the week she met with business leaders including executives at Sumitomo Chemical, a global leader in the production of anti-malaria bed nets, and also with representatives of the Japanese Business Federation (Keidanren). Dr. Ikemba spoke with the FGFJ Diet Task Force and visited individually with leading government officials. She also took part in a luncheon with key African embassy representatives hosted by Ambassador Koji Tsuruoka, director-general for global issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was Dr. Ikemba's first visit to Japan.
From Heiligendamm to Toyako—The Global Fund on the G8 Agenda
Dr. Kazatchkine (r) and Dr. Benn (l) highlight the Global Fund's work in Tokyo.As a lead up to two major summits being held in Japan in 2008—the Group of Eight (G8) Summit in Toyako, Hokkaido, and the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV), the FGFJ held a public seminar in Tokyo on July 26, 2007, on the topic From Heiligendamm to Toyako—The Global Fund on the G8 Agenda. Dr. Michel Kazatchkine, executive director of the Global Fund, and Dr. Christoph Benn, the Global Fund’s director of external relations, offered the audience an overview of the Global Fund’s work and its results so far and appealed to Japan to make sure that the momentum that started in Okinawa eight years ago is not lost over the coming years.
World AIDS Day: U2’s Bono Speaks with Japanese Leaders on AIDS and Africa
Bono speaks with leaders from various sectors on World AIDS Day in Tokyo. The FGFJ, in cooperation with DATA (Debt AIDS Trade Africa) and Hottokenai, Sekai no Mazushisa, arranged a number of meetings and events for musician and activist Bono in Tokyo between November 28 and December 1, 2006. Discussing AIDS and poverty in Africa, Bono met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe; Sadako Ogata; president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and other key leaders. A roundtable was convened with 19 top politicians, business executives, journalists, and civil society leaders, and a “Red and White reception” was jointly organized to commemorate World AIDS Day for more than 200 Japanese leaders in the fields of the arts, business, entertainment, and politics.