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Open letter to Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Minister of the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde

  • Writer: Alliancen for Global Sundhed
    Alliancen for Global Sundhed
  • Sep 17
  • 2 min read

Updated: Sep 19

Summary of the Open Letter: A Call for an early and ambitious Danish contribution to the Global Fund


A coalition of health-focused organizations, including the Danish Alliance for Global Health, has co-authored an open letter addressed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Minister of the Interior and Health, Sophie Løhde. In the letter, the organizations urge Denmark to make an early and ambitious financial commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria at the 80th UN General Assembly in New York. The organizations commend the inclusion of health as a priority in Denmark’s new development strategy -particularly sexual and reproductive health, infectious disease control, and strengthening of global health systems. However, the organizations unite in expressing concern that the proposed 2026 draft finance bill does not reflect increased funding for global health.


The letter calls for Denmark to increase its contribution from 375 million DKK to at least 400 million DKK for 2026–2028 and to provide an early pledge to signal strong leadership. With Denmark currently holding the EU presidency until 2026, as well as an non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council until the end of 2026, the organizations argue that Denmark is uniquely positioned to spearhead a universal movement prioritizing global health and push for a joint EU contribution of at least 800 million euros.


The Global Fund is a highly effective multilateral instrument, able to catalyze this movement, having saved 70 million lives and reduced mortality from AIDS, TB, and malaria by 63% in target countries since 2002. One-third of its funding goes toward health system strengthening, making it a vital tool for pandemic preparedness, AMR (antimicrobial resistance) prevention, and access to essential medicines and diagnostics. The organizations also highlight how the Fund aligns with Denmark’s broader goals: gender equality, sexual and reproductive rights, and partnerships between the Global North and South, as outlined in Denmark’s Africa Strategy.


The signatories of the letter all agree upon the worrying tendencies of worsening global health disparities due to declining support from the traditionally strong partner countries. These disparities create medicine shortages, leads to unpaid health workers, and reduces prevention efforts in vulnerable regions. It is therefore a crucial time to financially support the Global Fund - renewed investment can help the Fund save an additional 23 million lives and prevent 400 million new infections in the coming years.


The importance of supporting the Global Fund in these times cannot be stressed enough. An early, sizeable pledge from Denmark will demonstrate leadership in global health at a time of increasing international instability and health inequality. It will also show adherence to the newly proposed Africa strategy, as well as the goals of the national development cooperation strategy.


The open letter is signed by:

  • Lars Christian Østergreen (The Danish AIDS Foundation)

  • Malin Palmér (Doctors Without Borders)

  • Anna Frellsen (Maternity Foundation)

  • Camilla Legendre (100% for the Children)

  • Anne Egelund (Ubumi Prisons Initiative)

  • Majbrit Berlau (Danish Family Planning Association)

  • Susanne Dahl (UNICEF Denmark)

  • Hanna Ohm Cleaver (Danish Alliance for Global Health)



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