What they say
"One terrific example of a creative financing mechanism is UNITAID: a groundbreaking effort to raise funds for developmentthey established a small tax on airline tickets, and the combined contributions would help scale up access to life-saving HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria treatments, lower the prices of drugs and tests, and accelerate the pace at which they reach those in need. Since its inception, 29 governments have joined France in contributing finances to UNITAID, which raises approximately US$300 million every year without negatively impacting the airline industry. It was a brilliant idea and is a proven model that has unearthed new channels of givers and founded new platforms for them to give."
Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States, December 2009
"Back in 2004, President Jacques Chirac, President Ricardo Lagos and I launched Action Against Hunger and Poverty. I am pleased to see that, five years on, our initiative has yielded extraordinary results. UNITAID is the first fruit of this undertaking. Through its efforts, it has been possible to procure AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria drugs from this initiative. It is estimated that UNITAID finances the HIV treatment of three out of every four children in the world."
Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, December 2009
"UNITAID, the first laboratory of innovative financing, has opened a new way and proved that its mechanisms can help us achieve the MDGs by saving hundred of thousands of lives each year."
Mr Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, December 2009
"UNITAID's support for UNICEF's work is helping scale up critical programs to save the lives of children... accelerate prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and scale-up linkages to paediatric HIV care and treatment. These collaborative efforts with UNITAID are truly making a difference."
Ann M. Veneman, UNICEF Executive Director, December 2009
"UNITAID is at the forefront of innovative financing for major diseases, such as malaria, that affect especially the poor... In addition to helping to supply effective drugs (ACTs) through the Affordable Medicines - malaria (AMFm) facility, thanks to UNITAID millions of additional nets are reaching the countries, communities and people in need of protection."
Professor Awa Marie Coll-Seck, Executive Director, Roll Back Malaria Partnership, December 2009
"Complementing traditional ODA from Governments, innovative financing mechanisms, built on stable, additional, predictable and long-term funding, play a decisive role in progress
towards the Millennium Development Goals... UNITAID, hosted by WHO, facilitates the purchase of medicines at reduced prices for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis low-income countries. More than 80 countries have benefited from ... substantial price reductions on medicines. This fully illustrates the efficacy and dependability of this type of financing."
Ambassador Jean-Baptiste Mattei, Permanent Representative for France to the United Nations and International Organizations in Geneva, World Health Assembly, May 2009
"... I ... congratulate UNITAID for adopting the Patent Pool mechanism. This constitutes a great opportunity favouring access. The EU must be involved and should favour its implementation."
Mr Gianluca Susta, Member of the European Parliament, September 2008
"UNITAID is today one of the main buyers of antiretrovirals in the world."
Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, Message to the International AIDS Conference, Mexico, August 2008
"UNITAID is not only purchasing large quantities of interventions. It is already showing additional benefits arising from the guarantee of a large and predictable market. UNITAID has provided an incentive for product improvements, including paediatric formulations for AIDS and TB drugs."
Margaret Chan, Director-General, World Health Organization, WHO's Executive Board, January 2008
"UNITAID is a prime example of the rapid, flexible and innovative action needed to develop a sustainable long-term response to AIDS and reach universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support."
Michel Sidibe, UNAIDS Executive Director, 19 September 2007, UNITAID's first anniversary commemoration
