Joint Open Letter of Concern About Global Fund Partnering with Big Alcohol:
80+ Endorsements Worldwide and Governments Speak Out
More than 80 civil society organisations have signed onto the joint open letter requesting that The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria reconsider a partnership announced during the World Economic Forum in Davos with Dutch alcohol industry giant, Heineken.
And after Norway, also the Swedish government has now publicly announced its criticism of the Global Fund partnering with the alcohol industry.
Overwhelming support
The joint open letter was issued by IOGT International, NCD Alliance and the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance and has received support from civil society organizations worldwide, spanning various interests and communities, such as public health, sustainable development, alcohol prevention, HIV/ AIDS response, NCDs control and cancer control, addiction recovery, as well as social justice and human rights defenders. Notable endorsements have come from WEMOS and other NGOs based in the Netherlands, from the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and from Vital Strategies.
Endorsements have flowed in rapidly since the letter was shared last week, both officially through communications with representatives of civil society organisations in our respective networks, but also through social media.
The feedback is almost overwhelming and the broad support shows the grave concern in communities around the world for the potential harmful consequences for health and development that lie in partnering with the alcohol industry,” said co-signatories.
Joint Open Letter: Concern Regarding Global Fund Partnering With Heineken
Grave concern about alcohol industry conduct in Africa
A spokesperson for three Alcohol Policy Alliances covering West, East and Southern Africa said:
We are concerned about alcohol industry conduct in our countries and regions; as they try to hook our people to their products, they also try and pre-empt or undermine effective public health regulations of alcohol. This partnership is just another example of false philanthropy that doesn’t benefit the African people.”
Alcohol use and associated harm has been increasing in recent years in Africa, counter to health and development targets committed to by governments pursuing a global reduction in alcohol use. Alcohol companies have made no secret of strategic growth plans to take advantage of Africa as an emerging market for business growth.
Governments saying no
Norway was first to announce it will not support the partnership of the Global Fund with beer giant Heineken. The Norwegian member of the Global Fund Board, Jon Lomøy, said:
Norwegian authorities cannot support this type of partnership with an alcohol company. This goes against our development assistance policy but it is too early to say what will happen with Norway’s donation to the Global Fund, if they continue this collaboration.”
Norway is one of the biggest donors to the Global Fund, investing close $100 million annually.
Another major donor of the Global Fund has now added to Norway’s stance. Sweden announced yesterday, through Twitter, that they support Norway and that they will provide a more detailed answer in the coming days.
First was Ms Ulrika Modéer, State Secretary for Development Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announcing the Swedish position.
Sweden joins Norway in condemning the deal between @GlobalFund and @Heineken. Together they support the fund with around $200 million a year. https://t.co/DSJLKjYoBy
— Pierre Andersson (@pierrea) February 12, 2018
Later, Anders Nordström, Sweden’s Ambassador for Global Health, added to the Swedish position with his tweet:
Yes, harmful use of alcohol is a public health risk factor. We will request a discuss about the GFATMs present partnership policy https://t.co/Mj6uZjJrpR
— Anders Nordström (@NordstrmAnders) February 12, 2018
Optimism about engagement with Global Fund
The signatories of the original letter are optimistic about engaging in constructive dialogue with the Global Fund in the near future. A meeting has been scheduled. The signatories say:
We share a common vision – sustainable human development, with a particular focus on health and well-being for all. Partnerships like this are at odds with that common vision because they put profits over people and prioritise the promotion of brands whose products, marketing and other business practices are causing tremendous harm, including health, economy, society and development. ”
—
Endorsements
(as of February 28, 2018)
- ACT Health Promotion, Brazil
- Actis – Norwegian Policy Network on Alcohol and Drugs
- Alcohol Action New Zealand
- Alcohol and Drug Information Center (ADIC), Sri Lanka
- Alcohol Focus Scotland
- Alcohol Healthwatch, New Zealand
- Alcohol Justice, USA
- Alcohol Policy Network in Europe (APN)
- Alcohol Policy Youth Network (APYN), Europe
- AV-OG-TIL (Campaign network for alcohol free zones), Norway
- Blue Cross International
- Blue Cross Norway
- Blue Cross in Tchad
- Bolivian Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (REDBOL)
- Civil Society Network on Substance and Drug Abuse (csnETsda), Nigeria
- Center for Youth Eduction (CEM), Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Council of Churches in Namibia
- DiGNIDAD Coalition, Philippines
- Dutch Institute for Alcohol Policy (STAP), Netherlands
- Drug Policy and Harm Reduction Platform, Malawi
- East African Alcohol Policy Alliance
- Emonyo Yefwe International, Kenya
- European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare)
- European Center for Monitoring Alcohol Marketing (EUCAM)
- European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)
- Estonian Temperance Union (AVE)
- FORUT, Germany
- FORUT, Norway
- Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), Australia
- Framework Convention on Global Health Alliance (FCGH), Switzerland
- Ghana NCD Alliance
- Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP), Liberia
- Health and Trade Network (HaT)
- Health Related Information Dissemination Amongst Youth (HRIDAY), India
- Healthy Caribbean Coalition
- Healthy Lanka Alliance for Development, Sri Lanka
- Healthy Latin American Coalition (CLAS, Coalición Latinoamérica Saludable)
- Interamerican Heart Foundation
- International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol and other Drugs (INEBRIA)
- International Pediatric Association
- Institute for Alcohol Studies, UK
- Institute for Research and Development (UTRIP), Slovenia
- Institute of Leadership and Development (INSLA), Ghana
- IOGT Gambia
- IOGT Germany
- IOGT movement, Iceland
- IOGT Norway
- IOGT-NTO Movement, Sweden
- IOGT Poland
- Kawempe Youth Development Association (KYDA), Uganda
- League Against Intoxicants, Norway
- Lithuanian Tobacco and Alcohol Control Coalition (NTAKK)
- Milestones Rehabilitation Foundation, Nigeria
- National Council Against Smoking, South Africa
- NCD Alliance, Malawi
- NCD Alliance Lanka, Sri Lanka
- NCD Child
- New Dawn, Zambia
- New Vois Association of the Phils. Inc. (NVAP), Philippines
- Nepal NCD Alliance
- Nordic Alcohol and Drug Policy Network (NordAN), Northern Europe
- Norwegian Cancer Society
- Ohaha Family Foundation, Nigeria
- People Against Drug Dependence and Ignorance (PADDI), Nigeria
- Safe Sociable London Partnership, UK
- Students’ Campaign Against Drugs (SCAD), Kenya
- Slovenian Coalition for Public Health, Environment and Tobacco Control
- South African NCD Alliance
- Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance- Zambia
- Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance
- Stop Drink Network, Thailand
- Sri Lanka Alcohol Policy Alliance
- Teamcoby, Nigeria
- The Cancer Association of South Africa
- Salvation Army, Norway Iceland and The Faeroes
- The Wellbeing Initiative, Nigeria
- UDK Consultancy, Malawi
- UK Health Forum, United Kingdom
- United States Alcohol Policy Alliance
- Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)
- Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), Ghana
- Vital Strategies
- WEMOS, Netherlands
- West African Alcohol Policy Alliance
- Wimmera Drug Action Taskforce, Australia
- WomanHealth Philippines
- World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF International)
- World Stroke Organization
- World Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WWCTU)
- Women’s Coalition Against Cancer (WOCACA), Malawi
- Young Professionals Chronic Disease Network (YP-CDN)
- Zambia NCD Alliance
