Launched under the leadership of President Olusegun Obasanjo on May 3, 2006 at the African Heads of State Summit in Abuja Nigeria, Friends Africa's mission is to galvanize African Civil Society, Government and Private Sector in the fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria through: Advocacy/Fundraising, Capacity Building and Education, Documentation, and Technical Assistance.
Friends Africa represents a cohesive, multisectoral African voice in the fight and encourages the participation of all levels of society spanning influential lawmakers/parliamentarians to vulnerable community members all over the continent.
Friends Africa's goal is to support the Global Fund and the Global Fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Friends Africa has a Pan-African Board of Directors, individuals who are credible, influential and committed to the fight against the three diseases. The board which is made up of prominent Africans/Africanists from the Private Sector, Government and Civil Society is strongly supported by an advisory board comprised of sound technocrats.
Together they assist the organization in achieving the goal of overcoming HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa. Friends Africa has a vision of an African continent free of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and believes in Africans taking responsibility and achieving results in the fight against these pandemics.
The Global Fund established in 2002, has been at the forefront of responding to the continued public health threat posed by AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Since its inception, the Global Fund has supported global efforts designed to respond to the ravaging effects of these diseases which claim about 16,000 lives each day. To stem this tide, the Global Fund has financed projects in over 136 countries and so far committed 10 billion in grants to public and private bodies involved in eradication these disease and educating communities to reduce the rate of infection. However, there is still a large gap in the funding required to fight the three diseases.
Unlike the principal fund, Friends Africa was created, not to finance projects, but with the aim of increasing and encouraging greater contribution and participation of African business leaders, political leaders and members of civil society in supporting the activities of the Global Fund and optimizing the performance of its grants on the continent. Friends Africa is part of a broader community of Friends organizations which include Friends of the Global Fight USA, Friends of the Global Fund Japan, Amis du Fonds Mondial Europe, Friends of the Global Fund South East Asia, Friends of the Global Fund Middle East and North Africa and Friends Latin America.
With its secretariat based in Lagos, Nigeria Friends Africa actualizes its pan-African mandate through its Pan-African board and its experienced regional representatives who are based in the following regional economic communities: COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa), ECOWAS (Economic Community of West Africa States), SADC (Southern African Development Community) and ECCAS (Economic Community of Central Africa States).