The new programme is designed to ensure greater production and better distribution of serums, vaccine and drugs used against malaria in the target countries. The programme is also designed to help conduct surveys and research and to disseminate successful experiments in a bid to enable the countries concerned to make use of such efforts and to boost efforts to roll back malaria and subsequently other diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

The President of the Islamic Development Bank, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, has indicated that this emergency programme is part of the OIC Ten-Year Action Programme on how the Umma can meet the challenges of the 21st century, which was adopted by the 3rd Extraordinary Islamic Summit that took place in Makkah in Dhul Qa’da 1426H (December 2005). He added that it is also in line with the IDB 1440H (2020) Vision. He said that, in order to ensure the programme’s resounding success, the IDB is trying to forge partnership between donor countries and international financial institutions and agencies to combat malaria and build the capacities of least developed countries to combat contagious diseases.

In this connection, the President of the IDB Group, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, signed a cooperation agreement last week in Paris between the Islamic Development Bank and UNITAID, a mechanism recently set up to help finance the procurement of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria drugs for developing countries in coordination with the World Health Organization. UNITAID is so far composed of eighteen (18) African countries and the founding countries: France, Brazil, Chile, Norway and the United Kingdom

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, Mr. Philippe Douste Blazy, signed the agreement on behalf UNITAID in his capacity as chairman of its board of executive directors; while the President of the Islamic Development Bank, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, signed it on behalf of the Bank.

Under the agreement, the IDB shall allocate US$ 20 million for 2007 – 2008) to roll back malaria in IDB member countries. The money will be granted as interest-free loans to the target countries. The Bank will strive to secure financing from its member countries and from donor agencies that are concerned with the issue and then give the money as grants and concessionary loans to the countries targeted under the programme.

The President of the IDB said that he considers the agreement a prelude to fruitful cooperation between UNITAID and the IDB as part of their joint effort to help achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.