Ecobank Transnational Incorporation through its foundation (Ecobank Foundation) has renewed its partnership with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for a further three years.

The relationship between the two organisations began in 2011and the new agreement formalises Ecobank’s support for the Global Fund’s work in Africa.

A selected high-level audience composed of business leaders and development experts witnessed the signing ceremony on September 16 2016, in Montreal, Canada.

The event, ‘Changing Africa: Enabling growth through the private sector’, led by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ecobank Foundation, Ms. Julie Essiam, took place on the side-lines of the Global Fund’s Fifth Replenishment Conference.

Per the terms of the agreement, Ecobank Foundation will work with the Global Fund to build the partnership into an engagement and advocacy platform for organisations and individuals who share a vision of accelerating the transformation of Africa.

Ade Ayeyemi, Ecobank Group Chief Executive Officer, pledged US$3 million at the Global Fund’s Fifth Replenishment Conference in Montreal.

The event was hosted by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and was well attended by Heads of State, government officials and hundreds of private sector and development leaders from across the globe.

The Fifth Replenishment raised US$12.9 billion with a goal of saving eight more million lives.

Mr. Ayeyemi commenting on the initiative said, “Our job as bankers is to build the technical infrastructure that brings tens of millions more Africans into a more formal financial system. Ecobank’s founding fathers established a Pan-African bank to support Africa’s transformation. We are pleased to renew our productive partnership with the Global Fund. I am confident that we are a step closer to enabling prosperity across Africa.”

Through its Foundation, Ecobank will continue to take a prominent role with the Global Fund to fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on the African continent.

Julie Essiam, Chief Executive Officer, Ecobank Foundation signed the agreement with Mark Dybul, Executive Director, Global Fund.

She said, “The Ecobank Foundation is pleased to be part of a historic moment with the Global Fund and what we are trying to do in Africa, which is to create a “thriving Africa”, and a prosperous continent. It is important for the private sector to collaborate to ensure that we use our platforms to unlock funds which will deliver sustainable progress and prosperity to Africa.”