U.S. Co-sponsors U.N. Resolution to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries

December 28, 2005 - The United Nations General Assembly in New York last week passed a Resolution co-sponsored by the United States. The Resolution, "2001-2010 Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa" (A/60/L.44), urges Member States afflicted by malaria to work diligently to strengthen preventive policies and plans. It also calls upon the international community to continue toward the goal of reducing the burden of the disease by 75 percent by 2015.

The U.S. government is committed to fighting malaria, which continues to be one of the most important and devastating infectious diseases in many areas of the world, and is a leading cause of death and disease in many developing countries. On June 30, 2005, President Bush challenged the world to dramatically reduce malaria as a major killer of children in sub-Saharan Africa, and announced a new initiative to increase funding of malaria prevention and treatment by more than $1.2 billion over five years, with the goal of reducing malaria deaths by 50 percent in targeted African countries.

For more information:

• Draft Resolution: 2001-2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa (PDF - 40KB) (United Nations)
• Fighting Malaria in Africa (White House)

Last revised: August 14, 2007