WASHINGTON — Gayle Smith, the President and CEO of The ONE Campaign and a former administrator of USAID, released the following statement on the announcement of Peter Sands as the new Executive Director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria:

“On behalf of The ONE Campaign and its over eight million members around the globe, I want to congratulate and welcome Peter Sands on his appointment as the Executive Director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. For the past 15 years, The Global Fund has worked tirelessly to bring governments, civil society and the private sector together to effectively accelerate the end of some of the world’s most deadly, preventable diseases.

“Mr. Sands arrives at The Global Fund with a difficult, but important job waiting for him. Over 19 million people around the world are accessing treatment for HIV, 11 million of them through programs supported by The Global Fund as of 2016. Yet 17 million people are living with HIV globally and are still not receiving the life-saving treatment they need to live healthy and productive lives.

“As some leaders around the globe are questioning the efficacy of global health and development programs, now more than ever, it’s important for The Global Fund to have a strong leader, like Peter Sands, at the helm to articulate the immense value these programs have on those in need and the developed world. The Fund has a tremendous record of building on its progress, incorporating evidence to expand its impact, and prioritizing transparency and accountability. We look forward to working with Mr. Sands in the months ahead to support The Global Fund’s life-saving work in sub-Saharan Africa and around the globe.”