7 March 2012: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has announced that he has expanded the role of Ray Chambers, Special Envoy for Malaria, to address Financing of the Health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Chambers will work to secure greater investment from public and private sources to accelerate the achievement of health-related goals and targets of the MDGs.

Margaret Chan, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO), welcomed Chambers’ new role, announced on 1 March. She looked to his abilities to build “political will and financial support” for the health MDGs, and called this a “crucial time” for the fundraising work, with the 2015 MDG deadline quickly approaching.

On 7 March, upon the announcement of up to $1.9 billion in new funding by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Chambers highlighted the potential impact of the funding on the goals’ achievement by 2015, and called on all donors to urgently increase resources. [UN Press Release, 1 March] [WHO Press Release] [UN Webpage on MDGs] [WHO Webpage on Health in Post-2015 Development Agenda] [UN Press Release, 7 March]