Contribution Brings Fund to Over $50 Million, Marks First Major Foreign Government Investment in US-Based Initiative
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and leader in the global fight against modern slavery, today applauded the United Kingdom for matching the $25 million U.S. contribution to the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery (GFEMS) announced last week. The initial $50 million establishes a global fund aimed at dealing a mortal wound to modern slavery and human trafficking internationally as originally conceived and directed by the End Modern Slavery Initiative Act, authored by Corker.
“More than two and a half years ago, we created a bold vision to help eliminate modern slavery and human trafficking around the world,” said Corker. “With more than 27 million people enslaved, we knew we faced a massive problem that we could not fight alone, but we believed that U.S. leadership could galvanize tremendous support and investment from other governments and the private sector.”
“Today’s announcement by the United Kingdom is a prime example of what U.S. leadership can do and marks the first major victory for the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery,” added Corker. “The strong alliance between the U.S. and United Kingdom extends to our shared commitment to stamping out this scourge on humanity. I thank Prime Minister Theresa May and her government for their steadfast support of this effort, which is building a strong foundation for the Global Fund that I believe will have a transformative and measurable impact around the world.”
Today, in 2017, more than 27 million people are enslaved around the world. That’s more than at any time in history. Two years ago, with input from leading stakeholders and industry experts, Corker proposed a bold, bipartisan initiative to end modern slavery worldwide. Not unlike the role PEPFAR has played in fighting AIDS worldwide, the End Modern Slavery Initiative, which will operate as the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery, was designed to leverage limited foreign aid dollars and galvanize tremendous support and investment from the public sector, philanthropic organizations and the private sector to focus resources responsibly where the crime is most prevalent.
###