Unitaid congratulates the governments of Barbados, France, and Kenya for their leadership in launching a new coalition to implement solidarity levies on premium air travel, alongside Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Sierra Leone, Spain, and Somalia. With traditional aid budgets under pressure and global challenges growing more complex, solidarity levies offer a proven way to generate additional financial resources without placing further strain on public budgets. As the first global health initiative financed through solidarity levies, Unitaid has long championed this innovative approach to sustainable funding.
Announced at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, the coalition aims to ensure the aviation sector – one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions and a major beneficiary of globalization – plays a fairer role in financing global efforts on climate, pandemic preparedness, and sustainable development. As climate change intensifies health crises, innovative financing mechanisms such as solidarity levies will be critical to addressing its compounded health impact on the most vulnerable communities. This initiative will be supported by the European Commission and the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force.
“This new coalition is a powerful reminder that innovative financing can turn ambition into action,” said Marisol Touraine, Chair of the Unitaid Executive Board. “We applaud the leadership of the governments driving this effort and welcome the growing recognition that fair contributions from high-emitting sectors can fuel global progress. Unitaid was founded on this very principle – transforming a small solidarity levy on airline tickets into game-changing health impact. We are proud to stand with partners in advancing this model for today’s most urgent challenges.”
In today’s context of overlapping crises and tightening public finances, innovative financing is no longer optional – it is essential. New and fairer funding mechanisms are needed to bridge the gap, support equitable development, and ensure that communities are not left behind.
Since its creation in 2006 by the governments of Brazil, Chile, France, Norway and the United Kingdom – and with France leading the way through the introduction of a small levy on airline tickets – Unitaid has demonstrated the power of innovative financing approaches. To-date, more than two-thirds of Unitaid’s budget has come from solidarity levies, enabling access to health innovations for more than 300 million people in low- and middle-income countries while strengthening resilient health systems. Unitaid has shown how coordinated, incremental contributions can drive large-scale impact.
Building on this foundation, Unitaid continues to apply innovative financing mechanisms to expand access to essential health products. In East Africa, for example, Unitaid is working with partners and local manufacturers to increase liquid oxygen production in Kenya and Tanzania. Using a blended financing model that combines grants, concessional loans and volume guarantees, this initiative is expected to triple oxygen supply and reduce prices by up to 27% helping build a sustainable oxygen manufacturing sector so countries can meet their own needs while strengthening long-term health security.
As an official partner of the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force, Unitaid is advancing innovative financing approaches, including solidarity levies, to secure more predictable, long-term funding. In the lead-up to COP30, Unitaid calls on more countries to join the coalition, building on a proven model that shows how fair and progressive solidarity levies can mobilize resources and promote equity in addressing the world’s greatest health and climate challenges.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
What is an airline ticket levy?
The air ticket levy is a small contribution added to outbound flights, paid by passengers as an additional airport tax, established under national law. Collected by airlines on a sliding scale based on destination and ticket class, the levy is reported periodically to relevant national collection authorities. Since Unitaid’s inception, a total of 10 countries have contributed through an airline levy, each at varying levels and different points in time: Cameroon, Chile, Congo, France, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, and Republic of Korea.
Additional quotes from the Financing for Development Event in Seville:
President of France Emmanuel Macron said:
“Where we are not delivering is in terms of financing. The situation of many countries is worse in terms of debt sustainability.”
“In order to go further, we have to mobilise global solidarity levies.”
“We have made progress on maritime and now on aviation there is a huge step forward. France started it 20 years ago. Having Spain (in our premium flyers coalition) is very good news, and we need more and more countries.”
“We need those that benefited from globalisation to contribute more to financing.”
“I urge all possible countries to join this international framework because it is absolutely key.”
President of Kenya William Ruto said:
“The Global Solidarity Levies Task Force, co-chaired by Kenya, France and Barbados, has explored innovative sources of finance, such as on aviation… Many of the ideas are not new, as different countries have had such levies.
“What we need here is political will. We cannot keep talking about change without implementing it. The world is watching and expecting real outcomes.”
Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez said:
“Happy to announce that Spain will join the coalition to work towards a better contribution of premium flyers… multilateralism is alive.”
Kyle Wilkinson
Communications officer
+41 79 445 17 45
wilkinsonk@unitaid.who.int
