Airline-ticket solidarity contribution to be launched in Paris

Minister of International Development Erik Solheim will travel to Paris on Wednesday 7 June to take part in the launching of the French airline-ticket solidarity contribution for development. While there, Mr Solheim will participate in a press conference arranged by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will be broadcast directly on French television, together with Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy.

The French airline-ticket contribution will be introduced on 1 July, with rates ranging from EUR 1 to 40 per ticket, depending on the destination and the travel class. It is estimated that the contribution will generate revenues of EUR 200 million a year, all of which will be earmarked for development purposes.

The press conference will also be used to launch the new International Drug Purchase Facility to help developing countries buy medicines for treating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. It is agreed that the revenues from the solidarity contribution, including Norway’s contribution of revenue from the CO ₂ tax on aircraft fuel, are to be allocated to this facility. The drug purchase facility is the first pilot project in this solidarity initiative. The facility was also launched in New York on 2 June at a meeting in the margins of the UN Special Session on HIV/AIDS, which Mr Solheim also attended.

So far 14 countries have declared that they intend to introduce a form of airline-ticket solidarity contribution. They include the UK, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Norway, Brazil, Chile and Jordan. The amount of Norway’s contribution, which will be introduced from January 2007, will be specified in next year’s government budget.

Press contact: Information Adviser Odd Naustdal, mobile phone 91 14 94 90