EU MALARIA FUND JUNIOR PARTICIPATION

Malaria is one of the most lethal infectious diseases in absolute terms, killing around 700 children below the age of five every day, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa. The EU Malaria Fund presents an opportunity to address a concrete market failure and contribute, directly or indirectly, to the financing of a promising portfolio of research and development (R&D) malaria projects.

The Fund's objective is to finance R&D investments in a portfolio of innovative assets against malaria, one of the most lethal infectious diseases mainly affecting low- and middle-income countries and in particular sub-Saharan Africa. The project supports the early- and late-stage development of novel vaccines, therapeutic drugs and diagnostic solutions, targeting different stages of the disease.

All project activities are expected to be carried out in existing facilities without changing their already authorised scope and would therefore not require an environmental impact assessment (EIA) under Directive 2011/92/EU, as amended. Nevertheless, the Bank's services will review during the project appraisal whether any of the investments require an EIA, as well as any other environmental details of the project.

The promoter has been assessed by the EIB as being a private company not operating in the utilities sector and not having the status of a contracting entity, thus not subject to EU rules on public procurement.