By John Acher OSLO, March 5 (Reuters) - A global fund that combats AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria hopes to attract more money from private donors, fund officials said on Monday. Launched in 2002 with the backing of then U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has raised $10 billion but is looking to raise a further $15 billion in 2008-2010. So far about 96 percent of the Fund's money has come from governments, including the G8 countries, but private sources, such as corporations, foundations and individuals, should provide more in the future, they said. "We have a major effort under way to increase private financial contributions to the Global Fund and also private contributions of other kinds," the Fund's Executive Director Richard Feachem said at the start of a two-day donor meeting. The Fund supports 450 programmes in 136 countries. Feachem said it was also exploring avenues for private non-financial contributions, such as donations of goods and services. One part of that is a "Product Red" campaign which allows consumers to give a fraction of their monthly mobile phone bill, a percentage of a special red American Express card bill or proceeds from goods such as a red Armani watch to the Fund. He said it had raised over $20 million and was growing fast. Chairwoman Carol Jacobs said the Fund did not have a target for funding from private donors, but added: "Between 10 and 20 percent -- I do not think would be unreasonable." By far the biggest private contribution so far is $650 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, set up by the Microsoft <MSFT.O> founder, Feachem said. About $250 million of that pledge has been paid so far. About 35 of the Fund's 50 donor governments were expected to attend the Oslo meeting, but pledges were not expected until a conference in Berlin in September.
