The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) was established in 2003 to accelerate the development of medical interventions for tuberculosis (TB), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and malaria, with a particular focus on Phase II and III clinical trials. Between 2003 and 2015, the first EDCTP programme committed €65.6 million to research on TB and TB-HIV co-infection. The programme made a significant contribution to the first three elements of the DOTS TB control strategy, which mobilised European and African funding for TB-related research and generated important evidence on TB diagnostics and treatment regimens. As well as informing the development of international policy on TB diagnosis and treatment, the programme also significantly enhanced the capacity of countries in sub-Saharan Africa to undertake clinical trials and associated clinical research. The lessons learned from the first EDCTP programme have informed the development of a second, expanded EDCTP programme, EDCTP2, which was launched in 2014, and is due to run until 2024. One key lesson is the need for continued partnerships to fight the global threat of TB.