General Assembly Session 60 meeting 86

The President

The General Assembly, pursuant to resolution 60/224 of 23 December 2005, will hold today its High-level Meeting on HIV/AIDS.

First of all, let me welcome you warmly to the General Assembly Hall in such great numbers -- numbers that mean that limitations on speeches have been very harsh, and I ask for your understanding. But the size of this meeting tells us something about the importance of this subject and of the issues at stake.

Today is the day on which I hear from you, so I will be very brief.

First, I would like to say that we have seen a new dynamic in the United Nations over the last two days. Member States and civil society have come together in a way that has never really been done before. In both the civil society hearings and in the panels and round tables, we have seen a genuine, sometimes vibrant interaction between two sets of representatives -- two sets of actors -- who have not had a tradition of working together in this way. For instance, the voices of those living with HIV/AIDS and those from vulnerable groups have been powerfully heard throughout these halls and corridors.

It is my hope that we can harness this new dynamic and make it a driving force in the political and social processes needed to achieve practical results both here at the United Nations and at home.

Secondly, you will be aware that we now have a final draft declaration for our consideration, after many hours of hard work by delegations, finishing last night at 3.30 a.m. The text of that draft declaration is being circulated; you may already have it from your negotiators. You will all study it, I am sure. But I daresay that it is, to me, a good, substantial and forward-looking document which I hope you will adopt at the end of today's deliberations.

I am sure that we will all want to thank the Ambassadors of Thailand and of Barbados, Mr. Laohaphan and Mr. Hackett, for their dedication, which has brought us to this point. I wish also to thank all the negotiators who laboured so hard to make sure that we chart a course for the future in a way of which we all can be proud.

Today we look forward to hearing about your experiences, your plans, and your commitments to do what is necessary to defeat the pandemic of HIV/AIDS. I call on you all, in your statements today, to respond to the realities of HIV/AIDS, which have been brought so vividly into our halls over these past three days, and also to another reality -- less grim -- namely the aspirations, expectations and dreams of the people of the world for a United Nations that stands not only for security but also solidarity and a life in dignity for all.

I now give the floor to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan.

The Secretary-General

I wish to thank you all for coming today. I hope the fact that so many Governments are represented here at the highest level today signals real commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS.

In 25 years, AIDS has changed the world. It has killed 25 million people. It has become the leading cause of death among both men and women aged 15 to 59. It has inflicted the single greatest reversal in the history of human development. In other words, it has become the greatest challenge of our generation.

The world has finally begun to recognize this. Since the Assembly held its special session on AIDS five years ago, the response has started to gain real strength. In some countries, there are fewer young people being infected than five years ago, and seven times more people have access to treatment.

But the epidemic continues to outpace us. Last year, globally, there were more new infections than ever before, and more people died than ever before. There were more women and girls living with HIV/AIDS than ever before. There were more serious warnings that if we do not see radical change, we will get nowhere near universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010 -- the goal to which you committed yourselves at the world summit last September.

If we do not step up the fight drastically, we will not reach the Millennium Development Goal of halting, and beginning to reverse, the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.

We know what it takes to turn the tide against this epidemic. It requires every President and Prime Minister, every parliamentarian and politician, to decide and declare that "AIDS stops with me". It requires real, positive change that would give more power and confidence to women and girls, and transform relations between women and men, at all levels of society. It requires greater resources for women, better laws for women and more seats for women at the decision-making table. It requires all of you in this Hall to make the fight against AIDS your personal priority, not only this session or this year or next year, but every year until the epidemic is reversed. I look to every one of you to demonstrate this personal commitment in the declaration that you adopt today.

The President

In accordance with the decision taken by the General Assembly at its 83rd plenary meeting, on 30 May 2006, I now give the floor to Mr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

Mr. Piot (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS)

I take the floor today to speak equally on behalf of the executive heads of the 10 co-sponsoring agencies that make up the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). As we have heard this week, the results on the ground show that the 2001 Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS (resolution S-26/2) marked a true turning point in the fight against AIDS worldwide. I understand that an agreement on a draft declaration was reached this morning and I hope that the Assembly can approve it, as President Eliasson just recommended, as it would take us to the next stage in the fight against AIDS. Because we have come so far, the stakes are even higher today than ever. To lose momentum now, to fail now, would be unforgivable.

We have come a long way, but there is still a long way ahead of us. That way forward is clear. We must conclude this meeting with a resolve that the fight against AIDS will get as high a priority on national and global agendas as the Assembly gives to promoting economic growth or maintaining security. Nothing less will do because AIDS is a long-term development crisis, not just a passing emergency which will disappear one fine day.

We must conclude this meeting with a resolve to allocate the more than $20 billion needed annually from 2008 on. Nothing less will do because every dollar of shortfall is a killing shortfall. We must conclude this meeting with a resolve to accelerate towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. Nothing less will do because only universal access can keep this epidemic from engulfing the next generations. We want an HIV-free new generation. We must conclude this meeting with a resolve that rich and poor nations will do whatever it takes to rapidly devolve microbicides, better drugs and vaccines, as well as to ensure access to them. Nothing less will do because we need every possible means to fight this epidemic. Finally, we must conclude this meeting with a resolve to add a long-term response to AIDS to the still much-needed crisis management approach, a response that is embedded in social change. We must once and for all address the fundamental drivers of this epidemic, including the low status of women, sexual violence, homophobia and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination.

When we go back to work, today or next week, we must further build a large coalition that will be essential to realizing such an ambitious agenda. This meeting shows that everyone is here for just one thing: defeating AIDS. Even if we may have differences on tactics, as has been clear this week, we are all a critical piece of the same strategy. Not only is there room for everybody, but there is also a need for everybody. The 2001 Declaration of Commitment and today's draft declaration, hopefully, will provide us with a common minimum programme for such an expanding movement against AIDS. Let today mark the beginning of a new era in the fight against AIDS, an era responsive to the changing world around us.

The President

In accordance with the decision taken by the General Assembly at its 83rd plenary meeting, on 30 May 2006, I now give the floor to Mr. Richard Feachem, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Mr. Feachem (Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria)

Five years ago, Secretary-General Kofi Annan proposed the creation of a war chest to fight AIDS in Africa. Following his leadership, heads of State in this Hall called for "a global HIV, AIDS and health fund to finance an urgent and expanded response to the epidemic" (resolution S-26/2, annex, para. 89). This call that the Assembly made was heeded. Today, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is supporting 386 programmes in 130 countries, with a combined value of $10 billion. Results reported yesterday show that already 544,000 people around the world are receiving antiretroviral treatment because of Global Fund financing. That is a 40 per cent increase in the last six months. Millions more are benefiting from prevention and testing, and more than half a million orphans are receiving care and support.

That is good news indeed, but much, much more remains to be done. The levels of investment must be greatly increased. Peter Piot has told us that $18 billion of total investment is required next year and $22 billion in 2008 and beyond. It is a modest assumption that the Global Fund should provide one quarter of this amount. The current income to the Global Fund is less than half of this need. Public and private investment must expand greatly if the Global Fund is to fulfil the mandate that this Assembly has given to it.

To achieve our goal of universal access, the Global Fund must fully finance at least one new round of programmes each year. For many countries gathered here this morning, a fully funded round 6 is essential for the achievement of universal access by 2010 and for the continued expansion of the excellent programmes that we see in many countries. For this to happen, an additional income of $900 million is required, without which we will not have a fully funded round 6.

So I call on all leaders present to do their utmost to ensure that these vital resources are found. Let all countries contribute fully to this global priority according to their means. Let the business community optimize its contribution. Let all citizens join in solidarity with those affected by this scourge through the Red Campaign and other initiatives. Finally, let us all raise our voices to demand that no child, no woman and no man should suffer or die because we could not find the extra few billion dollars that are needed.

The President

I would now like to turn to some matters pertaining to the conduct of this meeting. We turn first to the length of statements. In order to accommodate all the speakers for the High-level Meeting today, I would like to appeal to speakers to limit their statements to three minutes. Given that time frame, I would also like to appeal to speakers to deliver their statements at a normal speed so that interpretation may be provided properly.

To assist speakers, a light system has been installed at the speaker's rostrum. It functions as follows: a green light will be activated at the start; an orange light will be activated 30 seconds before the end of the three minutes; a red light will be activated when the three-minute limit has elapsed. In other words, normal traffic rules apply.

In order to avoid disruption of the flow of speakers, I would like to seek the cooperation of other participants to remain in their seats after a statement has been delivered. In this connection, I would like to invite speakers, after delivering their statements, to exit the General Assembly Hall through room GA-200, located behind the podium, before returning to their seats.

I would like to remind members that, in accordance with the decision taken by the General Assembly at its 85th meeting, the High-level Meeting will split and continue in two parallel segments after the statements by the heads of State and Government, Deputy Prime Ministers and the former Prime Minister of Japan. Segment A will be held in Conference Room 2 and segment B in Conference Room 3. The High-level Meeting will reconvene in the General Assembly Hall for the adoption of the political declaration and the closing statement by the President of the General Assembly, after we have heard all the speakers.

The Assembly will now hear an address by His Majesty King Mswati III, Head of State of the Kingdom of Swaziland.

King Mswati III (Swaziland)

It is a great pleasure for me to join other heads of State and Government at this important summit where we are reviewing the problems of HIV/AIDS that face all of us. It is encouraging to see that the United Nations has seen fit that we should come back and review the target that we set for ourselves in 2001. We shall be looking at the way we have succeeded or failed in carrying out our obligations. What is clear is that the prevalence of the disease is not showing any signs of decreasing at the rate we would like to see. It is clear that HIV/AIDS is a serious disease, especially when you look at the number of people who are dying of AIDS. This disease requires commitment from all of us.

Let me give the example of my country, where there are many deaths resulting from AIDS-related sicknesses. We have waged campaigns for the education of our people. We have taught people living with HIV about how they should live healthy lives. We have also taught our people about how they should avoid contracting the virus.

The Government, the Swazi nation and non-governmental organizations are working together at full force in country-wide awareness campaigns. The Swazi nation has also availed itself of all traditions that assist young people to abstain. When we introduced some of the traditional methods of abstinence, the prevalence rate among the 15 to 24 age group showed some decline. The situation continues to be very serious, especially when we consider the high cost of medication for those already infected by HIV/AIDS. We also find that we do not have enough medical professionals in our country and, therefore, have to send some patients outside our borders, where they incur high medication costs that are beyond the means of many of our people. The Government has come to the assistance of our people by creating a fund that assists patients in meeting such costs.

Another very serious area of concern involves orphans. This disease usually kills the adult patient, leaving orphans behind without anyone to look after them. The Swazi nation has found it fit to assist orphans, especially with their education. We have also established neighbourhood care points known as Kagogo and Indlunkhulu. This is an all-encompassing cultural and communal-based scheme that attempts to enable orphans and vulnerable children to grow up like all other children, with access to good food, as well as supervision by elderly people. The objective here is to enable the child to live a normal life to prepare him or her for the future. These facilities are not limited to children, as they also cater to the elderly, in order to prevent them from feeling destitute in their own communities.

Our health systems have been strained by the disease burden of AIDS. The presence of tuberculosis and malaria in Africa further complicates the problems of HIV and AIDS. It is important that these three diseases be addressed together. We have established a National AIDS Council to coordinate our fight against the pandemic. We have set aside funds to fight this pandemic, but, of course, the situation requires a lot of money. We are very grateful to the Global Fund and other development partners for giving us financial support, which has enabled us to come this far. We are using these funds to give free antiretroviral therapy to AIDS patients. We also provide free treatment to pregnant mothers, so as to reduce the mother-to-child transmission of the virus. We have achieved a lot through such support. We are happy to know that many donors continue to make financial commitments for the fight against the pandemic. It is most unfortunate that sometimes our attention, focus and resources are diverted by emerging disasters. At times, the pandemic is ignored just because it has become part of our everyday life. I am not saying that emergencies should not be attended to; all I would like to see is for all of us to concentrate on fighting this pandemic. Many people are dying every day.

For example, in sub-Saharan Africa alone, more than 2 million people died of AIDS-related sicknesses in 2005. This is like a war. Worse still, while we are fighting this pandemic, some countries are classified as middle-income States, thereby losing support and assistance. We would like this classification to be reviewed in the light of the financial depletions that have been caused by the high cost of combating this scourge. This pandemic has no respect for any country, whether or not it is classified as a middle-income State.

I am confident that at this summit we shall come up with meaningful solutions and strong strategies that will enable us to operate effective programmes so that we do not disappoint the people we represent here.

The President

The Assembly will now hear an address by His Excellency Mr. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of the Congo.

President Sassou Nguesso (Congo)

I take the floor in this Assembly, the embodiment of our common ideal of peace and solidarity, on behalf of the African Union and, in particular, of the millions of Africans infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

What does Africa have to tell us that we do not already know about AIDS, the cruellest of pandemics that the world has had to confront over the past 25 years? What cry must Africa utter in its anguish for its pain to be heard, heeded and properly understood?

I wish simply to recall that, of all the continents, Africa has been the most affected by the ravages of that fearsome scourge. Unfortunately, Africa is also the continent that is most lacking in the resources to address the scourge. With every passing day, the overall situation only gets worse. No sector of our populations has been spared. Women and youth -- the very foundation and future of our societies and States -- have been the hardest hit, gravely jeopardizing the development of our countries.

In such circumstances, what can we do to halt the inexorable rise of the pandemic? What can we do to achieve universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and medical care? Africa itself is attempting, with its limited financial and technical resources, to organize itself to tackle the scourge through prevention programmes and universal management.

It was a united Africa that met in Abuja, Nigeria, from 2 to 4 May 2006 to take stock of the HIV/AIDS situation on the continent and to put best practices to use. At the conclusion of that special summit, the African Union kept its appointment with history by reaffirming its commitments to combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by adopting the Abuja Appeal and the African common position for this High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly.

The African common position represents a convergence and continent-wide approach to meeting the challenge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The commitments we have undertaken may appear to some to be too ambitious or even unachievable, but in the face of a pandemic that has already killed over 25 million people, only rapid, energetic and massive action will help us to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

However, as we had occasion to note at the meetings in Brazzaville and Abuja, obstacles to achieving universal access to prevention, treatment and medical care for HIV/AIDS remain many, including the persistence and aggravation of poverty, food insecurity, economic constraints, recurrent armed conflicts, natural disasters, ignorance, fear, stigmatization and discrimination.

We have today the opportunity to welcome once again the international initiatives to provide financing for Africa in its struggle against HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. Our profound gratitude goes out to our development partners, the various donors and the countries of the Group of 8, which have undertaken to mobilize $50 billion by 2010 in order to accelerate the achievement of universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and medical care.

We appeal to the solidarity of the international community as a whole. Indeed, it is only in combining our efforts -- the efforts of all countries, rich and poor -- in raising awareness and in general mobilization that we will be able to meet the challenge posed by HIV/AIDS to all humankind on a daily basis.

Our responsibility is a historic one, for the destinies of millions of men and women depend on the commitments we enter into today. Let us see to it that our great hopes do not come to grief against a wall of shame and promises not kept.

The President

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