Summary: July 19, 2001: Statement by Mr. Bruno van der Pluijm, the Representative of Belgium, on behalf of the European Union. UN programme on AIDS (UNAIDS)
1. I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Central and Eastern European Countries associated with the European Union - Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia -, and the other associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, endorse this statement.
2. The European Union welcomes the excellent report of the Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) of UNAIDS and encourages UNAIDS to continue its role, especially in country programmes and all related field activities as well as its outstanding work on advocacy. Its rich experience in the many activities as highlighted in the report should be taken advantage of when clarifying future relationship between relevant structures.
3. Finally, the European Union underscores the need to strengthen the UN System Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS for 2001-2005, and stresses in this regard the importance of further refining the objectives in the light of the UNGASS goals, and of clarifying the implementing roles and commitments of individual organizations and ensuring greater relevance and responsiveness of global and regional efforts to country specific needs.
4. The European Union wishes to put on record its satisfaction with the outcome of the Special Session of the GA on HIV/AIDS. We will actively participate in the various activities flowing from the Special Session. It is in our common interest that those activities address the outstanding issues in a manner both coherent and diversified. Given the complexity of the HIV/AIDS crisis, there is room for focused approaches of specific topics, in all appropriate fora both within and outside the UN.
We also bear in mind the various interests of both donor and recipient countries and of all other stakeholders.
5. In approaching the HIV/AIDS crisis the international community has decided to go beyond traditional donor/recipient patterns: the European Union welcomes this innovative approach. On the issue of the creation of a "global HIV/AIDS and health fund", the first informal interim meeting in Brussels to establish the Transitional Working Group (TWG) has made good progress in establishing the Terms of Reference and the timetable for future work. On the most important issues such as the activities
to be financed through the Fund, the linkages with existing machinery both at the central and the field level, issues of governance and representation, it is urgent to identify workable solutions. The European Union will continue to play an active role in these discussions.
Mister Chairman,
6. Let us also bear in mind that the HIV/AIDS epidemic, however challenging, is not the only health problem facing us. The fact that the proposed "global HIV/AIDS and health fund" will also deal with TBC and malaria is very significant. We welcome the SG's report on "the roll back malaria partnership": malaria continues to have a serious impact, both on public health and development in many developing countries. In the final analysis, the common challenge related to all these diseases is the
better delivery of health services. The SG's report cites encouraging instances of incorporating the combat against malaria in overall development plans and strategies. Those examples deserve recognition and wider acceptance. The EU fully subscribes to the incorporation of the fight against malaria and other similar diseases in national poverty reduction strategies.
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