Cowen welcomes EU-US Summit Declaration on HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Brian Cowen T.D., welcomed the agreement at the EU-US Summit on a Declaration on HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB. The Declaration identifies the fight against HIV/AIDS as a key test for Governments, international organisations, the private sector and civil society in the 21st century. The Declaration commits the EU and the US to “turning the tide” against the disease. The Declaration examines how the EU and the US can strengthen their collaboration and coordination in the fight against the disease at the global level and in the most affected countries. It also calls for a greater role for the private sector in both the EU and the US in the fight against the disease. Speaking about the Declaration, Mr. Cowen said: “The EU and the US are the biggest donors to the global efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. It makes sense for us to work much more closely together and to exert global leadership on this crucial issue. As both the EU and the US bring substantial new resources to bear on the fight against the disease, there is a real risk of duplication of effort due to lack of coordination and collaboration. There is also a risk that we will overwhelm our developing country partners with programmes and initiatives that do not meet either their needs or the capacity of their health systems to deliver. I welcome the Declaration on HIV/AIDS and the other infectious diseases adopted at the Summit. The key element of this Declaration is the endorsement of a common coordination framework for the fight against the disease at the country level. The Declaration means that the EU and US, together with UNAIDS, will strive to work much more closely together and ensure that our joint resources are used as effectively as possible”. The Declaration also provides that the EU and the US will work together to ensure that the Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB operates effectively, including through the mobilisation of new resources. Ireland intends to facilitate the early implementation of the EU-US Declaration. “Together with UNAIDS, we will convene a conference of major donors, with invitations to the EU, the US and multilateral organisations, together with representatives of the Governments in the most affected countries, to examine specific ways in which we can strengthen our coordination in the delivery of aid for the fight against the disease. We will convene this meeting in sub Saharan Africa in the second half of 2004”, Minister Cowen said. Top