Mr. Vice President

We align ourselves with the statement by Germany, on behalf of the European Union, but let me add a few remarks.

The report of the Secretary General over the past 12 months shows that some progress has been made. There is however no reason for complacency, as many of the goals and targets that the international community has set, have not been achieved. They require more effort and sustained action. We should move more forcefully from global consensus to country-level action. The fight against HIV/AIDS is far from over.

The clear interlinkage between the MDG’s calls for action at all levels. Without progress on MDG 6, combating HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, we will fail on other MDG’s. Equally vital in the fight against AIDS are MDG’s 3 and 5, on Gender Equality and Maternal Health. Reproductive rights and access to reproductive health services are essential for development, but at present far from being realized and achieved.

We applaud the new target on Universal Access by 2010 for all those who need it. Prevention, treatment care and support should be intégral parts of the package for HIV/AIDS . We need to increase our efforts on prevention, which according to the Secretary General’s report, has been lagging.

The three factors at the basis of this backlog are:

1. insufficient investment in prevention programmes,

2. low coverage of prevention for groups that are most at risk, such as intravenous drug users, and people engaged in risky sexual behaviour and

3. Lack of action against the drivers of the epidemic, such as gender inequality, stigma and discrimination, and the failure to protect human rights.

We cannot allow our response against AIDS, which is finally picking up speed, to be hampered by millions of new infections each year. Young people should be given comprehensive sexuality education and access to services and commodities, such as male and female condoms. We recognize and appreciate the PGA’s important comments this morning on the need for education and reproductive health services for young people.

It is very disappointing to read that in many countries there is neither willingness nor capacity to focus on the legal, social, economic and cultural issues that drive the epidemic. This implies that international funding is not used optimally, prevention interventions are not well targeted nor evidence based. From a financial, good governance and humanitarian point of view, resources are being wasted and opportunities missed. We can not afford such a waste. While prevention needs increased attention, it is also important to increase sustained access to treatment services. While some regions have shown good progress towards increasing treatment, others are lagging behind. Coverage for children in need of peadiatric treatment is vital. In low and middle income countries, currently only 8% recieves antiretrovíral therapy. This must change. More attention for paediatric treatment in national programmes and a decrease in prices for paediatric ARV’s are vital for children.

Madam President,

Finally a word on health systems. Our efforts for Universal Access are not sustainable nor achievable without more investments in health systems. ARV treatment can only be effective, if it is administered and monitored by health professionals working in a well functioning national health system. The importance of health systems in HIV/AIDS treatment has long been underestimated. Insurance schemes are important tools to make health systems more sustainable, to guarantee the predictability and sustainability of funding and to mitigate the risk of impoverished households. The Netherlands has recently invested 135 Million dollars in a Health Insurance Fund (HIF) to increase coverage of health insurance in developing countries.

25 years into the pandemic, much has happened in terms of knowledge, global commitment and financial support. Through the concerted efforts of governments, UN-and other development actors and civil society organizations, we know what works and we know how to achieve it. It is high time that we deliver on our promises and jointly do what is so obviously needed.