For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 26, 2004
Text of U.S. - EU Declaration on Hiv/Aids, Malaria, and Tuberculosis
Dromoland Castle
Shannon, Ireland
1. The spread of communicable diseases is one of the biggest
threats to human life, prosperity, and security. The HIV/AIDS
epidemic, in particular, is one of the biggest global challenges of our
time. Twenty years after the disease was first identified, it
continues to spread rapidly. Its impact is most devastating in regions
least able to mount a defence, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, where
it is now rolling back many years of progress in human development,
worsening poverty and eroding progress towards the internationally
agreed development goals. In some parts of Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin
America, and the Caribbean, HIV/AIDS threatens similar tragedies.
Effectively rising to the challenge of HIV/AIDS is a key test for
governments, multilateral organisations, the private sector, and civil
society in the 21st century.
2. The United States and the European Union welcome the strong
leadership, internationally and by many national governments, that is
now being demonstrated in responding to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.
We also welcome the fact that this leadership is reflected in a
significant increase in the resources that we have allocated to fight
the epidemic. We are committed to turning the tide on this disease and
pledge to work effectively and in coordination with partners,
especially in countries facing high current and potential disease
burdens, through both bilateral and multilateral means.
3. In recognition of the extent of the crisis and of our joint
commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases, we are
determined to further strengthen our co-operation with a particular
focus on the following areas:
Global
4. We support the U.N. Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS.
We believe that steps should be taken to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in
accordance with the time frames set out in the Declaration.
We have been instrumental in establishing, resourcing, and
promoting the effectiveness of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. We have supported the promising work of the Global Fund
in confronting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. We are dedicated
to ensuring that Fund resources are available to countries most
severely affected by these diseases. We are determined to continue working together to promote the effective operation of this new global mechanism, including the mobilisation of new resources. We are
also determined to ensure that it promptly disburses funding in support
of programmes that are directed at prevention, treatment, and the care
of people living with HIV/AIDS in recipient countries and that provide affordable access to medicines and commodities.
5. In this context, we underline the importance of the work in the
WTO related to paragraph 6 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration of 14 November 2001 on TRIPS and Public Health. We undertake to
cooperate on the corresponding amendment of the TRIPS Agreement in an
expeditious manner.
6. Our governments will also continue to support ongoing efforts to
develop technologies to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, such as vaccines
and microbicides. In the long term, such tools will be a key to
reducing and ultimately ending the pandemic. We dedicate ourselves and
encourage others, including the private sector, to investing necessary
resources and working together collaboratively to accelerate the development of vaccines and preventive technologies.
Country
7. We reaffirm our broad and sustained commitment to supporting
national AIDS responses. We endorse the "Three Ones": ONE agreed HIV/AIDS Action Framework that provides the basis for coordinating the work of all partners; ONE National AIDS Coordinating Authority with a broad-based multi-sector mandate; and ONE agreed country-level Monitoring and Evaluation System.
8. The "Three Ones" are key principles for concerted action at
country level, with a view toward achieving the most effective and
efficient use of available resources and ensuring rapid action and transparent, accountable, and results-based management. We will work together with UNAIDS and all our partners to ensure our programmes strengthen local capacity for the effective monitoring and evaluation of HIV/AIDS programmes. We are determined to support the efforts of UNAIDS to facilitate action-oriented policy dialogue, on progress towards the "Three Ones" principles for concerted AIDS action at the country
level, and on issues arising from implementation and coordination of
country programmes. In this context, we stand prepared to cooperate with
UNAIDS on sharing information and reviewing and strengthening the
co-ordination of HIV/AIDS responses at the country level.
Private Sector and Civil Society
9. We recognise the positive response of many private sector
corporations, foundations, trade unions and associations, non-governmental and faith-based organizations, and associations of people living with HIV/AIDS in responding to the pandemic. We call for a
strengthening of this response and a deepening of collaboration between the EU and U.S. private sectors, with a view to investing in programmes that are directed at the prevention, care, and treatment of HIV/AIDS, particularly in the most affected or threatened countries. We call, in particular, for new efforts to explore opportunities for a greater, better-coordinated engagement by these organisations in the global
fight against HIV/AIDS.
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