Statements and Webcast
Eritrea
H.E. Mr. Araya Desta, Permanent Representative
10 June 2011
- Statement: English (Check against delivery)
Statement Summary
ARAYA DESTA (Eritrea) said that, today, a growing number of countries had joined in adopting appropriate policies, strategies and programmes essential to reducing HIV prevalence, expanding access to treatment and enhancing respect for the dignity and human rights of those affected by the killer disease. But the world could not be complacent or remain unaffected by the continued suffering. In sub-Saharan Africa, alone, 22 million people were living with HIV and AIDS, and in 2009, roughly 2 million people were reportedly newly infected, while another 1.3 million AIDS-related deaths had occurred.
Against that backdrop, he said that, whatever efforts were employed, the key words were “scaling up”. Thus, the review process should give serious consideration to scaling up collective efforts towards universal access to comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programmes. “Time is of the essence,” he said. “Let’s not forget that the infectious disease was first reported in the eighties, yet it took us over a decade to get together and acknowledge its occurrence and the danger it posed to humanity.” Pledging Eritrea’s commitment to the full implementation and realization of the time-bound and measurable goals and targets of the document before the Assembly, he said the text’s implementation must be followed by unified action.
Source: GA/11093