Mr. President,
Secretary-General,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
 

My delegation is deeply grateful to the Secretary-General for convening this very needed and timely Special Session.  The last 20 years have taught the world that the HIV/AIDS epidemic is nothing less than a global emergency.  Tragically for several million people worldwide, this message has been perceived too late.  The consequences are all too visible, with families and communities destroyed, and millions of children rendered parentless.

 Yet, there is no reason why we should accept the realities of the world in which we live today. The harrowing character of the current situation, warrants nothing less than our immediate attention and action.  We can if we really want, use this Special Session to spark a process of change, by drawing on the growing political commitment to this struggle, to a world that is just and fair.

It is my delegation's hope that this Special Session is not merely an exercise in rhetoric, but will be pivotal in mobilizing and coordinating global efforts towards tackling the HIV/AIDS epidemic.  Embarking on this crusade should be the highest priority for each and every one of us at the international, regional and national level.
 

Mr. President,

There is a clear consensus in this room that parallel to international efforts, national governments have an equal obligation to advocate an expanded response, as well as, protect and fulfil the rights and well being of those affected by AIDS. With a total of 171 AIDS cases registered between 1986-2000, coupled by annual incidents of 5.3-7.6 HIV/AIDS cases per million registered in recent years, it could be argued that Croatia is a country with a low prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Nonetheless, Croatia appears to be in the initial phase of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

With the rate of HIV/AIDS infection increasing ominously in the region, building a committed and supportive government is a priority for many of our governments, including Croatia. In the case of Croatia, I would like to underscore that its national policy of fighting HIV/AIDS has been in place since 1985.   Perhaps this could be seen as a positive legacy of Croatia's strong tradition in public health and the pioneering vision of Professor Andrija Stampar, a key player in the establishment of the World Health Organization.
 

Mr. President,

Through implementing its national policy, Croatia has devised a number of essential programmes, which include the institutionalization of treatment and awareness through the creation of a Centre for HIV/AIDS in 1986 and a Reference Centre for AIDS in 1992.  Furthermore, during the 1980s by way of response to the threat of spread of the epidemic, public policy strategies were put in place such as: HIV testing on an individual voluntary basis, harm reduction practices for injecting drug users (IDU), as well as, mandatory testing of blood and blood products.  In its efforts to advocate an expanded response by the population, a national educational campaign was launched in 1987.  Under the auspices of the Ministry of Health, the National HIV/AIDS Prevention Committee was subsequently established which led to a National AIDS Prevention Program being developed in 1993.   Numerous educational activities have also been undertaken in the media and publications designed for elementary school children, adolescents, HIV/AIDS sufferers and the medical profession.   Furthermore, Croatia has been committed to providing the best possible care for those infected with HIV/AIDS, including the provision of highly active antiretroviral treatment fully covered by the national health insurance scheme.

Despite relatively good results in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in Croatia, there remains no room for complacency. Many factors exist in Croatia, which favor the spread of HIV/AIDS, including an increasing number of IDUs, high unemployment, migration and an economy in transition.
 

Mr. President,

Whilst many Croatian NGOs have played an important role in driving the HIV/AIDS agenda in parallel to governmental policies, the overriding task for Croatia for the immediate future is to develop a more multi-sectorial approach to tackling HIV/AIDS in Croatia.  In attempts to further strengthen our response to mitigate the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, we agree that partnerships should be further developed in a non-hierarchical way and recognize the valuable role the private sector.  They can play a significant role in contributing to the advancement of the fight against HIV/AIDS, especially in light of ongoing economic hardship suffered by most countries in transition.
 

Mr. President,

HIV/AIDS poses a real threat to each and every one of us and ultimate responsibility lies with us all.  However, our responses to date to the epidemic have shown humanity at both its worst and best. The AIDS epidemic demands a global vision and understanding, supported by real political will and a strategic plan of action for its control. Only then will we have what it takes to turn the epidemic around.
 

Thank you Mr. President.