Your Excellency Mr. Chairman
Distinguished Heads of State and Government
Ladies and Gentlemen
 

1.    HIV/AIDS is a worldwide problem but it poses the biggest threat to development in the Southern African region. The pandemic is undermining our future and the future of our children. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is an emergency, requiring an emergency response by all world leaders:

Leadership and the Planning Process

Your Excellency Mr. Chairman:

2.     In Malawi, we recognise that high-level political commitment is important in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Our experience demonstrates the importance of strong political leadership and how a broad-based national consensus can be used for a strategic planning process. Our President Dr. Bakili Muluzi has been instrumental in breaking the silence against HIV/AIDS and emphasising a multi-sectoral approach to co-ordinate the national response.

3.     We set about creating an approach that emphasises social mobilization and consensus building methods to create institutional involvement at the community level. This is contained in a Strategic Framework for HIV/AIDS, which provides a broad analysis of the existing strengths and opportunities for an intensified response to HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care. It also contains goals for each of the major components of the national response, guiding principies, and broad objectives for each component, detailed budget estimates, as well as guidance on how to implement the Strategic Framework. The programme in Malawi is inclusive and involves a genuine partnership between: people living with HIV/AIDS; Government; civil society; nongovernmental organisations, the private sector and religious organisations

Prevention and Reducing Vulnerability

Your Excellency Mr. Chairman:

4.     The hope for Africa lies in the uninfected youth who account for more than 50 percent of the population throughout Africa. The success of our national programmes will therefore depend on keeping the youth HIV negative. This is the greatest challenge facing leaders throughout the world and this needs our collective energy.

5.     Empowering young people with information about HIV/AIDS is helping to reduce transmission. Young people are the most effective voice in promoting responsible sexual behaviour among the youth. This is why the Malawi Government is involving young people themselves in advocacy for change.

6.     Expanding access to education will be a-key strategy in keeping the youth HIV negative. Education equips and, empowers young people to capture and internalise relevant knowledge and to transform it into behaviour change. Girls' education is an absolute priority in this regard.

7.     Addressing gender inequality is also a key strategy to reduce the rate of transmission of HIV/AIDS. Women are more vulnerable because of their low employment status and security, as well as lower incomes. Therefore, empowering women economically and educationally is key to reducing the spread of the epidemic. In this equation, changing men's sexual behaviour, is also a crucial component in the fight to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

Care Support and Treatment

Your Excellency Mr. Chairman:

8.     We have developed a comprehensive care programme that includes voluntary counselling and testing, psychological support, palliative care, home based care, prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections and STIs and nutritional support. The final component of strengthening care is increasing access to Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs). ARVs lower the viral load and thus contribute to preventing transmission of the virus. People are more willing to undergo voluntary testing to disclose their HIV status if there is the possibility of getting treatment. Promoting access to ARVs has the potential to reduce the rate of Mother to Child Transmission. Malawi has developed a comprehensive plan for the Structured Introduction of ARV Therapy. The programme will be implemented in a carefully phased manner over a five to seven year time period.

HIV/AIDS, Debt Cancellation and Human Rights

Your Excellency Mr. Chairman

9.     African countries carry two burdens: HIV/AIDS and external debt. This debt burden of US$227 Billion remains a pervasive obstacle to Africa's capacity to address other issues and diverts scarce foreign exchange from the fight against poverty and HIV/AIDS. While the HIPC Initiative is weicome, it is inadequate to meet the urgent need to expand investment in basic social services and in HIV Prevention and Care. If, the international community is serious about promoting human rights and addressing the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, debt cancellation is a moral imperative.

Conclusion

10.     The HIV/AIDS pandemic is one of the greatest threats to our human family. More than 36 million people are currently infected with HIV. The pandemic has already claimed 22 million lives and created 13 million orphans. We can defeat this appalling epidemic, we know how to prevent transmission of the virus, and we have drugs that can prolong the lives of those infected with HIV and help them live with dignity and hope. We need US$7 to 10 Billion per annum to fully finance a Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This is less than the cost of one Stealth Bomber! We must make this global commitment and we must do it now. Let us invest in human life not human destruction. We need long-term, committed and sustained leadership to fighting HIV/AIDS. Let us therefore aim to work towards a millennium free from the scourge of HIV/AIDS

Your Excellency Mr. Chairman Ladies and Gentlemen:

I thank you.