Mr President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    I am honoured to address you on behalf of the Government of the Netherlands at this United Nations Special Session on HIV/AIDS.

    The Government of the Netherlands hopes wholeheartedly that this meeting will inspire an even stronger personal, national and international commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS; a commitment of us, governments, in close cooperation with civil society.

    The pandemic is spreading like wildfire all over the world. Ten people are infected each and every minute - nine of them in developing countries. It is a fact that people living in poverty run a greater risk of infection; it is a fact that AIDS leads to higher costs, lower productivity and lower economic growth, creating a vicious circle. AIDS has a momentous impact on a country's development as well as on the individual lives of its inhabitants.

    The Netherlands believes that investing in poverty reduction is crucial in fighting the AIDS pandemic. Pro-poor growth and participatory governance is the best way to eradicate AIDS. Development is crucial but more is needed. Solutions for the AIDS-crisis should be based on respect for human rights as a guiding principle. Gender equality is a fundamental element in reducing vulnerability of women and girls to HIV/AIDS. Therefore empowerment of women and girls is of the essence so that they can insist on safe sex. Nondiscrimination of HIV-infected people is not just a humane act but also essential to avoid stigma; fear of stigma is a major reason for denial. HIV-infected people are members of our societies, who should have access to work and be able to travel. Promotion and protection of human rights are inherent in reducing the vulnerability for HIV/AIDS.

    This demands leadership of all of us. Political commitment is crucial. As long as political leaders trivialise or underestimate the problem, valuable time - and human lives - will continue to be lost. We have to create openness on the issue; we have to stimulate a frank and in depth approach, involving civil society, to meet the challenges we face.

    The Netherlands has taken the approach that prevention and improvement of the health care system are the cornerstone of a viable AIDS strategy. In order to win the fight against HIV/AIDS, we need to invest in improvements to basic health care. We have to be sure that those improvements correspond to the needs of developing countries. Prevention, education, information and advocacy need to be further developed on a professional and large-scale basis to reach our peoples. Our government has therefor substantially supported wholeheartedly the important work of UNAIDS and UNFPA. This Special Session should commend the invaluable work of these UN-bodies.

    Treatment, access to medication and research are of course part of a viable AIDS-strategy. The Netherlands is one of the biggest donors to the International Aids Vaccine Initiative. We must set our sights on the future and invest far more - all over the world - in the development of microbicides and a vaccine. I reiterate the Dutch government's stance that developing countries should always be in a position to produce and/or import medicines that people can afford. We have consistently emphasised the flexibility under the TRIPS agreement. The governments of developing countries should be in the position to compel pharmaceutical companies to produce for the local market or obtain cheap medicines through parallel imports.

    A few words on the financial implications now. To fight the pandemic effectively, more money is essential. The question is whether a Global Health & HIV/AIDS Fund is the right way to raise it. Many existing UN organisations, international initiatives and NGOs have more than proved their worth. They still lack sufficient resources, however. Let us not forget to better support them; let us not enter into a budgetary competition between these commendable and valuable organisations and new initiatives.

    Now that a Global Health & HIV/AIDS Fund is going to be established, I would expect the "founding fathers" to put their money where their mouth is. However, will this money be new and additional? And what conditions will be set? For example, I would be strongly opposed to any conditions that limit the flexibility of the TRIPS agreement. We need more clarity on the administration and management of the Fund. Developing countries ought to be fully involved in the Fund's ultimate structure; management of the Fund should be a fully participatory enterprise. We can no longer afford to pass up on their valuable ideas.

    The Fund should seek synergy with existing initiatives, such as the UNAIDS, UNFPA and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization and the International Aids Vaccine Initiative. Duplication or competition with existing funds and programmes should be avoided.

    Once these concerns have been fully addressed, the Government of the Netherlands will be prepared to contribute. And as usual, our contribution will be substantial and additional! Our contribution will depend on the pledges of all G7-countries in terms of additional money. We sincerely hope that the G7countries will challenge us on this.

    AIDS is a problem of the world. It doesn't know any boundaries. Every country is affected, also the Netherlands has its share in the grievance and loss AIDS brings. Since 1985 we fight a tenacious battle. Our weapons are openness, acknowledgement and information. Involvement of HIV-infected people, intravenous drugs users, homosexuals, sex workers and young people has proven to be key. Infection rates are on the decline for now; however complacency has been deleted from our word-stock.

    Twenty years after the start of the pandemic, here we are, finally, discussing it at the highest political level - forced to acknowledge that we have fallen short. Twenty years and millions of deaths later, there are no more excuses for denial or anything but openness, decisiveness and leadership. That is our pledge today.

Thank you.