. Mr. President
. Mr. Secretary-General of the United Nations
. Honorable Delegates
. Ladies and gentlemen

I wish to thank you for this invitation and to congratulate the organizers of this special session of the United Nation's General Assembly for the opportunity to meet here in the search of solutions to the epidemic of HIV/AIDS which is creating grave problems in our countries.

Nicaragua is a small Central American country in the process of development with five million inhabitants. It has a weak economic capacity and has serious limitations that make it difficult to guarantee the basic needs of the entire population. It is a country vulnerable to natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes and floods, which come to negatively impact the national economy. The lack of financial resources, the scarcity of material resources, medicines, equipment and service infrastructure, continue to make international assistance of paramount importance to our country, even after our best efforts.

Mr. President:

The Ministry of Health of Nicaragua registered the first HIV/AIDS case in 1987. Our records show that through may 2001, we have 688 recorded cases of people infected with HIV, of which 320 have developed aids and regretfully, 174 have died.

I would like to emphasize the special situation of Nicaragua compared to other countries in the region. We are one of the least affected countries with an epidemic considered incipient or at low level. However, there is a tendency towards increase. In the last few years, the number of patients infected with HIV/AIDS has practically doubled

This is the reason why we have to reinforce a comprehensive education, prevention and awareness campaign to combat the problem and stop this trend that increases in the number of cases. At least, we have the unique advantage of having a concentrated epidemic that is in its early stages and this situation will benefit present and future generations. If we don't take full advantage of this opportunity now, we will be condemning an important number of the Nicaraguan population to the suffering, illness and death caused by the HIV/AIDS.

This special situation in our country will make it that, in terms of cost-benefit, each dollar invested in the prevention of AIDS will far exceed the eventual resources needed for the treatment of the infection and in the supply of antiretroviral. This is the reason why Nicaragua requires the support of other Governments, International Organizations, NonGovernmental Organizations and friends in general for this humanitarian cause in order to prevent and reduce the economic and social impact of HIV/AIDS in our country.

Mr. President:

We have a national strategic plan to fight against sexually transmitted diseases and against HIV/AIDS that we are planning to implement between 2001 and 2005. The plan contemplates a series of strategic and prioritizes activities designed jointly with the effort and participation of the civil society, infected patients, government institutions and international cooperation organizations.
The necessary investment to cover the most urgent needs in regards to prevention, detection and treatment to be carried out by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health, the Nicaraguan Commission for AIDS (CONSIDA) and the civil society organizations, amounts to twenty million (U.S.) Dollars.

One of our main achievements in this regard, has been the approval of law 238: "Law for the Promotion, Protection and Defense of Human Rights in Connection with AIDS". With the application of this Law, we have strengthened national coordination in regards to information, education, prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and officially establish the Nicaraguan commission for HIV/AIDS, which I personally preside as Minister of Health. This Commission works systematically, having a participatory and facilitatory role in the decision-making process. It embraces various government institutions, representatives of civil society and those people suffering with HIV/AIDS.

Another advancement has been the Law for the Security of Transfusions that was recently approved, establishing that no one, for any reason, will receive a blood transfusion without a previous examination. The Law legally binds all healthcare sectors, both private and public, to carry out theses exams to detect the antibodies for the virus of human immunodeficiency prior to any procedure.

One constant worry in Nicaragua has been the ability to provide people infected with HIV/AIDS with a comprehensive care programs that include dignified and respectful treatment of the human rights of the individual. This has been a delicate and arduous task, particularly when we recognize that we have limitations of material resources, medicines for the prevention of new infections, and the needed funds for antiretroviral therapy. The international prices in general for the antiretroviral continue to be beyond our means, even though in the last few months prices have decreased.

Therefore, while the number of people in need of antiviral therapy in Nicaragua is still relatively low, this fact encourages us to seek the financial resources needed at this advantageous time. We need international support in order achieve longer life-expectancy rates with a better and more humane quality of life. We must also offer pregnant women the means that will limit the transmission of the HIV/AIDS virus to their children at time of birth.

I would need more time to express all our desires and initiatives for the prevention and control the HIV/AIDS in Nicaragua.
Mr. President:
No one in the international community should be excluded from the joint effort of fighting the HIV virus, and in this regard I would like to express my country's concern that Taiwan having had notable progress in the pharmaceutical industry and has participated in diverse projects, collaborating with several Governments and Non-Governmental Organizations throughout the world, especially in the western pacific region in their fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic, cannot actively participate in the numerous programs within the United Nations System because they have yet to be readmitted as a full member of the United Nations Organization. An exclusion of this kind, especially considering our humanitarian ideals, should not be allowed to exist in the 21 ' century.
Mr. President:

I would like to finally express on behalf of His Excellency, Dr. Arnoldo Aleman Lacayo, President of the Republic of Nicaragua, his best intentions and determination in the fight against HIV/AIDS with comprehensive actions that will hopefully multiply and will have the support at the highest political levels.

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, and friends in general, I hope that God has enable me to express our heartfelt concern over this problem. I trust that our friends throughout the world will value our needs and thus together build a better world for the good of mankind.

Thank you very much.