Thomas P. Broughan
Question:62 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on initiatives the United Nations proposes to take to respond to the AIDS crisis in Africa. [21449/02]
Ceisteanna – Questions (Resumed). Priority Questions. - AIDS Epidemic.
In his report to the UN millennium summit in September 2000, the UN Secretary General said that HIV-AIDS threatened to reverse a generation of accomplishments in human development and is rapidly becoming a social crisis on a global scale. One of the development goals adopted by the summit was that, by 2015, the international community should have halted, and begun to reverse, the spread of HIV-AIDS. In July 2002, the joint United Nations Programme on HIV-AIDS, UNAIDS, and the World Health Organisation, WHO, reported that 40 million people were living with the HIV virus or had developed full blown AIDS. In 2001, more than five million people were newly infected and more than three million had died of the disease. While the incidence of the disease is growing rapidly in the Caribbean, Asia and eastern Europe, by far the worst affected region is the African continent. UNAIDS estimates that 25 million people, or over 70% of the global total of people infected with HIV, are living in Africa. The percentage of the adult population living with HIV is estimated to be over 35% in Botswana and over 25% in Zimbabwe. In these circumstances, a child who is now 15 years old has a 50% risk of dying of AIDS in his or her lifetime.
As the spread of HIV-AIDS is a global threat, it requires a global response. The United Nations is leading the international fight against HIV-AIDS, an issue which Kofi Annan has made one of his personal priorities. The role of the UN in the fight against HIV-AIDS was cited by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee when it awarded the prize to the Secretary General and the UN in 2001. The UN Security Council has held three open debates on the threat to international peace and security posed by HIV-AIDS. The council debate in January 2000 was the first time the council addressed a health issue. The decision by the Security Council to debate HIV-AIDS helped push the issue high up the international agenda and accelerate the international response.
In June 2001, the UN General Assembly held a special session on HIV-AIDS which the Taoiseach attended on behalf of the Government. The special session adopted a comprehensive declaration of commitments on HIV-AIDS which provides the international framework for the fight against the disease. The declaration, inter alia, endorsed the establishment of a global fund to help finance the efforts of Governments in dealing with HIV-AIDS. The global fund to fight HIV-AIDS, Malaria and TB was established in January 2002. While not formally part of the UN system, the board of the fund includes the executive directors of the World Health Organisation and UNAIDS.
Additional informationTo date, the fund has received $2.6 billion from Governments and is now responding to the requests submitted to it from developing countries for assistance in their efforts to deal with the disease. In 2002, Ireland contributed €10 million to the fund. The fight against HIV-AIDS has been integrated into all the activities of key UN development agencies such as the UN development programme, UNICEF, the UN population fund and the World Health Organisation. UNAIDS has played a central role in securing international recognition of the threat posed by HIV-AIDS and co-ordinating the response of the numerous UN agencies involved. In 2002, Ireland Aid contributed €2.9 million to UNAIDS. In 2003 Ireland will, for the first time, become a member of the programme co-ordinating board of UNAIDS which oversees all the activities of the organisation. A key element of Ireland's strategy has been to mainstream AIDS across all development activities supported. I recently met the administrator of the UNDP and emphasised the need for a stronger response to AIDS across all UN programmes.
While the UN continues to lead the international response to the HIV-AIDS epidemic, particularly in Africa, the UN Secretary General has pointed out that the key to success is the political commitment of the Governments of the most affected countries. In countries such as Thailand, Senegal and Uganda where the Governments have recognised the threat and worked to implement national plans to fight the disease, the rates of infection are declining.
What proportion of the commitment pledged has been delivered? I ask the Minister of State to address the situation in an African country, such as Uganda, which is one of the worst affected areas. The price of a bag of coffee there is now only 34% of what it was five years ago. The international trade regime has undermined the capacity of African people to respond to the AIDS crisis. Aid has decreased and, as I understand it, a very small proportion of the specific commitments made to the global fund have been met.
While the global fund has received $2.6 billion, the UN Secretary General has estimated that between $7 billion and $10 billion will be required to halt and reverse the spread of the disease, treat the sick and care for the orphaned. The executive director of the fund confirmed to me during his recent visit to Dublin that Ireland is the only country to have paid its contribution to the fund in full and on time.
That is scandalous.
I agree with the Deputy. It is a reflection of the fact that many countries fail to honour their commitments. I raised this issue with the UN Secretary General and we will continue to pursue it at every opportunity. The Deputy's point in relation to coffee prices is really a separate question. However, that issue is on the agenda for a meeting of the General Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers which the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, and I will attend next week.
In view of the extent of the AIDS problem, particularly in the developing world, and having regard to the abolition of the Development Council of the EU, which EU Council will lead on this issue? What are the Minister of State's priorities for turning this situation around? What influence has the EU Council of Ministers on the pharmaceutical industry to make available, at a reasonable price, to the Governments of those countries the necessary medication to treat people suffering from HIV-AIDS?
As I said in reply to Deputy Higgins, the EU Development Council has been integrated with the General Affairs Council. While one could argue for and against that, my view is that the new arrangement gives added strength to the voice of Ireland on this issue. The Taoiseach has taken a special interest in this matter and raised it at the special session of the UN in 2001. As part of my responsibility for overseas development and human rights, I have made it a priority for my Department. This year, €50 million will be spent on the treatment of people affected by HIV-AIDS and the care of orphans. On my visit to Malawi and Zambia shortly after my appointment as Minister of State, I saw the work being done by Irish Aid and NGOs in this regard.
With regard to pharmaceuticals, I was previously involved in this issue at WTO level as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment when EU Trade Ministers introduced the TRIPS Agreement which has allowed for cheaper generic medicines to be made available in the developing world. This policy is an important achievement of the European Union. The executive director of the global fund, Professor Richard Beecham, visited this country recently and is very supportive in this regard. The Clinton Foundation is also keen to work with Ireland, the UK and Sweden in dealing with the treatment aspect. Our objective is to link in with like-minded people who are working to eradicate this pandemic in Africa.
Does the Minister of State agree that in relation to the AIDS crisis in Africa, UNFPA is making a significant contribution towards improving the situation? Has he any comment on the approach of the US Government in relation to UNFPA and the withdrawal of funds from that organisation? Will that affect the Irish Government's view of UNFPA?
The policy change on this fund by the administration has had no impact on the Government's position. The UN population fund does extremely important work in women's health care and, as the Deputy outlined, the prevention of the spread of HIV and AIDS. The Government's position is clear. During my recent visit to the United Nations I met the head of that organisation and assured her of our continued support.