Vol. 571 No. 2
234 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which he intends to use his influence through the EU and UN to address the issue of AIDS in Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21442/03]
As the world enters the third decade of the HIV-AIDS epidemic, the evidence of its impact is undeniable. Statistics published by UNAIDS indicate that in 2002 over 42 million people were living with the virus. By far the worst affected region, sub-Saharan Africa is now home to 29.4 million people living with HIV-AIDS. Approximately 3.5 million new infections occurred there in 2002 while the epidemic claimed the lives of an estimated 2.4 million Africans in the past year.
In this context, Ireland has prioritised HIV-AIDS in its overseas development co-operation programme. We were one of the first donors to develop a HIV-AIDS strategy and we have worked to ensure that the issue is high on the agenda of the EU and of the UN's funds and programmes. Since 2001 Ireland's financial allocations to the fight against AIDS have increased ten-fold with a budget allocation of €40 million in 2003. These resources are directed at HIV-AIDS activities at global, regional, national and community levels and are implemented through international and regional organisations and in programme countries. The latter include six highly infected countries in Southern and Eastern Africa.
In his address to the 2003 UN General Assembly high level meeting on HIV-AIDS on 23 September last, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, announced that Ireland is making HIV-AIDS a key priority during our Presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2004. A number of high level meetings and conferences will be held on this issue including, inter alia, the role of parliamentarians in the fight against HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, the issue of HIV in the context of humanitarian crises, the status of research and development into preventive technologies including a HIV vaccine and the growing pandemic in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Baltics. These meetings and conferences will provide a forum for high level policy dialogue on HIV-AIDS and reinforce political commitment within the EU member states to combat the spread of HIV and alleviate its impact.
Ireland has advocated a strong response to HIV-AIDS through financial support and representation on the executive boards of UN agencies such as UNDP and UNICEF. In addition, Ireland provides funding to the joint United Nations programme on HIV-AIDS – UNAIDS. UNAIDS is the main advocate for global action on the epidemic. It brings together the efforts and resources of eight UN system organisations to help the world prevent new HIV infections, care for those already infected, and mitigate the impact of the epidemic. Ireland currently holds a seat on the programme co-ordinating board of UNAIDS and uses its membership of this body to contribute to the strategic priorities of the organisation and to monitor the implementation of its programmes. In particular, we have a strategic interest in the expanded UN response at country level in Africa and encourage a more co-ordinated response of UNAIDS and its co-sponsors.
Ireland is also a member of the board of the global fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria. Although not a UN body, the fund was established following strong leadership by the UN Secretary General, and has led to an increase in the overall resources available to fight these diseases. UN bodies are also members of the board. Ireland uses its membership of the board to input into strategic policy orientation and uses its work at country level to feed into policy dialogue.
Ireland remains committed to combating the global HIV-AIDS pandemic and is working at global, regional and national levels to advocate for sustained political commitment, allocation of adequate resources and a co-ordinated response at country level to defeat the spread of HIV-AIDS and mitigate its impact.
Question No. 235 answered with Question No. 123.
