Excellencies,Ladies and Gentlemen.
Let me start by thanking the Secretary-General for his very comprehensive progress report to the General Assembly.
Sweden fully aligns itself with the statement held by Germany on behalf of the European Union.
Sweden would, in addition to what has already been said, like to highlight a few issues in particular, the need of a clear focus on evidence-based prevention activities, and in this regard the special needs of women and young girls as being among the most important ones. The clear link between HIV and AIDS and sexual and reproductive health and rights being another. It is also clear that we need to expand treatment services, even in poor countries, and that all these efforts require strengthened health systems and improved human resources.
A special focus should be put on the need to address the drivers of the pandemic and to identify vulnerable populations in need of support. This is about the full respect for human rights, the right for people to have access to information, to knowledge and services, the right for those people not to be subjected to stigma and discrimination and the right to decide over one’s own body.
As mentioned in the Secretary General’s report funds available for HIV and AIDS are growing steadily year by year. So is also the number of new actors. This is very encouraging. But this positive trend will of course require better coherence, increased collaboration and coordination. Therefore the full implementation of the Paris-agenda will be of outmost importance.
In many ways the international response to HIV and AIDS has shown that there is a wide-spread willingness to reform the system and to work better together towards the same shared goals. We can see a preparedness to focus on results and to introduce performance based disbursement systems.
The UN system has played and will continue to play a critical role. The establishment of UNAIDS, more than ten years back, was in itself a positive reform. The broad UN support for the Three Ones Principles and the implementation of the recommendations from the Global Task Team Process constitute inspiring examples of the will and preparedness to move forward.
But let me state, this is not only about the UN. The need for better coherence, collaboration and coordination goes for all actors, large and small, public and civil society, national and international. We must find ways to ensure that the UN, the IFI:s, the major global initiatives and mechanisms and bilateral donors harmonize in the best possible ways.
Moreover, it is critical never to forget the most important overriding, principle; the absolute need to support national ownership and leadership in order to align to national priorities, plans and budgets. Only then will the response be sustainable. Only then will there be long term results, effectiveness and impact on the ground. All efforts require predictable, stable and long-term resources from all actors at all levels. The Secretary General’s Report identifies and presents the overall resource needs for the fight against the pandemic in the years ahead. The figures are huge and we note that, even with the steady increase in funds for AIDS that has been granted in the last years, the gap to finance is still substantive.
For more than 1,25 million people, “the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria” has meant a new life, and more than 3000 additional people survive day by day thanks to programmes financed by the fund.
Recently the Board of the Global Fund agreed on a funding target for year 2010 to the tune of USD 6 billion, with a further possible increase to USD 8 billion per year, “if the demand is there”. But support only to the Global Fund will not suffice. It must be matched by a similar support for UNAIDS, WHO and many other agencies involved in the fight against the pandemic. And not least support for the countries themselves.
Partners at all levels must transform nice words into deeds. Partners must deliver on their promises and their commitments. At national level Governments have to make sure that HIV and AIDS become part of the national planning process, of national priority settings and budgeting.
In closing I would like to thank UNAIDS for its dedicated leadership something Sweden has appreciated very much during this year when Sweden has been in the Chair of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board.
Thank you, Mr. President.