Cablegate: Government Paper Calls On West to Relax

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS HARARE 001615

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
LONDON FOR GURNEY
PARIS FOR NEARY
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO ZI
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT PAPER CALLS ON WEST TO RELAX
PATENT PROTECTION AND IMPROVE AFRICAN ACCESS TO ARV
DRUGS

1. Under headline "AIDS statistics sobering" the
government-controlled weekly "The Sunday News"
dedicated its July 7 editorial to calling on Western
countries to "amend intellectual property regulations"
so as to pave the way for African countries to
manufacture low-cost antiretroviral drugs. Excerpts:

2. ". . .The statistics for Africa are worrying. A
total of 28 million Africans are infected, more than
two thirds of people who die of HIV-related illnesses
live in sub-Saharan Africa. In Western countries,
antiretroviral drugs have reduced HIV to a manageable
chronic illness rather than a death sentence. The
World Trade Organization and its powerful leaders in
the United States and Europe should amend intellectual
property regulations to allow African countries to
manufacture cheap antiretroviral drugs or to import
these life-saving medicines at a discount. African
governments cannot win the AIDS fight alone."

SULLIVAN

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