Annan: No Effort Must Be Spared In HIV/AIDS Fight

ANNAN SAYS NO EFFORT MUST BE SPARED IN FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS

New York, Jun 22 2005 8:00AM

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called on donors to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to make every effort to fund and coordinate implementation of anti-HIV/AIDS programmes so that help can be delivered speedily to those in need.

In a message delivered by Executive Director Peter Piot of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Mr. Annan said, "The UNAIDS family and I remain fully committed to working with the Global Fund, particularly at the country level, to ensure that obstacles to implementation are overcome. Let us spare no effort in our work to accelerate the delivery of life-saving programmes to the people who need them most."

Mr. Annan chairs the Fund's Voluntary Replenishment Mechanism.

With the fight against the pandemic having reached the crucial stage of programme implementation, greater sustainability in funding is vital to ensure coherent collaboration among all the parties involved, he said in his message to the Fund's Round Five Replenishment Meeting in Rome, Italy.

In that regard, he thanked the Global Fund for taking part in the work of the Global Task Team on improving coordination of AIDS programmes among multilateral institutions, including the UN World Health Organization (WHO), and donors.

"I am glad that UNAIDS and WHO have joined forces with the Fund in writing to all donors to urge them to support the Round and maintain the momentum that is building at the country level," he added.

The Global Fund said it spent $3.1 billion from the first four rounds over two years to support programmes in 127 countries.

The Fund has provided major support for the expansion of programmes, as have the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the World Bank, and the national Governments themselves, Mr. Annan said.

ENDS

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