Back
Statement by
H.E. Mr. George Iacovou
Minister of Foreign Affairs
At the UN High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS
New York , 22 September 2003
Distinguished
Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Three decades after the first AIDS case was reported humanity is faced with a global and persistent humanitarian disaster, which has gravely affected entire geographic regions. Our inability to substantially contain the number of infections and formulate multi-dimensional policies to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic, result in two million agonizing deaths a year. Variables such as poverty and increasing inequalities in wealth distribution, socio-economic underdevelopment, gender inequality, illiteracy, restricted access to information, and armed conflict inhibit our efforts to arrest the spread of HIV.
We welcome the
achievements of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. We also welcome
the work of other agencies within the United Nations System and commend them for
their dedication to prevent, monitor, and support individuals and communities.
Their efforts, in combination with the considerable growth in HIV-related
expenditure, signify the immensely significant role of the United Nations in
fighting the pandemic. We consider that a successful strategy should also
encompass Programmes operating on a regional level and tasked with complementing
National Programmes. The implementation of existing agreements aiming to make
HIV medication affordable in developing countries must also be ensured, an
endeavour that could prolong the lives of millions of sufferers in some of the
most deprived areas.
Mr.
President,
My
delegation has aligned itself with the statement presented earlier by the
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy on behalf of the European Union. I would,
therefore,
like to take this opportunity to make a few remarks on the situation of
HIV/AIDS in Cyprus.
Since
the diagnosis of its first AIDS case in 1986, Cyprus has considered the issue to
be among its highest priorities, which is one of the main reasons it remains a
very low prevalence country with 0,1% of the population infected. All
initiatives pursued by the Cyprus Government since 1986 have been conducted in
close co-operation with the World Health Organisation. We have proceeded to
establish the National AIDS Committee of Cyprus, which comprises all competent
governmental authorities and departments in Cyprus, as well as private
institutions and NGOs, and set up a specialized agency responsible for policy in
this field.
The
agency’s primary function is to offer patients living with HIV and AIDS (at no
cost to them) the most advanced combination of medical treatments and the
necessary social support to sustain their quality of life. The aforementioned
Committee also acts as a mechanism against discrimination of HIV positive
citizens and has targeted public awareness, especially among high-risk groups,
to maintain the existing low incidence.
Even
though data patterns regarding HIV infection have been governed by stability and
consistency since the first case was reported, the situation continues to be
closely monitored by conducting studies to assess the threat posed by factors
intimately linked to the virus, such as sexual behaviour and drug abuse.
Moreover, Cyprus is currently drafting a new Strategic Plan, which will
incorporate all new developments regarding HIV, and will stress multilevel
interventions and intersectoral collaboration.
Lastly,
the updated and comprehensive legal framework intended to safeguard the equal
treatment of all citizens regardless of their health status, forms the basis of
our attempts to eliminate any stigmatisation with regard to AIDS patients.
I
wish to reiterate, on behalf of my Government, our determination to preserve an
active interest on a national and international level in order to maximize the
efficacy of our actions. We should not permit the failure of this impressive
initiative by the UN Secretary General to collectively mobilize the resources of
the International Community in order to restrict the pervasiveness and impact of
this ruthless pandemic.
Thank
you.
* * * * *
Back