AEGiS-Bangkok Post: Summit axed due to lack of interest: Nine nations invited but nil acceptances

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Summit axed due to lack of interest: Nine nations invited but nil acceptances

Bangkok Post - Monday, July 5, 2004
Anjira Assavanonda

A summit between national leaders and Aids victims, a key part of the XV International Aids Conference, has been cancelled for lack of interest from the leaders.

The government has cancelled the forum, Leadership on HIV/Aids, also known as the Leadership Summit, planned for July 12.

The July 11-16 summit is a closed-door event for leaders of HIV/Aids-affected countries and donor countries to meet and map out Aids strategies.

Charal Trinvuthiphong, director-general of the Disease Control Department, said a lunch programme for leaders and people with HIV/Aids had also been cancelled. Botswana, Brazil, Nigeria, Uganda, Rawanda, Canada, China, India, Russia, the president of the European Commission, as well as United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan were invited. No leader has confirmed, while the prime ministers of India and China had confirmed they will not come.

Those countries have big problems with Aids, but say they are going through political changes and their leaders cannot spare the time.

Dr Charal said issues on the agenda for the summit would be raised instead at the Second Asia-Pacific Ministerial Meeting on HIV/Aids in Bangkok on July 10-11.

Aids activists and HIV victims, however, said the decision to scrap the leadership programme was disappointing.

Nimit Thien-udom, of the Aids Access Foundation, said the summit could have helped. ``Many of the problems we're facing are policy-related issues, including how much money goes into HIV treatment, and commitments from national leaders," he said.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra may have to work hard to show how HIV/Aids affects social policy, he said.

``People living with HIV/Aids wanted to invite the leaders to join their activities in the global village programme, so their voices could be heard. It's a shame they will not get that chance," said Mr Nimit.

Kamol Upakaew, a spokesman for HIV sufferers, said his group had hoped to raise issues with the leaders, including government's support for condom use, access to anti-retroviral drugs, and treatment for HIV-infected people. However, he hoped the results of the conference would be passed on regardless.
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