Inter Press Service - December 6, 1999
Mithre J. Sandrasagra

The first meeting of the "International Partnership Against HIV/AIDS in Africa" Monday heard from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan that the world faced a humanitarian emergency in Africa beyond the imagination of those who do not live there.

"The scale of the emergency requires us to act now and to act decisively, with the full weight of the community of nations," Annan warned.

The initial meeting of the new group formulated strategy to build still more partnerships in the ongoing battle against the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Annan outlined what he believed should be the primary objectives of the International Partnership, emphasizing the need to break the "conspiracy of silence," to "meet the needs of those already infected".

The new partnership, he said, should also help find effective methods of treatment "at prices African societies can afford" and "speed up work on developing a vaccine" against AIDS.

Additionally, he said, the partnership should try "to use every available means to halt the spread of the disease."

Annan asked "all UN agencies working in sub-Saharan Africa to put this issue at the top of their agenda, and to seek guidance and leadership from UNAIDS (the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS)...The partnership should be more than the sum of its parts."

Monday's gathering was the first time in the ongoing battle against AIDS that members of African Governments sat down with UN donors, those from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the private sector, along with members of international civil society.

The Secretary-General stressed the crucial role of local community organizations and the private sector as partners to the international community, governments and NGOs.

He reflected on the unique chance for each to learn from others' experiences, to hear what others had to offer, and to "understand what others need from us." Twenty years ago, he said the global community had not even heard of AIDS and now the deadly disease is killing millions of people worldwide - mostly in Africa.

"Today the AIDS pandemic, unexpected, unexplained and unspeakably cruel, presents us - especially in Africa - with a tragedy we can barely comprehend let alone manage." Annan said.

He commended public, private and non-governmental programmes and partnerships in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria as trail blazers in Africa's fight against AIDS.

Annan stressed, however, while "encouraging work" was being done on the AIDS front, it was far from adequate to combat "an epidemic of this magnitude." "A Call to Action" issued last week by UNAIDS, UNICEF, and the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, Inc (BLCA) said that, "no single action can make a meaningful and lasting impact on the AIDS crisis."

The three organizations stressed that, partnerships were the key to overcoming AIDS as were "increased resources, policy development, review and reform of laws, social mobilization and coordination among various sectors of government, the private sector and civil society."

The Call to Action also urged governments to "break the conspiracy of silence" surrounding the epidemic and to instead act with "openness and urgency" to fight the discrimination and ostracism that too often accompany AIDS.

At a recent symposium sponsored by the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AMFAR) at the United Nations, Uganda's Ambassador to the United Nations said that "openness" was a major factor in his nation's successful approach to combating HIV/AIDS.

"As a result, Uganda is one of the first African countries where levels of infection have been stabilized," Annan noted.

While 200,000 people died last year in Africa as a result of conflict and natural disasters, two million had died because of AIDS, Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS, told corespondents here last week on World AIDS Day.

In her remarks, Annan's deputy, Louise Frechette, said: "Believing AIDS is someone else's problem is simply not an option anymore. The AIDS crisis requires all of us to work together on all fronts." (END/IPS/mjs/td/mk/99)
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