MALE SPEAKER: Are we ready to meet the challenge to fight AIDS on the political stage, with struggles over power and resources are full? The promises have been made. Now, they have to be kept. Governments promise leadership, all of them, at the U.N. special sessions on AIDS last year, and in innumerable summits. The pharmaceutical industry has promised to make available AIDS drugs available to developing countries at affordable prices. Scientists and public health officials to work where the real needs are, not just follow the path to grants and publications. And parents, the world over, promised their children, “I will protect you. I will give you the knowledge and support that will let you protect yourself.” Break these promises and we lose the fight against AIDS.
So world leaders, take note. Success is possible. Prevention and care are complementary, not competing. Prevention secures the future, and treatment saves lives and money immediately. No nation would refuse to fight an invading army because some expert argued it would be cheaper to invest in defenses against future invasions.
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So with AIDS, it is not a matter of prioritizing lives now over lives tomorrow. And to repeat what Stefano (MS?) said, the quality of future life depends on the quality of life today.
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Treatment is technically feasibly in every part of the world. Even the lack of infrastructure is not an excuse, because I do not know a single place in the world where the real reason AIDS treatment is unavailable is that the health infrastructure has exhausted its capacity to deliver it.
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It’s not knowledge that’s the barrier. It’s political wealth. The world stood by while AIDS overwhelmed Subsaharan Africa. Never again.
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We cannot stand by as passive observers while other continents repeat history. And we must not fail Africa now in her attempts to turn back the epidemics’ devastation.
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So let’s make the AIDS response truly political. Let’s bring forward today where leaders who keep their promises on AIDS are rewarded without trust. And those who don’t lose their jobs to those who will.
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The first delivery date for promises made in the (MS?) declaration of commitment is 2003, next year. When this conference gathers again in Bangkok, we will know who has delivered. Bangkok will be a time of accountability. We did not come to Barcelona to renegotiate promises.
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We’re here to unite leadership to keep the promise. And we must make an uncompromising attack on stigma, and that’s not negotiable.
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We must strengthen the alliance that will deliver an HIV vaccine. That’s not negotiable.
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We must deliver both prevention and treatment at full scale. And that’s not negotiable.
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We must find $10 billion -- that’s not negotiable.
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So, now is the time for a movement to turn up the heat, roll up our sleeves, and deliver for our constituencies. That should be our promise, and that’s the promise we’ll keep -- and that’s not negotiable. Thank you.
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