For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 26, 2004

Text of U.S. - EU Declaration on HIV/Aids, Malaria, and Tuberculosis
Dromoland Castle
Shannon, Ireland

1. The spread of communicable diseases is one of the biggest threats to human life, prosperity, and security. The HIV/AIDS epidemic, in particular, is one of the biggest global challenges of our time. Twenty years after the disease was first identified, it continues to spread rapidly. Its impact is most devastating in regions least able to mount a defence, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, where it is now rolling back many years of progress in human development, worsening poverty and eroding progress towards the internationally agreed development goals. In some parts of Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, HIV/AIDS threatens similar tragedies. Effectively rising to the challenge of HIV/AIDS is a key test for governments, multilateral organisations, the private sector, and civil society in the 21st century.

2. The United States and the European Union welcome the strong leadership, internationally and by many national governments, that is now being demonstrated in responding to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. We also welcome the fact that this leadership is reflected in a significant increase in the resources that we have allocated to fight the epidemic. We are committed to turning the tide on this disease and pledge to work effectively and in coordination with partners, especially in countries facing high current and potential disease burdens, through both bilateral and multilateral means.

3. In recognition of the extent of the crisis and of our joint commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases, we are determined to further strengthen our co-operation with a particular focus on the following areas:

Global

4. We support the U.N. Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. We believe that steps should be taken to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in accordance with the time frames set out in the Declaration.

We have been instrumental in establishing, resourcing, and promoting the effectiveness of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. We have supported the promising work of the Global Fund in confronting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. We are dedicated to ensuring that Fund resources are available to countries most severely affected by these diseases. We are determined to continue working together to promote the effective operation of this new global mechanism, including the mobilisation of new resources. We are also determined to ensure that it promptly disburses funding in support of programmes that are directed at prevention, treatment, and the care of people living with HIV/AIDS in recipient countries and that provide affordable access to medicines and commodities.

5. In this context, we underline the importance of the work in the WTO related to paragraph 6 of the Doha Ministerial Declaration of 14 November 2001 on TRIPS and Public Health. We undertake to cooperate on the corresponding amendment of the TRIPS Agreement in an expeditious manner.

6. Our governments will also continue to support ongoing efforts to develop technologies to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, such as vaccines and microbicides. In the long term, such tools will be a key to reducing and ultimately ending the pandemic. We dedicate ourselves and encourage others, including the private sector, to investing necessary resources and working together collaboratively to accelerate the development of vaccines and preventive technologies.

Country

7. We reaffirm our broad and sustained commitment to supporting national AIDS responses. We endorse the "Three Ones": ONE agreed HIV/AIDS Action Framework that provides the basis for coordinating the work of all partners; ONE National AIDS Coordinating Authority with a broad-based multi-sector mandate; and ONE agreed country-level Monitoring and Evaluation System.

8. The "Three Ones" are key principles for concerted action at country level, with a view toward achieving the most effective and efficient use of available resources and ensuring rapid action and transparent, accountable, and results-based management. We will work together with UNAIDS and all our partners to ensure our programmes strengthen local capacity for the effective monitoring and evaluation of HIV/AIDS programmes. We are determined to support the efforts of UNAIDS to facilitate action-oriented policy dialogue, on progress towards the "Three Ones" principles for concerted AIDS action at the country level, and on issues arising from implementation and coordination of country programmes. In this context, we stand prepared to cooperate with UNAIDS on sharing information and reviewing and strengthening the co-ordination of HIV/AIDS responses at the country level.

Private Sector and Civil Society

9. We recognise the positive response of many private sector corporations, foundations, trade unions and associations, non-governmental and faith-based organizations, and associations of people living with HIV/AIDS in responding to the pandemic. We call for a strengthening of this response and a deepening of collaboration between the EU and U.S. private sectors, with a view to investing in programmes that are directed at the prevention, care, and treatment of HIV/AIDS, particularly in the most affected or threatened countries. We call, in particular, for new efforts to explore opportunities for a greater, better-coordinated engagement by these organisations in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

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