ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN ITALY, 19-21 JULY

Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Rome in the late afternoon of Thursday 19 July.

Before leaving Rome for Genoa on Friday 20 July, the Secretary-General met with Jacques Diouf, the Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization  (FAO) and then with Catherine Bertini, Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).  Both organizations are based in Rome.  The meeting with Mr. Diouf included discussions on the FAO’s appeal for contributions towards a Trust Fund for Food Security to support agriculture in poor countries.  The meeting with Ms. Bertini was a one-on-one session.

On arrival in Genoa on Friday afternoon, the Secretary-General took a walk through the nearly empty streets of the northern port city.  He took a moment to chat with the very few shopkeepers who had kept their stores open and clapped when they saw him.  The Secretary-General commented on the bravery of those who had stayed open for business.

He then went to the Gran Palazzo Ducale, the G-8 Summit venue, where he met for about 15 minutes with a number of heads of State before proceeding to the courtyard of the palace to deliver a televised statement on the global fight against AIDS.

After an introduction by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, in front of all eight leaders who were seated around him, the Secretary-General said, in a brief address, that “the commitment and resources of the G-8 countries are indispensable if we are to win this battle” against AIDS.

Such leadership and commitment, he said, will signify to the millions suffering from this disease that “the world is finally summoning the will –- and committing the resources –- to win this war for all humanity.”

The newly established Global AIDS and Health Fund, he added, must become operational by the end of this year.  Noting that the Fund had already received more than a billion dollars, he said, “This is a very good beginning, but much, much more is needed.”  (See SG/SM/7895)

On Friday evening, the Secretary-General attended the Outreach session of the Summit, which was attended by the heads of State and Government of Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Bangladesh and El Salvador for a discussion of poverty-reduction strategy.  Talks continued over a working dinner hosted by Italian President, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.

The Secretary-General returned to Rome early Saturday, ending his visit to Italy.  He flew back to New York at the conclusion of a two-week trip that also took him to Zambia, Germany and Switzerland.