ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN UNITED KINGDOM, 4 – 6 SEPTEMBER
(Delayed in transmission.)
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in London on Sunday, 4 September, to attend the Replenishment Meeting of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
On Monday, he had a working luncheon with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw. They discussed the proposals for United Nations reform being made in advance of the 2005 World Summit to take place in New York on 14-16 September. Among other topics, they also discussed developments in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Zimbabwe.
In the afternoon, he was briefed on the progress of the Replenishment Meeting by three senior officials at that session: Richard Feachem, the Global Fund’s Executive Director; Peter Piot, the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS); and Sven Sandström, Vice-Chair of the Replenishment Meeting.
Afterwards, the Secretary-General spoke at a reception for the delegations attending the conference, which was hosted by Hilary Benn, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Development. The Secretary-General said the two-day meeting represents a key moment in the Global Fund’s life, with the replenishment process being crucial to ensuring the Fund’s long-term stability and planning. At the same time, he added, "we have entered a new phase in the fight against the epidemic -- the era of implementation". (See Press Release SG/SM/10076.)
On Tuesday, after a brief meeting with Hilary Benn and Richard Feachem on the progress of the replenishment conference, the Secretary-General co-chaired the Replenishment Meeting, saying the pledges being made would go a long way to ensuring the longer-term sustainability of the Global Fund. They will provide hope that we can make major progress in reversing the spread of AIDS and other infectious diseases.
The Secretary-General added, "It is not enough to raise more money. It is equally important to ensure that money is made to work for the people who need it most." That requires work for better coordination among donors, he said. (See Press Release SG/SM/10077.)
The Secretary-General went on to chair the pledging session of the Meeting. He also conducted several bilateral meetings with other officials participating in the conference.
The Secretary-General met with Randall Tobias, Coordinator for the United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS. They discussed the pledging conference and the United States contribution to efforts to combat AIDS.
In the afternoon, the Secretary-General also met with Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, and they focused on humanitarian issues.
Later in the day, he returned to New York.