SECRETARY-GENERAL APPLAUDS ADOPTION OF POLITICAL DECLARATION BY GENERAL ASSMEBLY HIGH-LEVEL MEETING

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPLAUDS ADOPTION OF POLITICAL DECLARATION

BY GENERAL ASSMEBLY HIGH-LEVEL MEETING

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General applauds the adoption of the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS by the High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

He is particularly heartened that, with this Declaration, Governments have committed themselves to actions to promote gender equality, the empowerment of women and the protection of girls; respect for the full rights of people living with HIV/AIDS; strengthened protection for all vulnerable groups -- whether young people, sex workers, injecting drug users, or men who have sex with men; provision of the full range of HIV-prevention measures, including male and female condoms and sterile injection equipment; and the full engagement in the response of the private sector and civil society, including people living with HIV.  He warmly welcomes the call for $20-23 billion to be spent on the response to HIV/AIDS by 2010.

The Secretary-General hopes that, with this Declaration, world leaders have finally placed on the record the personal commitment and leadership needed to win the fight against HIV/AIDS -- the greatest challenge of our generation.

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For information media • not an official record