Problem of HIV/AIDS taken very seriously
While much attention is given to the devastating effect of HIV/AIDS in Africa, I welcome the attention brought by this conference to the development of HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Asia.
Unfortunately, campaigner Bob Geldof has used the occasion to air some of his misperceptions of the EU response to the HIV/AIDS problem in Africa, including the pretended inability to mobilise funds from the European Development Fund to fight the disease. I make myself no illusion that it will be possible to convince Mr Geldof that we are taking the problem of HIV/AIDS very seriously and acting accordingly. Nevertheless, it is important to offer European taxpayers clarifications on our efforts.
The Community response entails actions to increase: (i) the impact of existing interventions; (ii) the affordability of key pharmaceuticals in developing countries; (iii) research and development for vaccines and treatments; and (iv) the effectiveness of global partnerships and regional cooperation.
To ensure an effective and swift implementation of this response, the European Commission (EC) has allocated more than €1 billion to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria from 2003-2006. This effort adds up to efforts carried out by individual member states. The EC response includes an allocation of €460 million to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria (GFATM) from 2002-6.
Mr Geldof is rightly pleading for urgent responses. And urgent responses are indeed what is needed. That is why the EC has already transferred €350m (€230m from the European Development Fund and €120m from the EU budget) to the GFATM. The next payment of €42m will be made to the GFATM before the end of March.
Mr Geldof's remarks about "the European Development Fund having had $14 billion lying there for the past two decades" is a gross misrepresentation of the facts. We do not have money lying idle on the shelf, but we do have a large amount of commitments agreed with our developing partner countries.
We have in recent years been able to clearly improve the rate of implementation of these engagements and 2003 was a record year in this regard.
The world is in a state of emergency. The spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB continues despite increased efforts in recent years. The focus on HIV/AIDS is fully justified, but it should not be forgotten that malaria kills more people. The tendency to focus only on the provision of antiretrovirals involves a risk of diverting attention away from what can really change the situation: prevention.
Poul Nielson
European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid
European Commission
200 Rue de la Loi
1049 Brussels
Belgium
