[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 51 (Monday, December 25, 2000)]
[Pages 3109-3110]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement of the United States and the European Union on Communicable 
Diseases in Africa

December 18, 2000

    At the Queluz Summit on May 31, 2000 the U.S. and EU made a 
commitment to help stem and roll back the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria 
and tuberculosis in Africa, and to address their severe economic, social 
and personal consequences. The scope of the problem requires a multi-
faceted approach and the mobilisation of significant resources. As proof 
of this commitment, the U.S. and EU have dramatically increased 
financial resources dedicated to combating these scourges. Together we 
are now waging the battle against these diseases on all of the major 
fronts.
    The U.S. and EU agree that the response to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis 
and malaria must be placed within a broad multisectoral framework of 
development aiming at the overall objective of alleviating poverty and 
to ensure a lasting impact of any specific action to combat HIV/AIDS, 
malaria and tuberculosis. The U.S. and EU call upon countries to address 
and incorporate fully the health and development implications of HIV/
AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in the elaboration of their poverty 
reduction strategies and programs.
    The U.S. and EU plan to coordinate among the appropriate 
institutions and organisations at the global and regional level in order 
to ensure that all aspects of the response are endorsed by relevant 
stakeholders. The U.S. and EU are working to ensure that governments, 
institutions and civil society, including NGOs and the private sector, 
fully participate in these efforts.

Diplomatic Cooperation in Africa

    The U.S. and EU participate together in donor coordination groups 
across Africa, assessing local needs and capacities and developing 
diplomatic and public awareness strategies. U.S. and EU diplomats have 
successfully encouraged African leaders to speak openly about the threat 
of HIV/AIDS, to set national priorities, to establish high level 
governmental coordinating mechanisms, to establish broad health sector 
and action plans to strengthen regional, national and local capacity to 
deliver health services and treatment, and to commit resources. We are 
making great strides in ensuring that our diplomatic activities are 
responsive to the needs and priorities of host countries, and complement 
the activities of other donor partners.
 <bullet>    Regular high-level coordination involving the U.S. and EU, 
            other donors and host governments has been established in 
            several African countries. Similar coordination is proposed 
            throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Development Assistance Cooperation

    The U.S. and the EU are working together in planning and 
implementing country activities that are responsive to the needs and 
priorities of countries and regions. This assistance is being placed 
within national and regional health and development frameworks.

[[Page 3110]]

 <bullet>    The U.S. and the EU are collaborating in sub-Saharan 
            African countries to support health policies and activities 
            aiming at preventing the expansion of the diseases and at 
            caring for and supporting people with HIV/AIDS, malaria and 
            tuberculosis and those close to them.
 <bullet>    The U.S. and the EU are enhancing their support for 
            national health and other sector plans and policies. This 
            support can take the form of a general support, either 
            direct or through budget, or by supporting specific elements 
            of those plans and policies for combating HIV/AIDS, malaria 
            and tuberculosis, for example training, provision of 
            commodities such as condoms and test kits, and improving 
            access to interventions that reduce mother-to-infant HIV 
            transmission.
 <bullet>    Under the enhanced HIPC initiative, the U.S. and the EU 
            will work together in close collaboration with national 
            authorities of selected countries to identify mechanisms for 
            the utilisation of debt relief towards comprehensive social 
            programs responding to the challenge of HIV/AIDS, 
            tuberculosis and malaria.
 <bullet>    The U.S. and the EU will set up a working group to identify 
            and take advantage of their respective comparative 
            advantages in supporting procurement and the provision of 
            technical assistance.

International Partnerships

    The U.S. and the EU jointly support multilateral HIV/AIDS 
initiatives such as UNAIDS and the International Partnership against 
AIDS in Africa. The U.S. and the EU continue to support the Roll Back 
Malaria Initiative and the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria, as well 
as coordinating our assistance to the Stop TB Initiative and the TB 
Coalition.
    The U.S. and the EU support new innovative partnerships to increase 
the availability and affordability of global public goods.

Research Cooperation

    The U.S. and the EU agree that to combat these diseases, the 
international scientific community needs to work together. Long-term 
investments in the full range of scientific endeavour are necessary to 
accelerate the development and evaluation of new and affordable vaccines 
and drugs.
 <bullet>    The U.S. and the EU are enlarging public investment in 
            research and development activities focused on confronting 
            the three communicable diseases, and call upon the private 
            sector to follow this example.
 <bullet>    The U.S. and the EU will work together to strengthen the 
            coordination of research projects and to ensure that the 
            coordinated efforts contribute to strengthening sustainable 
            capacities at local, national and regional levels in Africa.

Access to affordable drugs, vaccines and other commodities

    Better access to affordable pharmaceuticals and commodities to 
prevent or to treat the three communicable diseases is crucial. The U.S. 
and the EU will seek to assist in setting up effective infrastructures 
and will take steps to make key medicines and commodities more 
affordable and available. African leaders' commitment to improving 
health systems is essential to the success of these efforts, and we 
stand ready to provide technical assistance in this regard.
 <bullet>    The U.S. and the EU urge the pharmaceutical industry to 
            make drugs for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis more 
            affordable, particularly for the poorest countries. We 
            reaffirm the importance of providing more affordable pricing 
            and strict compliance with safety and quality assurance laws 
            and regulations.

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.