[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 36 (Monday, September 8, 2003)]
[Pages 1141-1142]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Joint Statement Between the United States of America and the Kingdom of 
The Netherlands

September 3, 2003

    President Bush and Prime Minister Balkenende today agreed that 
progress in fighting the global tragedy of HIV/AIDS requires more and 
better coordination among donor and recipient governments, international 
organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private 
sector.
    The United States and the Netherlands therefore agree to cooperate 
on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care in countries in which both 
the United States and the Netherlands have significant activities, 
including countries that will receive special focus in the President's 
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The plan will start in Rwanda and Ghana 
and may expand to Zambia, Ethiopia, and possibly Sudan once a peace 
agreement is signed.
    The cooperation agreement will highlight political leadership and 
public-private partnerships, which are a focus of both the President's 
Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Netherlands 2003 AIDS Action 
Plan.
    This cooperation agreement is the first step of a joint initiative 
in which the United States and the Netherlands will seek to coordinate 
HIV/AIDS activities, strategies, and programs in African countries.

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

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