[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 50 (Monday, December 18, 2006)]
[Pages 2158-2162]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the White House Summit on Malaria

December 14, 2006

    The President. Thank you. Please be seated. Thanks for inviting me 
to what sounded like a festive occasion. [Laughter] I'm honored to be 
here. I'm pleased to visit with you all here at the National Geographic 
Society, and I want to thank you for inviting me to come to this 
important conference. I appreciate all of today's speakers, including my 
personal favorite--[laughter]--Laura.
    As you conclude this summit, we turn our thoughts to those who carry 
the burden of sickness during this holiday season. There are members of 
our own families here in America who are ill, and they live in villages 
halfway around the world. For many of their illnesses, there is a known 
relief; for many, there is no known relief. Yet for malaria, we know 
exactly what it takes to prevent and treat the disease. The only 
question is whether we have the will to act. All of you have heard the 
call to act, and you have responded, and I appreciate your compassion.
    Because of your work, children who once wanted [sic] to die are now 
preparing to live, and whole regions are replacing suffering and fear 
with hope and health. We can take pride in the progress we have made, 
and today we will renew our commitment to a world without malaria.
    I've just had a state visit, an important visit, with a remarkable 
leader from Benin. Mr. President and Mrs. Yayi, welcome to America, and 
thank you for being here.
    The President is committed to a free society. He understands the 
need to confront illness so his people can live in peace. And, Mr. 
President, I thank you very much for your commitment and your 
willingness to work with those who want to help to eliminate malaria in 
your country.
    I want to thank members of my Cabinet who are here, particularly 
Madam Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings. Thanks for coming. I 
thank Randy Tobias. He's the Director of USAID. He, by the way, led the 
initiative to help put America squarely in the fight to eliminate HIV/
AIDS on the continent of Africa. Randy, you will have a wonderful legacy 
in your service to our country, and I want to thank you.
    I appreciate Admiral Tony [Timothy] * Ziemer. He is the U.S. Malaria 
Coordinator. I see a lot of people who are working hard in my 
administration on these initiatives, and I thank you for your 
participation. I thank members of the diplomatic corps who have joined 
us. I want to thank Members of Congress--I think that's Senator Leahy, 
Senator Frist--[laughter]--thank you all for coming. Thank you for 
taking an interest in it--Congressman Smith. I'd better stop. [Laughter] 
I think I'm going to leave somebody out. But I want to thank you all for 
your interest in this initiative.
    * White House correction.
    I appreciate John Fahey--he's the president and CEO of National 
Geographic Society--and Gil Grosvenor. I want to thank Ray Chambers, who 
is the chairman of the board of Malaria No More. I thank all the social 
entrepreneurs who are here. I think people will understand that there is 
a call to act when we see a crisis at hand, and I want to thank you for 
acting. I appreciate Isaiah Washington, who is the emcee of this event. 
I want to thank all the program participants. Thank you all for coming.
    By bringing together such a wide variety of people, this summit is 
sending a clear message that we are determined to defeat malaria. We are 
also sending a broader message about America's purpose in the world. In 
this new century, there is a great divide between those who place no 
value on human life and rejoice in the suffering of others and those

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who believe that every life has matchless value and answer suffering 
with compassion and kindness.
    The contrast is vivid, and the position of America is clear: We will 
lead the cause of freedom, justice, and hope, because both our values 
and our interests demand it. We believe in the timeless truth: To whom 
much is given, much is required. We also know that nations with free, 
healthy, prosperous people will be sources of stability, not breeding 
grounds for extremists and hate and terror. By making the world more 
hopeful, we make the world more peaceful. And by helping others, the 
American people must understand, we help ourselves.
    One area in which America has a tremendous potential to help is in 
the fight against malaria. At home, malaria was eliminated decades ago. 
It is possible to eliminate malaria. In Africa, malaria remains a 
persistent killer. I think our citizens will be amazed to hear that last 
year, about a million Africans died of malaria. The vast majority were 
children under five; their lives ended by nothing more than a mosquito 
bite. In some countries, more people die of malaria than HIV/AIDS, and 
last week, a new study showed that people who contract malaria become 
more likely to spread HIV. The burden of malaria costs sub-Saharan 
Africa an estimated $12 billion a year. And if the disease continues to 
spread, the cost in lives and lost productivity is going to grow 
exponentially worse. Now is the time to act.
    Allowing Africa to continue on that path is just simply 
unacceptable. So we are acting, and we're leading. And with partners 
across the world, we are helping the people of Africa turn the tide 
against malaria. The goal of defeating malaria is a challenging goal, 
yet it can be done. It's not going to require a miracle; it just 
requires a smart, sustained, focused effort. And that's what we're here 
to talk about.
    Experts have identified four key steps for combating malaria in 
Africa: distributing insecticide-treated bed nets; expanding indoor 
insecticide spraying; providing antimalaria medicine to pregnant women; 
and delivering cutting-edge drugs to people with the disease. These are 
four things that, if done, will save lives. They are not impossible 
things to do. I believe that our country must help and continue to take 
the lead. That's why last year, I announced an initiative to increase 
our commitment to fighting malaria in Africa. And I want to thank the 
Members of Congress for supporting this initiative.
    We're spending $1.2 billion over 5 years to provide bed nets and 
indoor spraying and antimalaria medicine in 15 African countries. We are 
focusing our efforts to eradicate malaria on 15 countries. We are 
insisting on measuring. This project is measurable. We can determine 
whether or not nets are being distributed or medicine is being provided. 
But more importantly, we can measure whether or not we're saving lives. 
We look--work toward this historic goal to cut the number of malaria-
related deaths in half. That's what we're headed for, as quickly as 
possible.
    The malaria initiative is off to a strong start. We have launched 
the program in three countries: Uganda, Angola, and Tanzania. I want our 
fellow citizens to hear this startling statistic: In a short period of 
time, more than 6 million people have benefited. It's in our interests 
that the 6 million people we've helped--lives have been improved. In 
Uganda, groups funded by our malaria initiative distributed more than 
300,000 nets and almost 300,000 doses of medicine to children and 
pregnant women. In Angola, the initiative supported a spraying campaign 
that protected the homes of more than a half a million people. And in 
Tanzania, the initiative paid for local health clinics to distribute 
more than 130,000 nets and spray homes for more than a million people. 
We're in action. Your taxpayers' money is working to save lives.
    The statistics are impressive, and behind them are the stories of 
families with renewed hope in the future. Not long ago, the Zanzibar 
islands off the coast of Tanzania were a hotbed of malaria infection. 
Then, with the support of the malaria initiative, local groups launched 
a campaign called ``Kataa Malaria''--which is Swahili for ``Reject 
Malaria.'' Workers went door-to-door to teach people how to use bed 
nets; they launched a campaign of TV and radio ads; and they spoke in 
mosques about malaria prevention and treatment. Now the people of 
Zanzibar are beginning to see results. One island reported that in the 
first 9 months of this year, the

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number of malaria cases dropped almost 90 percent compared to the same 
time last year. One man said this: ``Personally, the initiative gives me 
a leap of faith. The ultimate outcome is that we should have a malaria-
free Zanzibar. There is no turning back.''
    He's right; there's no turning back. We're going to continue to 
expand the malaria initiative to reach other countries across Africa as 
quickly as possible. Earlier this year, Laura announced that four 
nations will join the initiative in '07: Senegal, Malawi, Rwanda, and 
Mozambique. Today I am going to announce eight more countries will join 
in '08: Ghana, Madagascar, Mali, Zambia, Kenya, Liberia, Ethiopia, and 
Benin. President, I can assure the people that you are determined to 
beat malaria. And it's that determination by the leadership of a country 
that is required for our initiative to be as successful as quickly as it 
possibly can. You can count on us as a steady, reliable partner.
    Defeating malaria is going to require a lot more work than just the 
action of the U.S. Government. Defeating malaria requires cooperation 
between government and grassroots volunteers. I want to thank the 
leadership of Malaria No More, which is energizing the grassroots and 
raising money and mobilizing thousands of volunteers to fight malaria. 
There's a lot of people out of our country who, if called to serve and 
to love, will do so. Rick Warren has got a church called Saddleback 
Church. He believes like I believe: To whom much is given, much is 
required. They're going to send thousands of volunteers into African 
villages and clinics. These groups rely upon the skill of doctors and 
nurses. And for doctors and nurses who are serving in Africa to help 
achieve the goal of eliminating malaria, I thank you on behalf of a 
grateful nation.
    I am pleased to announce that I am going to expand a Federal program 
called Volunteers for Prosperity, which allows organizations that 
recruit skilled volunteers to receive Federal grants more easily. I 
believe it's in our interests to use taxpayers' money to encourage these 
private-sector initiatives. Organizations involved with the malaria 
initiative will find it easier to receive Federal funds, I hope. The 
point is, we're going to try to eliminate as much bureaucracy as 
possible to get money into the hands of those who are recruiting and 
encouraging volunteers to be on the frontline of fighting malaria.
    I want to thank all the grassroots volunteers who are here. I want 
to thank you for doing what you're doing. I hope that you can do more, 
and I hope that this summit, which Laura and her team put together, 
enables you to go out and recruit, because the quicker we eliminate 
malaria, the better off the world will be.
    Defeating malaria requires cooperation between Government and the 
private sector. When I announced the malaria initiative, I called on 
foundations and corporations to participate. In other words, I said, 
``You've got to be with us; the Government alone can't solve the 
problem. We can address it; we can fund it; but we need your help.'' I 
want to thank the Gates Foundation. Melinda, thank you for being here. 
This foundation is a fantastic example of social entrepreneurship. It 
was caused to be because of fantastic business entrepreneurship. It is 
now using the business acumen and the rewards of being smart to fund 
unbelievable programs. And I'm proud of what you're doing.
    I want to thank the Red Cross. And, Bonnie, thank you very much. 
You've trained thousands of health workers in sub-Saharan Africa, and 
you're going to train more. I want to thank the Global Business 
Coalition that thus far has brought more than 200 companies together to 
raise money for bed nets and other supplies. Two hundred is a little 
short, as far as I'm concerned. In other words, I view it as a good 
start, kind of a down payment. [Laughter]
    I want to thank ExxonMobil and Marathon Oil, who funded--which have 
funded antimalaria projects in some of Africa's most heavily affected 
nations. I think it's in your corporate interests that the people of 
Africa see that you're willing to invest in the future of their 
countries. America's businesses and foundations are showing a lot of 
wisdom and generosity. I appreciate your support.
    Defeating malaria requires cooperation between our country and the 
international community. We have given nearly $2 billion to the Global 
Fund to Fight AIDS--and I want to thank the leader of the fund, who

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is here today by the way--Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. And 
nearly a quarter of that money has been used for antimalaria projects. 
We support the efforts to fight malaria being led by the WHO and the new 
leader, as well as UNICEF and my friend, Ann Veneman, and the World 
Bank, where Paul Wolfowitz has made antimalaria projects a high 
priority. Some of our allies in Europe have committed resources to these 
efforts, and frankly, they should commit more. This is a global effort 
to fight malaria. The United States is proud to take the lead. I 
encourage other countries--to whom much is given, much is required--to 
step up and give. I want to thank those who understand that malaria is a 
global problem, and we've got to work to solve it together.
    Defeating malaria requires cooperation between America and African 
nations. The malaria initiative is based on partnership, Mr. President, 
not paternalism. Leaders like you know your people; you know their 
problems, and you are determined to solve them. Our job is to help you. 
I fully understand that many times people have got great ambitions and 
great intentions, but they have no money to do--to help. And that's why 
this Government is committed to providing money and technology to help 
the leaders accomplish the objectives that we've set forth.
    African leaders also understand, in the long run, that defeating 
malaria requires more than nets and sprays and drugs. It requires 
changing the conditions that help malaria thrive: poverty and the lack 
of education and unresponsive governments and corruption and the HIV/
AIDS pandemic. To help African leaders overcome these challenges, this 
administration has doubled development aid to Africa during my 
Presidency, and I propose to double it again by the end of this decade.
    We've created the Millennium Challenge Account to support nations 
that govern justly. It doesn't make any sense for us to send taxpayers' 
monies to countries that steal the money. We give to--and part of the 
Millennium Challenge Account, headed by Ambassador Danilovich, is to 
encourage countries to invest in their people and to encourage economic 
freedom. And so far, we have signed compacts with five African nations, 
and we're working on more.
    We launched one of the most important initiatives in American 
history, as far as I'm concerned, and that is the Emergency Plan for 
AIDS Relief, which thus far has brought lifesaving drugs to more than 
800,000 people on the continent of Africa in 5 short years.
    Development aid is one thing, but so is the capacity for us to help 
nations through trade. I appreciate the work of my predecessor, 
President Clinton, and subsequent Congresses to pass and now extend the 
African Growth and Opportunity Act, which has enabled me to report to 
you that between Africa and America, trade has doubled since 2001.
    In all these ways, we stand with the people of Africa in their time 
of need. And by doing so, we help lift a burden of unnecessary 
suffering, and we help reduce the appeal of radicalism, and we forge 
lasting friendships on a continent that is growing in strategic 
importance.
    As we come to the end of this historic summit, every citizen can be 
proud of the work our Nation is doing to fight disease and despair. Our 
development agenda in Africa and beyond is the most ambitious commitment 
America has made since the Marshall plan. And once again, our efforts 
are showing the world what kind of country America is. We're a nation of 
optimistic people and generous people and decent people who value human 
life. We're a nation that believes that we're fortunate and that through 
our fortune, we ought to help others. We're a compassionate people who 
care deeply about the future of the world. And it is my honor to lead 
such a people.
    God bless you all.

Note: The President spoke at 11:55 a.m. at the National Geographic 
Society. In his remarks, he referred to President Thomas Yayi Boni of 
Benin and his wife, Chantal de Souza Yayi; Gilbert M. Grosvenor, 
chairman of the board, National Geographic Society; Richard D. ``Rick'' 
Warren, founder and senior pastor, Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, CA; 
Melinda French Gates, cochair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Bonnie 
McElveen-Hunter, chairman, American Red Cross; Richard G.A. Feachem, 
executive director, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and

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Malaria; Margaret Chan, director-general-elect, World Health 
Organization; and Ann M. Veneman, executive director, United Nations 
Children's Fund.