(2003-98) News ReleaseDecember 1, 2003Ottawa – The Honourable Susan Whelan, Minister for International Cooperation, today announced that Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), will contribute up to $100 million over five years to strengthen African-led strategies and programs for the care, treatment, support and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Initial contributions of up to $35 million will go to Tanzania and Mozambique, where the HIV/AIDS rates of infection are among the highest in the world."Canada's support for these initiatives today reflects our much deeper commitment to expanding our role in the fight against this global pandemic," said Minister Whelan. "If we are to make lasting gains in development and poverty reduction around the world, we must halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS."Today's announcement supports the World Health Organization's three by five drive, an initiative that urges donor countries to provide three million AIDS patients in developing countries with antiretroviral therapy by the end of 2005. Canada is taking a leadership role in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Just over two months after the international community decided to open the door to affordable drugs for developing countries, Canada was the first in the world to respond by tabling legislative changes to the Patent and Food and Drug Acts in November 2003. This initiative will allow countries that need better access to pharmaceutical products to respond to public health problems including HIV/AIDS. As well, Canada is currently vice-chair of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board and will assume the Chair in June 2004. UNAIDS brings together the efforts and resources of nine United Nations system organizations to help the world prevent new HIV infections, care for those already infected, and mitigate the impact of the epidemic. "Canada is focusing its resources in hard-hit countries where we know we can, and are, making a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS," Minister Whelan added. "No one person, institution, group or country, acting alone, can stop the spread of this tragic pandemic. But together in strategic partnerships, we can change things."Canada continues to work with its partners to ensure an expanded response that includes a comprehensive care strategy, while also continuing to emphasize prevention. To date, Canada's commitments include:Working in close coordination and strategic collaboration with organizations such as the Clinton Foundation, UNAIDS, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and others to provide comprehensive support to locally-led HIV/AIDS strategies, including, care, treatment and prevention; Increased bilateral investments over five years in fighting the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, for a total investment of $270 million by 2005; $150 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and $62 million from the Canada Fund for Africa, of which $50 million is supporting the development of an AIDS vaccine and $12 million is supporting the work of a Canadian HIV/AIDS coalition on the social impact of the disease, including children's education, labour and family structures.Funding for these initiatives was provided for in the February 2003 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.- 30 -Information: Marta AndersonDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the Minister for International CooperationTelephone: (819) 953-6238Media Relations OfficeCanadian International Development Agency (CIDA)Telephone: (819) 953-6534E-mail: info@acdi-cida.gc.ca Canada's approach to combating HIV/AIDS in developing countriesHIV/AIDS is one of the key Social Development Priorities of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), as reflected in its Action Plan for HIV/AIDS. The majority of CIDA's current programming in HIV/AIDS has focused on prevention strategies. However, in keeping with the Strengthening Aid Effectiveness principles, CIDA is also working towards more coordinated, comprehensive approaches to help turn back the HIV/AIDS pandemic.Through strategic collaboration with the Global Fund, UNAIDS, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, CARE, the Clinton Foundation and other key partners, Canada is deepening its cooperative partnerships with all players to ensure that improvements to care and treatment complement our programming in HIV/AIDS prevention. This approach will allow Canada to have a greater impact on the HIV/AIDS pandemic.CIDA is working with specific countries in this cause, but is also putting particular emphasis on regional approaches to combat HIV/AIDS, such as the Southern Africa AIDS Training Program, the Regional AIDS Training Network (Eastern and Southern Africa) and the Canada South East Asia Regional HIV/AIDS Programme. In addition, CIDA's programming in Africa seeks to mainstream or integrate HIV/AIDS into all development programming, by actively pursuing HIV/AIDS objectives through education, micro-finance, agriculture and other development initiatives.SUPPORTING THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS Canada firmly believes that working in partnership with other donor countries and international organizations is the most effective way to help turn back the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In countries where successful programs exist, it has been the combined forces of financial backing, government commitment, promotion of human rights and gender equality, prevention, care, treatment, support expertise, and community capacity that have made the difference. RECENT COMMITMENTSCanada's recent strategic partnership with the Clinton Foundation will help mobilize technical and financial resources to help a select group of CIDA's countries of focus in Africa where HIV/AIDS is of the greatest concern. For instance, CIDA announced a contribution of up to $35 million over three years to Tanzania and Mozambique, where Canada and the Foundation will work in close coordination with national governments, UNAIDS, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and others, including CARE, to provide comprehensive support to locally-led HIV/AIDS strategies, including care, treatment and prevention. Canada was the first country to indicate an intention to implement the World Trade Organisation decision of August 30, 2003 and followed through by tabling legislative changes to the Patent and Food and Drug Acts in November 2003 that would allow countries in need better access to pharmaceutical products to respond to public health problems, including HIV/AIDS. As well, Canada is currently vice-chair of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board and will assume the Chair in June 2004. UNAIDS brings together the efforts and resources of nine United Nations system organizations to help the world prevent new HIV infections, care for those already infected, and mitigate the impact of the epidemic. At the G8 in June 2003, Canada announced a contribution of $50 million over five years to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and the newly formed African AIDS Vaccine Programme, and $12 million is supporting the work of a Canadian coalition on HIV/AIDS on the social impact of the disease, including children's education, labour and family structures. CIDA has committed over $150 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The purpose of the Fund is to attract, manage and disburse additional resources through a new public-private partnership that will make a sustainable and significant contribution to the reduction of infections, illness and death, thereby mitigating the impact caused by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in countries in need, and contributing to poverty reduction as part of the Millennium Development Goals. Canada is also committed to increased bilateral investments over five years in fighting the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, for a total investment of $270 million by 2005. - 30 - Last Updated: 2003-12-01 Important Notices
