Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position in regard to attempts to combat AIDS in Africa; the degree to which funding and medicines are readily available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33709/05]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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HIV-AIDS continues to be the single biggest obstacle to reducing poverty and to attaining the millennium development goals, MDGs. Current statistics from the United Nations Joint Programme on AIDS, UNAIDS, indicate that in 2004, almost 40 million people were living with the HIV virus. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the worst-affected region in the world and is now home to over 25 million adults and children living with HIV. Approximately 3 million new infections occurred there in 2004, the majority in women, and over 2 million Africans died in that year.

UNAIDS is leading the effort to track the level of resources needed for HIV prevention, treatment and care, and to ensure adequate financing from public and private sources. The latest UNAIDS estimates of the costs of a comprehensive response to HIV-AIDS suggest that in 2006, almost $15 billion will be required in low and middle income countries rising to just over $22 billion in 2008.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, established in 2002, is expected to be a significant source of funding. It is financed by bilateral donors, including Ireland, and private foundations. Up until 2008, a total of $8.6 billion has been pledged or contributed to the global fund. Ireland has contributed a total of €40 million to this fund to date and has committed a further €30 million to be released in the next two years.

At the UN review of the millennium declaration last September, progress was noted in increasing access to HIV treatment particularly in developing countries. The number of people receiving combination anti-retroviral therapy, ART for HIV-AIDS has more than doubled from 400,000 in 2003 to approximately 1 million in June 2005. In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of people receiving ART has tripled within a period of one year and now reaches approximately 500,000 people.

Ireland has a very strong commitment to addressing HIV-AIDS. It is a key priority for Development Co-operation Ireland's policies and programmes. Financial allocations to the fight against AIDS now constitute 10% of the total overseas development budget and will reach €50 million this year. These resources are directed at a number of HIV-AIDS activities at global, regional, national and community levels and are implemented through international and regional organisations and in our programme countries. The latter includes six highly-affected countries in southern and eastern Africa.

Ireland supports a number of organisations focusing on the delivery of HIV treatment and care including the Clinton Foundation. This foundation aims to increase the number of people accessing HIV treatment and works to reduce the price of anti-retroviral drugs. Most recently, the Minister for Foreign Affairs had fruitful discussions with President Clinton on how Ireland and the Clinton Foundation can strengthen their partnership in support of those countries in Africa that are most affected by HIV-AIDS.

The Taoiseach, in his speech to the United Nations in September, reaffirmed Ireland's commitment to HIV-AIDS and announced a new Initiative on HIV-AIDS and other global communicable diseases. This will bring funding for these diseases up to €100 million. This new initiative will focus on tackling the major diseases affecting developing countries including HIV-AIDS. It will build on Ireland's existing support at international, regional and country level and will afford Ireland a stronger voice in international policy dialogue and advocacy for co-ordinated and effective action on HIV-AIDS. The Taoiseach has indicated that up to 20% of the additional funding will be targeted at interventions that benefit children.

Ireland will continue to work with the international community in advocating for a sustained and resourced global response to HIV-AIDS, strengthened leadership at all levels and improved co-ordination of re sources and planning for HIV-AIDS prevention and control.