Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position in regard to the fight against AIDS in Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10713/08]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Recent data released by the United Nations Joint Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) show that the global HIV prevalence — the number of people living with HIV — has levelled off and that the number of new infections has fallen. This is primarily due to much improved surveillance methodologies along with some positive impacts of HIV programmes. However, in 2007 over 33 million people were living with HIV, 2.5 million became newly infected and over 2 million people died of AIDS related illnesses. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the most severely affected region in the world and is home to over 22 million people living with HIV or 68% of the global total. AIDS remains the primary cause of death in Africa.

Responding to the global problem of HIV and AIDS is a key priority for the Government. The Taoiseach's commitment to deliver €100 million per year for HIV and AIDS and other communicable diseases is now being reached. This is an enormous achievement. Ireland now leads the way within the European Union in terms of the proportion of its overseas development assistance allocated to HIV and other diseases of poverty. This funding is saving lives through advocacy, education, treatment and assisting those living with HIV/AIDS. Ireland's assistance is directed at programmes at country, regional and international levels and is ensuring that increasing numbers of people are accessing quality HIV and AIDS and other health services. Most of Ireland's assistance is targeted at those countries most affected by the pandemic including Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Lesotho, Zambia and Malawi. This approach is proving effective.

Ireland continues to promote the need for leadership and engagement at the highest political level internationally, in order to reverse the trend of this pandemic. Ireland is leading by example. Ireland's support for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) is one such example, with contributions over the period 2002-2007 amounting to €80 million. Almost 60% of Global Fund resources are allocated to sub-Saharan Africa and to date over 1.4 million men, women and children are accessing HIV treatment and many more are accessing essential HIV prevention and care services.

Ireland has prioritised the needs of children in its work on HIV and AIDS. It is the only country to target 20% of its increased funding to interventions that will benefit children. In some of the worst affected countries, AIDS is the biggest cause of death among those under 5 and it is estimated that 15 million children under 18 years have lost one or both parents to AIDS, with the vast majority, 12 million, resident in sub-Saharan Africa. In recognition of Ireland's leadership in this area, we have been requested to host the fourth Global Partners Forum on Children affected by HIV and AIDS. Working in co-operation with UNICEF and scheduled for October, this forum will bring together high level decision makers from both developed and developing countries to debate the best approaches to ensuring the protection of children living in a world with HIV and AIDS.

We will continue to work with the international community and our Programme Countries in sub-Saharan Africa in advocating for a sustained and resourced global response to HIV and AIDS and other communicable diseases, strengthened leadership at all levels, and improved coordination of resources for effective disease prevention and control.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 294: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which the EU, UN and WHO are addressing health issues in Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10714/08]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Africa and sub-Saharan Africa in particular, bears a disproportionate burden of the world's death and disease. Much of this is related to HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and other communicable diseases and also to conditions of persistent poverty. Whilst there has been encouraging progress in many countries in the treatment of HIV and control of TB and malaria with resultant reduction of death rates, especially in under five-year old children, maternal mortality rates have not made similar progress.

The European Union has prioritised Africa in its health programming, emphasising systems development and priority diseases. The EU plans to spend approximately €23 billion between now and 2013 on development in Africa and 20% is due to be targeted at health and education. This will make a real and tangible difference to health outcomes in Africa. The World Health Organisation (WHO), whilst having a global mandate, gives special attention to African health development. The current Director General, Dr. Margaret Chan, has from the outset of her tenure underlined the need to intensify efforts in Africa and to boost resources available for health in Africa. Evidence of WHO's commitment to African health development can be seen in the role it plays in ensuring access to HIV treatment through the "Universal Access" campaign.

WHO's role in tropical diseases research, in malaria and tuberculosis, in child survival and safe motherhood and in the work underway to strengthen country level impact are practical examples that demonstrate WHO's commitment to health progress in Africa. WHO also plays a key role in international partnerships including the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) and Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) developing new drugs and diagnostics for diseases that are especially burdensome for Africa.

The UN makes an impressive contribution to improved health outcomes with particular benefit to Africa, through a number of its agencies and funds. UNICEF addresses child health including immunisation, nutrition, water and sanitation. UNAIDS coordinates efforts to overcome HIV across the UN family and provides leadership in the field at global and country levels. UNHCR addresses the health needs of millions of displaced people and UNOCHA coordinates emergency humanitarian operations. The World Food Programme meets the nutritional requirements of many millions of Africans on a daily basis. These agencies are key partners for Irish Aid.

Ireland works closely with the European Union, World Health Organisation and other United Nations bodies to address important health problems in Africa. Irish Aid is an active participant in the European Commission's Health Experts group and contributes to various documents, policies and plans that deal with health in Africa. The health problems facing Africa are enormous and the underlying causes go beyond the health sector. Substantially improving health outcomes in Africa will require a comprehensive effort to reduce poverty in Africa. This effort is underway by donors, partner governments and international organisations. Ireland will continue to prioritise health and focus our development efforts on Africa.