AIDS Epidemic Update 2005

Kiev, Ukraine

View photographs from other launch events by clicking on the links below:

Delhi, India
Berlin, Germany
Brasilia, Brazil
Brussels, Belgium
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Dakar, Senegal
Geneva, Switzerland
The Hague, Netherlands
Kiev, Ukraine
London, UK
Moscow, Russian Federation
Panama City, Panama
Paris, France
Rome, Italy
Toronto, Canada

President Victor Yushchenko of Ukraine meets with Lars Kallings, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe.

Kiev, Ukraine, 21 November 2005.

Photo credit: LTD. Inter-Media, ForUm 2001-2005

Ukrainian President and Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General discuss AIDS in Ukraine

The United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe Lars Kallings today met with the President of Ukraine, Victor Yushchenko in Kiev to discuss the AIDS response in the country.

The Ukrainian Head of State stressed that Ukraine is committed to fighting the AIDS epidemic and is ready to activate its cooperation with the international community on this issue. “Ukraine spares no effort to prevent the spread of this disease both internationally and locally,” he said. President Yushchenko also said he was going to dedicate one of his radio addresses to invigorating the AIDS response.

Professor Kallings underlined to President Yushchenko that their meeting coincided with the annual launch of the UNAIDS / WHO AIDS Epidemic Update – the first time that the report would be launched in Ukraine. Kallings stressed that Ukraine had been one of the countries to initiate the special session of the UN General Assembly on HIV/AIDS in 2001 and to sign the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. He said results of its implementation would be considered at a special session of the General Assembly in May 2006, and invited President Yuschenko to participate in the session.

At the launch of the AIDS Epidemic Update, Yuriy Polyachenko, Ukraine’s Health Minister represented the government. UNAIDS Country Coordinator Anna Shakarishvili also took part in the meeting.

November 21
Press conference at Radisson SAS Hotel 21 November 2005 Lars O. Kallings Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe Francis M. O’Donnell, UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine Flavio Mirella, UNODC Representative, Moscow Vladimir Zhovtyak, All-Ukraine Network PLWA, on behalf of the CIS Union of Organizations of People Living with HIV Lilia Podkopaeva, Olympic Gymnastics Champion and UN Goodwill Ambassador on HIV/AIDS in Ukraine.
	Flavio Mirella, Chair, UN Theme Group, Russian Federation and UNODC Representative, Moscow addresses the press conference in Kiev Photo credit: UNAIDS/ V. Negrebeckiy
	Lilia Podkopaeva, Olympic Gymnastics Champion and UN Goodwill Ambassador on HIV/AIDS in Ukraine Photo credit: UNAIDS/ V. Negrebeckiy
	Francis M. O’Donnell, UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine; and Volodymr Zhovtiak, All-Ukrainian Network of People Living with HIV Photo credit: UNAIDS/ V. Negrebeckiy
	Lars O. Kallings, UNSG Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe Photo credit: UNAIDS/ V. Negrebeckiy
	Lars O. Kallings, UNSG Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe Photo credit: UNAIDS/ V. Negrebeckiy
	(left to right) Francis M. O’Donnell, UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine; Lilia Podkopaeva, Olympic Gymnastics Champion and UN Goodwill Ambassador on HIV/AIDS in Ukraine; and Lars O. Kallings, UNSG Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe, Photo credit: UNAIDS/ V. Negrebeckiy