To launch a new national testing campaign UNAIDS Executive Director joined South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma, Minister Motsoaledi, Premier Mokonyane and civil society representatives Ms Vuyiseka Dubula from the Treatment Action Campaign and Nkululeko Nxesi from the National Association of People living with AIDS.

El movimiento del sida es una historia de personas que rompen con la conspiración del silencio y que exigen igualdad y dignidad. Y es la historia de personas que se enfrentan a las injusticias sociales y que se aferran a sus derechos. Es la historia de personas indignadas y de su llamada apasionada en favor de la justicia social.

Since we last met in December, together we have: Launched a new investment approach for an effective response to HIV; Renewed the global commitment to universal access; Mobilized the contributions of key partners for their engagement in the High Level Meeting and beyond; Supported a highly successful 2011 UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS and a groundbreaking new Political Declaration; Continued progress on implementing internal reforms at UNAIDS; Finalized a visionary budget that will enable UNAIDS to deliver bold results.

Let us all be proud. A year ago, skeptics said that getting to zero was just a slogan. But countries, partners and people around the world have embraced the vision and are now working to translate it into reality. Our vision of zero has truly come to life and grown legs.

This PCB could not be more timely. We have less than 1000 days to report on our progress to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Today it is important for us to take the time to reflect and shape our future — to look at what could be the way forward, not just for the global AIDS response, but more generally for global health and development.

Les maires francophones constituent le dernier rempart contre l’exclusion. Plus que n’importe quel autre espace, la francophonie est la mieux à même de porter cette voix. Ensemble nous pouvons mettre fin au combat contre le sida ; faire en sorte que les 18 millions vivant avec le VIH qui ne sont pas sous traitement aujourd’hui puissent y avoir accès ; et faire en sorte que l’objectif de zéro nouvelle infection à VIH, zéro discrimination et zéro décès lié au sida soit réalisé.

Ending AIDS will be a global achievement of historic dimensions. Not only will millions of lives be saved, but ending AIDS will drive better health, poverty and equity outcomes for the entire human family. Nobody has embodied this passion better than my friend and brother Ambassador Eric Goosby. Even if he is not with us today, I want to recognize his leadership of PEPFAR and the many contributions he made to the global AIDS response with distinction and heart. This is also the last PCB for Mabel Bianco from the NGO Delegation. Mabel, you have always been a great source of support and encouragement, and we will miss you. Finally, thanks to your support, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has extended me into a second term as Executive Director of UNAIDS. I look forward to continuing our collaboration, and I remain at your service.

When we talk about the social drivers and the structural dimensions of poverty, I always think about how it comes down to power— the power of relationships in society and the politics behind them. If we want to achieve the kind of transformation that will build more equitable societies, we must address the larger governance issues and the role of social empowerment. How do we harness the power of community movements to create demand for services, for access and for equity? We must not lose this perspective.

Au-delà de la langue qui nous unit ce soir, je crois que ce que nous véhiculons ensemble ce sont des valeurs communes, des principes de lutte contre la discrimination, l’exclusion et la stigmatisation. Ce n’est pas un hasard si la déclaration universelle des droits de l’homme fut rédigée en français. Nous ne sommes pas là ce soir pour avoir peur du futur. Bien au contraire, nous sommes ensemble aujourd’hui pour définir et donner un sens à notre avenir, pour faire en sorte que quelque part un jour des personnes se réunissent pour se dire que le monde francophone a contribué à mettre fin à cette épidémie. Le combat contre cette maladie, la lutte contre le sida ne peut être réduit à un simple problème, mais doit s’entendre comme un processus transformatif d’ampleur mondiale.

Where is the world HIV epidemic today? Like Winston Churchill said in 1942, “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning”. Today, over 33 million people worldwide live with HIV. 7,400 people are newly infected every day. For every 2 persons who are placed on antiretroviral treatment, 5 people are newly infected. 2 million people still die of AIDS every year. We have yet to break the trajectory of the epidemic.