I am honoured to be here today, and I thank you for your warm welcome. I want to begin by expressing my deep gratitude to OAFLA members for your leadership and contributions to the AIDS response in Africa. I congratulate you, because the work of African First Ladies has been increasingly visible and has made a real difference in the lives of our mothers, sisters and children.

National leaders have made progress on AIDS a defining legacy of their commitment to their own people. But Africa is too dependent on external resources, especially for the AIDS response. It is time for African leaders to come together to define a transformed development paradigm that will deliver a new, socially sustainable agenda that is written and owned by Africa.

Mr President, as Chairperson of the African Union, you have made it a priority for Africa to lead and own its own AIDS response. Under your leadership, the African Union adopted its new roadmap for AIDS, TB and malaria this July.

Le progrès de l’Afrique est réel, visible, impressionnant et bien établi : les chiffres sont là pour l’attester. Durant les douze dernières années, la croissance réelle du PIB dans 48 Etats africains s’est maintenue à un rythme annuel moyen de 5 à 7 % ; durant la même période, six des pays du monde ayant enregistré la croissance économique la plus rapide étaient africains.