UNAIDS strongly welcomes the “Call for Action” made today by the UK Secretary of State for International Development, Hilary Benn, in which the UK pledges to strengthen its political commitment, to improve the way its development assistance is made and to promote greater donor coordination to combat the global AIDS epidemic.

Despite having the highest adult HIV prevalence worldwide at close to 40%, Botswana has managed to mount an effective response to AIDS over the past few years. “Botswana’s growing AIDS movement is the result of President Mogae’s leadership and openness on AIDS coupled with the active involvement of people living with HIV,” said Dr Peter Piot, UNAIDS Executive Director, who was speaking at a World AIDS Day commemoration today. “By breaking the silence on AIDS, President Mogae has not only galvanized the whole African continent, but become a true leader in the global AIDS fight.”

As part of World AIDS Day 2003, cricket teams playing international matches on or around 1 December have committed to wearing red ribbons as a sign of support for the millions of people around the world living with HIV and AIDS.

In recognition of World AIDS Day on 1st December, MTV channels worldwide will premiere global and local programming featuring some of the world’s top artists in the network’s biggest ever commitment to HIV/AIDS awareness, including the premiere of the all-star event 46664 – The Concert in Association with MTV’s Staying Alive. In addition, MTV announced today results of the Staying Alive 2003 Global Sexual Behaviour Study, which surveyed young people in 29 countries about HIV/AIDS and sexual activity.

The global AIDS epidemic shows no signs of abating. Five million people became infected with HIV worldwide and 3 million died this year alone – the highest ever. The findings are featured in “AIDS Epidemic Update 2003,” a comprehensive new report on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic issued today by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in advance of World AIDS Day, commemorated on 1 December.

UNAIDS welcomes the decision of the South African Government to provide antiretroviral treatment on a national scale to people living with HIV in the country. The new South African national initiative will make that country’s fight against AIDS truly comprehensive, with treatment complementing prevention efforts. Its implementation will bring hope for millions of people living with HIV and their families.

UNAIDS today welcomed draft legislation introduced by the Canadian government that would amend the country’s patent laws to allow drug makers to manufacture and export lower-cost generic medicines to developing countries.

Harvard University, the World Economic Forum and UNAIDS hosted the first ever meeting of business, government and civil society in China discussing the potential role of partnerships to combat HIV/AIDS in China. Calling on all stakeholders to increase their efforts, the meeting highlighted the future economic impact of AIDS and its relevance to the business community.

At the opening of the 11th International Conference for People Living with HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS and WHO stressed that stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS must be eradicated as a critical component of expanding access to treatment and care.

UNAIDS applauds today’s agreement between the Clinton Foundation and four generic pharmaceutical companies -- Aspen Pharmacare Holdings, Cipla, Ranbaxy Laboratories, and Matrix Laboratories -- to dramatically lower the price of HIV/AIDS treatment in the developing world. This builds on the Clinton Foundation’s work with the governments of several countries in Africa and the Caribbean to develop plans to strengthen their health care systems.