Nigeria declares commitment to combating HIV/AIDS

Nigeria declares commitment to combating HIV/AIDS
Gloria Essien, New York

Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan has declared Nigeria's solidarity and commitment to the control of HIV/AIDS.

He made the declaration on Tuesday, at the United Nations High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, holding in New York, United states.

Fighting the scourge

Dr Johnathan noted that the theme of the meeting "Open Debate on the impact of HIV/AIDS On International Peace and Security” was apt considering the dangers and exposures peacekeepers go through in the course of doing their work.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday called for a “final solution’’ to  HIV/AIDS epidemic, which he said has killed nearly 30 million people in the past three decades. 

“Thirty years since the beginning of the AIDS pandemic, the time is ripe for final solution. I reiterate Nigeria’s unequivocal support for a global response to this scourge. The human, social and economic costs of inaction are too great to contemplate.
 
“As a consequence it is incumbent upon the Security Council to set clear, decisive goals in order that our efforts to maintain peace can add to the armoury of weapons against HIV/AIDS,’’ he said. 

The president said that Nigeria, being the largest contributor to peacekeeping in Africa and the fourth in the world, would contribute positively to the reduction of the scourge.

President Jonathan who noted the "inextricable linkage between international peace, security and development," commended the UN for sustaining the fight against HIV/AIDS by organising the debate, stressing that tackling the disease was pivotal to development and security in Africa in particular and the world in general.

Various contributors commended the attendance of President Jonathan, who was the first foreign leader to be invited to contribute to the debate.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said the global body was passionate about combating HIV/AIDS and sexual violence against women.

Africa’s representatives

Nigeria, Gabon and South Africa are the three African non-permanent representatives in the Security Council participating in this special debate ahead of the enlarged High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS at the General Assembly with foreign leaders expected to attend on Wednesday.

Williams