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Mr
President,
Your
Excellencies,
Honourable
Ministers,
Colleagues,
Thank you for joining us all this evening at this
reception to mark the first Africa malaria day.
We come together at a time of powerful African
leadership for human development and for equitable globalization.
Mr President: you are a vivid example of this
leadership. I have witnessed this personally - when you visited me in
Geneva and engaged me in your vision for the people of your great
country; when you launched the campaign to Roll Back Malaria at the
Summit meeting here, a year ago today; when you presented your plan
for Africa's recovery with Presidents Mbeki, Mkapa and Wade earlier
this year, in Switzerland.
Leadership is being shown by the Organization for
African Unity - championing Africa and her people in political
settings; securing unity of purpose and action, and focusing on real
change - the outcomes that reflect people's development.
Heads of State establishing the vision and leading
the movement for change, for a world that treats its people, and uses
its resources in a fairer and more equitable manner. You are changing
the nature of discourse between Africa and the rest of the world.
This is particularly evident in the way the leaders
of Africa, Africa's people and African institutions have moved forward
in response to the challenge of malaria. Last year you recognized the
damage caused to individuals, to societies and to nations by this
parasite. You set a clear goal - to halve malaria mortality in ten
years. You adopted four specific strategies, and agreed to pursue them
through actions that involved all sections of society and several
sectors of government. You undertook to involve the private sector and
civil society, encouraging the effective use of scarce resources. The
first review of progress, after a year, shows that we are starting to
roll back malaria. It is hard work and progress is uneven: yet we see
firm foundations and the tender shoots of early success.
Now we know we can do it, we will scale up. We will
move now, building on the momentum. We will encourage local, national,
regional and global communities all to play their part.
We have learnt the value of partnership, helping us
to achieve outcomes that are impossible if we insist on working alone.
We have seen the value of pursuing clear strategies, agreed by all
stakeholders. We appreciate the importance of concentrating on
outcomes, and of tuning our social systems - health, education, local
government or environment - to make sure that they deliver.
I am sure that we will all learn from our
experience with Roll Back Malaria as we confront other major
challenges - HIV and sexually-transmitted infections; tuberculosis;
the dangers of pregnancy; even the difficulties faced by children from
their early years through to adolescence.
Now is the time to focus on what has to be achieved
- to scale up and deliver results: to roll back the threats and
suffering, and promote the well-being of Africa.
Thank you, Mr President, for leading us along this
vital, but difficult, path. |
