Ministrerial Statement - Introduction

1. We, Ministers from countries of the Asia Pacific region, met in Melbourne on 9 October 2001 at the invitation of the Hon Alexander Downer MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, to consider the significant challenges the HIV/AIDS epidemic poses to our countries and to identify ways to strengthen partnerships to combat the continued spread of HIV/AIDS. We recognise that strong leadership and political commitment at the highest levels is vital to achieving this goal.
2. We thank Australia for convening this first historic gathering of Ministers from the Asia Pacific region, who came together to share experiences and consider the way ahead in combating the devastating epidemic of HIV/AIDS.

We discussed:

3. Our deep concern that there are currently 7.5 million people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the Asia Pacific region - 20 percent of people infected globally;
4. The relationship between HIV/AIDS and poverty in our region, in particular the potential HIV/AIDS has to compound poverty and impede economic and social development, and the importance of poverty reduction as an integral part of reducing, vulnerability to HIV and the impact of AIDS on our countries;
5. The potential threat that HIV/AIDS poses to the security of our peoples and the need for AIDS to be incorporated into broader agendas.