Mr. President,

I address the General Assembly at a very difficult moment.

Sweden has lost its Minister for Foreign Affairs, Anna Lindh.

She fell prey to senseless, meaningless violence.

In the midst of our grief, our determination to defend democracy and an open society grow stronger.

Our engagement for the United Nations, for international co-operation, human rights, peace and justice remains.

It is the best way to honour the memory of Anna Lindh.

* * *

The fight against HIV/aids can only be won if we work together.

Using the experience we have.

Learning from those who have succeeded to halt the spread of HIV/aids, and from those who have managed to make life easier for people living with HIV/aids.

I would like to outline five lessons learned:

Firstly,

The countries that have succeeded in halting the spread of the pandemic have one common characteristic.

There has been a clear and strong national leadership.

That is the case in Uganda, Senegal and Thailand.

We also have examples to the contrary. Such cases have been partly responsible for HIV spreading like wildfire.

This is now changing.

We are seeing stronger leadership in many stricken countries and in the international community as a whole. I very much welcome the South African decision to launch a national anti-retroviral treatment programme that will contribute to a truly comprehensive response to HIV/aids.

The special session of the General Assembly in June 2001 was a demonstration of strength of the international community.

Since then we have seen a remarkable rise of international leadership. HIV/aids is now in the political forefront as never before.

It is regarded a broad development matter, not just one disease among others.

People will continue to have sex.

Young people need our support and guidance.

It is our obligation to equip them with the necessary knowledge and services to be able to protect themselves and their partner.

It is our obligation to empower young men and women, so that they have the strength to choose with whom and when they wish to have sex – and when they don't.

Better knowledge about sex and about sexually transmitted diseases does not lead to increased promiscuity and more teen-age abortions.

On the contrary.

Access to information enables the kind of responsible behaviour that we strive for and which contributes to reduce the spread of HIV/aids.

They carry a disproportionate burden of the epidemic,

taking care of the sick,

being responsible for the welfare of the whole family.

More women and girls are infected,

due to sexual harassment and violence, coerced sex and outright rape, not seldom in their first sexual encounters and in encounters leading to pregnancy.

The strengthening of the position of women will actively and forcefully contribute to the fight against HIV/aids.

The population conference in Cairo 1994 was a break-through that we all were part of.

We must stand firm to the undertakings entered into in Cairo and at the conference on women in Beijing.

We must reiterate the need for improved and enhanced sexual and reproductive health care and services.

Women must be empowered.

We must treble the expenditure of today to reach the required level of 15 billion US dollars per year in 2007.

Sweden is increasing the official development assistance, from 0.81 percent of GDP to 0.86. This is a step towards our goal of again realising the one percent target of ODA.

An ambassador responsible for issues related to HIV/aids, has been appointed by the Swedish government.

We will increase the support to UNAIDS from 7 to 12 million USD and to UNFPA from 25 to 33 million USD.

Our support to the Global Fund next year will be 37 million USD.

Prevention is still the main focus. But we have to do much more.

Sweden will strengthen the whole chain of actions needed.

Renewed focus will be put on treatment and care, on the development of vaccines and on the access to medicines.

The right to knowledge and information,

the right to health,

the right to counselling and condoms,

the right of control over one’s own body,

this touches on sensitive issues, related to the balance of power in society

between men and women
between children and parents
between rich and poor.

This makes HIV/aids prevention one of the most controversial topics in the world today.

It challenges both patriarchal structures and dogmas.

This makes our struggle difficult, but not less important.

We must do our best to overcome our differences.

We owe it to those living with HIV/aids and the large number who are at risk of becoming infected.

Thank you.