AusAID HIV/AIDS Partnership Initiative

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, MP, launched a
new funding opportunity, the AusAID HIV/AIDS Partnership Initiative
(AHAPI), at an AusAID HIV/AIDS Discussion Forum at Parliament House
on 8 March 2005.

The initiative aims to strengthen the capacity of HIV/AIDS
organisations in the Asia-Pacific region to respond to HIV/AIDS
through partnerships with Australian organisations.

" I am pleased to announce a new $3 million funding round under the
Australian Government's HIV/AIDS Partnership Initiative aimed at
reducing the spread of the virus in the Asia Pacific region.
The Australian Government takes the threat of HIV/AIDS very
seriously and last year we more than doubled our international
HIV/AIDS funding commitment by $350 million to $600 million by 2010.
The new funding will increase opportunities for Australian community
organisations and professional associations with specialist
expertise in HIV/AIDS to work with like-minded counterparts in the
region".

Australia has expertise at the community level in the fight against
HIV/AIDS that is greatly valued in our region. Australian
organisations being funded under this Initiative will be working at
the frontline in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the region.

This latest allocation builds on the first $2 million funding round
of the partnership announced on World AIDS Day last year. The
HIV/AIDS Partnership Initiative is managed by the Australian
Government's official aid agency, AusAID.

Fostering partnerships between Australian organisations specialising
in different aspects of the disease strengthens the capacity of
partner countries to respond to HIV/AIDS.

It allows these organisations and associations to share their
knowledge, their skills and their experience.

An estimated 8.2 million people in the Asia Pacific region have
HIV/AIDS and unless checked the region could become a major
epicentre of the virus.

The Australian Government is a regional leader in the fight against
HIV/AIDS. Australia's international HIV/AIDS strategy, Meeting the
Challenge provides strong direction to work with partner countries
towards reducing the spread of the virus.
_____________________
See also Speech: SPEECH MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ALEXANDER
DOWNER, 8 March 2005

Balancing the need for a rapid emergency response vs Building
government capacity

Speech by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, The Hon Alexander Downer
MP at the AusAID HIV/AIDS Forum, Canberra, 8 March 2005

Lady Roslyn Morauta from Papua New Guinea and member of the Asia-
Pacific Leadership team, Ministerial and Parliamentary colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you all to Parliament House
today.

I know you'll all agree with me when I say that HIV/AIDS is one of
the most important issues facing the world today.
You will also agree that HIV/AIDS is not simply a health issue.

It threatens to reverse the gains in economic development that have
been made in many countries, which in itself threatens stability.
We have seen what has happened in some countries in sub-Saharan
Africa.

We are witnessing a frightening rise in infection rates in the Asia
Pacific region.

Its impact on social structures, economic security, governance and
social cohesion positions HIV/AIDS as a most critical factor:
• in undermining social cohesion
• in threatening the economic wellbeing of stable nations
• and reducing the resilience of communities and nations to
cope with other crises and threats

Despite having been around since the 1980s the virus still engenders
fear and suspicion in communities.

Recently Belinda Williams, one of our Australian Youth Ambassadors
for Development working on a program supporting people with HIV/AIDS
in the Eastern Highlands in PNG wrote:

'This week I lost my first AIDS patient. Funerals in PNG are about
mourning, respect and honour. But AIDS is changing this and a new
culture is emerging. One that is about shame, embarrassment and
silence.'

My patient's father is respected in his family and community. He
feared that on hearing his first born child was dying of AIDS it
would bring shame on himself and his family.

Twenty four hours after his daughter's death, in the middle of the
night they took her body from the house to a family village far away
in the bush. There they dug a hole, buried her, drank tea and ate
dry biscuits and were relieved that no-one knew their daughter was
dead. There were no customary speeches, no feasts, no contributions
and no extended family.'

We can't underestimate the depth of the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS,
the vast ongoing education needed to protect people against the
disease and the complex business of providing life long treatment to
those with the virus.

No one country or organisation can counter the disease alone- nor do
they have all the answers to this difficult issue.

One key to any successful HIV/AIDS response lies in the quality of
the partnerships involved. And those partnerships are crucial right
across the board
• in setting priorities and policies
• in building the capacity needed to respond
• and in designing and implementing the programs that will
turn the tide on the pandemic.

And that's why it's so gratifying to see you come together today -
to share experiences and to find solutions that will strengthen our
responses.

To further demonstrate the Australian Government's commitment to the
partnership approach, I am today announcing a new $3 million funding
opportunity under the AusAID HIV/AIDS Partnership Initiative.

This will build on the announcement I made on World AIDS Day last
year to provide $2 million to support the important international
work of:

• the Australasian Society of HIV Medicine to increase
clinical knowledge on HIV/AIDS and its treatment and care
• the Albion Street Centre to establish a network of HIV/AIDS
healthcare workers and institutions across the region to improve
occupational safety and minimise the risk of infection from blood-
borne viruses
• and the National Serology Reference Laboratory to help
improve quality assurance and laboratory management for HIV
diagnostic facilities in the Asia Pacific region

The partnership initiative aims to build the capacity of partner
countries throughout the Asia Pacific to respond to HIV/AIDS.
It will provide the opportunity for specialist HIV/AIDS community-
based organisations and professional associations in Australia to
build and strengthen partnerships with like-minded organisations in
countries across the region.

This initiative acknowledges the crucial role such organisations
have played in Australia's domestic response, and recognises the
value in assisting partner countries to strengthen their own
domestic responses in a similar fashion.

We all know that we continue to face a very tough challenge with
HIV/AIDS. Nothing is simple and nothing is quick. Changing attitudes
and behaviours takes a long time.

The Australian Government will remain vigilant. We will continue to
be a leader in the Asia Pacific region.

Our increased funding last year to $600 million indicates that we
are very serious about reducing the spread of the disease.
Again, I'd like to thank you all for being here today
I wish you the best in your work and for the remainder of your
discussions here this afternoon.

Thank you
_____________________
Media inquiries:
Chris Kenny (Mr Downer's Office) 0419 206 890
AusAID (Public Affairs) 0417 680 590