PM Douglas among global leaders at 20th International AIDS Conference in Australia

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JULY 21ST 2014 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas is among global leaders in Melbourne, Australia, attending the 20th International AIDS Conference.

Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Her Excellency Helen Clarke
Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Her Excellency Helen Clarke

The St. Kitts and Nevis leader is on a panel which includes former New Zealand Prime Minister and now UNDP Administrator, Her Excellency Helen Clark; Ibu Nafsiah Mboi Minister of Health, Indonesia and Chair of the Global Fund Board; James Gilling, Australia’s Ambassador on AIDS, TB and Malaria and Philippe Lemure, Member of Parliament from France.

During the first plenary session “Beyond the MDGs: HIV and the Post-2015 Development Agenda,” Prime Minister Douglas will make a presentation, on HIV and Small Island States post 2015: what are the key messages for the SIDS meeting in September.”

“In this regard, it will be excellent if His Excellency could focus on the aspirations if the small island states and also on how the SIDS meeting in September could be an opportunity to position HIV in the development framework,” said the invitation, which noted that Prime Minister Douglas has been “a remarkable leader providing consistent and committed leadership on HIV.”

Prime Minister Douglas, who is accompanied by United Nations Secretary Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS, Professor Edward Greene, has been asked to articulate what the vision is for the post 2015 agenda and why he believes HIV has been and will continue to be a transformative issue beyond health.

Dr. Douglas, CARICOM Lead Head on Human Resources, Health and HIV, has also been invited to address some of the issues around global health and aid governance issues.

Former New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark will make a presentation on “HIV and AIDS beyond 2015,” and James Gilling of Australia on “Post-2015 development and the new Australian aid paradigm.”

The discussions will focus on what has been learned from the AIDS response and how can the post 2015 agenda build on these lessons and meet the aspirations of the world for an AIDS free generation.

Former United States President, the Hon. Bill Clinton, who was in Malaysia to attend another International AIDS Conference, is expected to be in Melbourne for the Prime Minister’s presentation.

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