scale up the response to AIDS in developing countries through multilateral agreements between the Government of Brazil, UNAIDS and other developing countries. As part of this new joint initiative, UNAIDS will establish an International Centre for Technical Cooperation on AIDS based in Brazil.

“The new initiative will give other countries the necessary tools to effectively fight AIDS, now that financing is greatly increasing. Making this money work is now a priority. We urgently need to identify new ways for countries to build technical capacity to tackle the epidemic, the largest human development crisis in history,” said Dr Peter Piot, UNAIDS Executive Director.

“It is absolutely appropriate that the first centre be established in partnership with Brazil, which has demonstrated unrivalled leadership and creativity in responding to the AIDS epidemic, particularly with a strong partnership between the Government and civil society.”

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Dr Piot met today to discuss the global response to AIDS. Dr Piot praised President Lula for his leadership on AIDS.

“Twenty years into the AIDS epidemic, the linkages between poverty, hunger and AIDS are now more evident than ever,” he said. President Lula has been a global leader in all these fronts. The Brazilian response to AIDS has emerged as a model in tackling both HIV prevention and treatment head-on. I hope that President Lula’s leadership would encourage other leaders in the South to move forward the response to AIDS.”

“Brazil is pleased to have this opportunity to expand our existing horizontal collaboration efforts. Brazil is proud to offer to the global AIDS response its expertise on prevention, treatment and human rights,” said Brazilian Minister of Health Humberto Costa.

The Technical Cooperation Centre will initially be funded by UNAIDS and the Brazilian government. Additional resources will be raised through the private sector and international foundations.