Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
10 January 2000
Mr President,
We, of the South Africa delegation, wish to warmly congratulate the United States of America for assuming the Presidency of the Security Council on the first month of the so-called "new millennium". We also wish to welcome the new Members of the Council who we believe are bringing new ideas to this Council to make it even stronger in carrying out its mandate. At the same time, we thank the outgoing Members of the Council for doing a wonderful job. We pledge to work closely with all of you to make the United Nations meaningful to our people, and to the people of the world.
We also congratulate the Security Council on its decision to take time and focus on the continent of Africa. The timing of these Open Meetings of the Security Council at the beginning of the new century, is certainly appropriate; Africa being the continent that undoubtedly is the cradle of humanity.
Mr President,
HIV/AIDS is a global problem. There is no country that has been spared from this epidemic. It is said that at the end of 1999, there were more people living with HIV/AIDS in the developing world than in the developed world. The majority of people living with HIV/AIDS are in the developing countries. Yet the human beings affected are the same. The disease is the same.
The reason for the disparity is not hard to find. The core difference between the developed and developing world is the level of development. The answer, therefore, lies in the difference in the standard of living of the people infected. In other words, until there is a cure for HIV/AIDS, the level of development in each country will influence how much such a disease spreads.
Poverty and under-development destroys families and health systems. While we must continue striving to find ways of halting the spread of, and finding the cure of HIV/AIDS, the only way to immediately address the spread of this disease is through uplifting the standard of living in developing countries. Addressing issues of poverty is central to this approach.
If you have an educated populace, it is easy to communicate AIDS prevention programs in a manner which does change behavioral patterns. We have found instances in our country where communities know that there is a disease called HIV/AIDS but do not appreciate the connection between that disease and their sexual behavior. This connectedness is understood better within literate communities. More spending on health care results in HIV/AIDS preventative tools, such as condoms, being more accessible to communities.
The better levels of nutrition in high and middle income societies ensure strong resistance against disease. The positive impact of good nutrition on opportunistic infections is well know to all of us. The accessibility and affordability of ordinary drugs is also central to this issue. A body weakened by ordinary diseases is more susceptible to AIDS.
Mr President,
We use these few examples to illustrate the relationship between HIV/AIDS and poverty.
At the Third African Population Conference held in Durban, South Africa, in December 1999, it was noted that "aids is 100 per cent preventable through openness and proper education." However, a look at the countries with the largest number of people who live with HIV/AIDS shows that there has been a decline in social spending. There is less money for alleviating poverty, for improving the nutrition of the people as a defense against nutritional diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia which make it easier for HIV/AIDS to fester. Many developing countries are overburdened with paying off international debt which leaves them with little money for development.
The decline in social spending happened over many years, mainly as a result of policies of multi-lateral institutions. We are encouraged by efforts now being made by such institutions to evaluate some of these policies and to focus on their core mandate, which is development.
Mr President,
The Charter of the United Nations bestows upon the Security Council the "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security." In the age of globalization, it has become important to define security in broader terms. In other words, the definition of security has to include economic security, food security, and health security. The Security Council, whose job is to guarantee security around the world, must use its peacekeeping operations to create a space and climate for other institutions, regional and sub-regional organizations such as WHO, UNAIDS, OAU and SADC, which are best suited to address other aspects of security, to do their work.
Already, the Security Council has set a wonderful precedent in Sierra Leone where the Council's Chapter Seven Mandate allows peacekeeping troops to be accompanied by expert UN personnel dealing with social issues that result from conflict. They include experts sent to assist women and children caught in conflict, including many had their limbs cut off by ruthless guerrillas.
The Security Council must be applauded for having adopted this innovative decision. We hope that the same creativity will prevail soon when the Security Council decides on a mandate for a peacekeeping force for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Mr President,
Perhaps, it is time that the entire 188 Members of the United Nations participate in a General Assembly debate on about the challenge posed by the spread of HIV/AIDS throughout the world, and develop a comprehensive plan to address this disease that knows no boundaries.
Furthermore, the donor countries must ease restrictions on the money they earmark for the treatment of HIV/AIDS in Africa so that recipient countries can use it to alleviate poverty, help improve the living standards of their citizens, and fund the education programmes on this disease. Otherwise, the money given for the treatment of HIV/AIDS may not produce the results that are needed in fighting off this epidemic.
Mr President,
There is no cure for AIDS. As we await a possible cure, we have the ability to halt its spread. Let us not shy away from it.
I thank you.