This Strategy has been developed through wide consultation, informed by the best evidence and driven by a moral imperative to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support and the Millennium Development Goals.

There is a lot to be hopeful for as we approach the milestone of reaching the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Much has been achieved—fewer people are dying of AIDS-related illnesses and the rate of new HIV infections has fallen by more than 17% since 2001. Recent breakthroughs in HIV prevention research – such as a woman initiated and controlled microbicide gel combined with the increasing scale up of male circumcision—hold promise for both women and men to protect themselves from HIV.

This report shows that these global commitments will be achieved only if the unique needs of young women and men are acknowledged, and their human rights fulfilled, respected, and protected. In order to reduce new HIV infections among young people, achieve the broader equity goals set out in the MDGs, and begin to reverse the overall HIV epidemic, HIV prevention and treatment efforts must be tailored to the specific needs of young people.

UNAIDS would like to call on all stakeholders to further strengthen efforts to eliminate all forms of HIV-related stigma and discrimination, and promote and protect human rights of all people living with, affected by or at risk of HIV. This is critical not only to ensure an effective response to the AIDS epidemic, but also to achieve sustainable development that is human-centered and promotes social integration and inclusion. UNAIDS will continue to work with all partners towards the achievement of these goals.

Au-delà de la langue qui nous unit ce soir, je crois que ce que nous véhiculons ensemble ce sont des valeurs communes, des principes de lutte contre la discrimination, l’exclusion et la stigmatisation. Ce n’est pas un hasard si la déclaration universelle des droits de l’homme fut rédigée en français. Nous ne sommes pas là ce soir pour avoir peur du futur. Bien au contraire, nous sommes ensemble aujourd’hui pour définir et donner un sens à notre avenir, pour faire en sorte que quelque part un jour des personnes se réunissent pour se dire que le monde francophone a contribué à mettre fin à cette épidémie. Le combat contre cette maladie, la lutte contre le sida ne peut être réduit à un simple problème, mais doit s’entendre comme un processus transformatif d’ampleur mondiale.

There will be unforeseen obstacles, but it is very clear that we have started on the road to zero and have taken the first major strides in that direction.