It is indeed an honour for me to Chair this opening session and PANCAP III and even moreso a pleasure to extend greetings to you all on behalf of the Secretary General and staff of the CARICOM Secretariat and the PANCAP Coordinating Unit.
Permit me to take this opportunity to make some general remarks as well as to update this gathering on the progress of PANCAP and so indications for the future.
The Context of PANCAP: Creating Global Partnerships for development
This meeting is taking place in exciting times. Indeed our Heads of Governments are presently engaged in a special session in St. Lucia to address several important issues. Among them is the governance of the Community as it moves toward the full implementation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy and this includes the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice, now ratified by all member states. What is more this meeting is taking place when the CARICOM Councils have adopted as guiding principles of their development strategies, the UN Millennium Development Goals. These goals to which all Caribbean states subscribe recognize that just as globalization has systematically benefited some of the World’s regions, it has by passed others as well as many groups of the region. The MDGs place major emphases on health and development issues such as reduction in child mortality rates, reduction of maternal mortality and the reduction in HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB and other diseases. The MDGs provide the overarching umbrella for a sustainable environment, which requires the creation of a global partnership for development.
PANCAP’s Mandate
When therefore the Pan Caribbean Partnership was launched in Barbados in February 2001, in Barbados, the founding signatories to the Partnership agreement ventured into this Regional network that in many ways mirrored the strategic objectives of UN MDG. When our Heads of Governments issued the Nassau Declaration the health of the region is the wealth of the region in July 2001 that like the MDGs explicitly established targets. In this case the targets specifically relate to reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS and improving the public health response. But the underlying causes remain the same. In both the case of the MDGs and the Nassau declaration there is a recognition that fundamentally the objectives must be to achieve greater equity whether in access to health care or education or to employment or justice. Both with respect to the Nassau Declaration and the MDGs the development compact is based on shared responsibility among partners or stakeholders.
This in essence is the institutional context in which the Pan Caribbean Partnership as a network must function. It is compounded however by the epidemiological factors of which you are all aware Among the most significant is that on average one percent of the population of the entire Caribbean or approximately 500,000 persons are infected. But the startling facts are that in almost every country 40 percent of the infected adult population are women – a number that is increasing — and the HIV prevalence rates among girls are about five times higher than boys. What is more this epidemic for which no cure has yet been found shows no sign of easing and is now firmly heterosexual in its mode of transmission
The economic implications are enormous. Studies have shown that if unchecked, the total cost to Caribbean countries excluding Haiti could reach US80 Million by the year 2020, with significant reductions in GDP as a consequence.
PANCAP as a regional umbrella body is seen as an essential mechanism for a consolidated, cooperative and collaborative approach to a problem of gigantic proportions beyond the grasp of individual countries in this Region. It is quite clear that if PANCAP had not already existed we would have no choice but to create it now before it is too late.
Update on PANCAP Activities
Those members who have been with PANCAP over the past three years would immediately recognize the strides that have been made in moving ahead on its objectives. And I take this opportunity to thank the members of the original core Group who were with this endeavour from the beginning: UNAIDS, PAHO, UNDP. These agencies together with CARICOM struggled through with the initial Plan of Action. It was a brilliant concept. We have built up it and now are guided by the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework that was approved at PANCAP II.
There are signs of great expectations. Among the documents distributed to participants at this meeting is a Progress Report on activities on the PANCAP Coordinating Unit, the designated node of the PANCAP network. That Report shows that the Unit has now been firmly established with three (3) new professionals. I take great pleasure in introducing Mr. Edward Emmanuel, from St. Lucia, Deputy Programme Manager, Ms Sarah Insanally, from Guyana, Senior Project Officer, with responsibility for the Law Ethics and Human Rights Programme, and Ms Alicia Sands, from The Bahamas, responsible for the Communications and Information Programme. Members of the Administrative Staff are Ms Barbara Vandyke, Administrative Assistant and Ms Marieanne Cholmondely Special Assistant for PANCAP III. In welcoming these new members I would like us to acknowledge the role played by Ms Cynthia Eledu, who it is my deepest regret, cannot be with us today..
During the course of this meeting there will be reports on special PANCAP activities, including the results of two regional workshops on Law, Ethics and human rights. Then there is the accelerated communications programme starting in June 2003 that has resulted in the production of the monthly edition of E-news and the bi-monthly production of PANCAP News. Another important activity has been the accelerated access to care initiative undertaken in collaboration with PAHO/WHO, UNAIDS and the W.J Clinton Foundation, a new partner that has broken new paths in the negotiations for cheaper ARVs. The meeting will be receiving an analysis from the Clinton Foundation on its proposals for future cooperation with PANCAP.
During the current year the PANCAP Coordinating Unit completed the architecture of the PANCAP structure and functions in keeping with the recommendations of PANCAP II in October 2002. As a result, the PANCAP network is now constructed as it were and is poised to undertake the various roles linking the PANCAP coordinating and management structure to the National HIV/AIDS Programmes. Responsibility for spearheading the initiation and implementation of programmes reside with the Steering Committee, which holds its inaugural meeting (tomorrow morning). It is therefore not an exaggeration to say that at this 3rd AGM, PANCAP has begun the process of maturity.
Maturity means sustainability. Sustainability requires resources. During this year PANCAP placed emphasis on resource mobilization with reasonably good results. Hence in the sessions later this morning we will learn of the progress made with the ongoing programmes supported by the European Union, CIDA and USAID to which I have already referred. Also to be presented are the new initiatives such as the grant agreements with the World Bank in support of capacity building and the German Development Bank (KFW) for condom social marketing. From the evidence so far it is quite clear that other Partners like UNESCO, UNICEF are on the verge of supporting some of the gaps in the Regional Strategic Framework which was supported by DIFID.
The Global Fund for HIV/AIDS TB and Malaria
In this regard it is important that we make reference to Global Fund for HIV/AIDS TB and Malaria (GFATM). First of all we congratulate those countries — Belize, Guyana, Haiti, and the OECS and Jamaica — that have been awarded grants from the 3rd round competition of the Global Fund. We understand the disappointment of those countries that were not awarded in this round as PANCAP experienced two such disappointments in rounds 1 and 2. We feel very pleased that in this latest round, the regional proposal was successful. Its emphasis on care and treatment, prevention and human rights will indeed be the priorities that PANCAP would pursue over the immediate period in its attempt to accelerate the response to HIV/AIDS. We owe a debt of gratitude to so many institutions. It is with some trepidation (less I omit anyone) that in addition to our core partners, I mention, CDC, CDB, UNDP, IDB, ITAC and USAID
The acquisition of resources from the Global Fund brings with it new challenges of management and collaboration. It is in this regard that PANCAP has the opportunity to rise to the occasion and demonstrate through a collective approach and in the true spirit of the Partnership that it can effectively implement the funded programmes with a coordinated strategy. I am pleased therefore to acknowledge the presence of Ms Arletty Penil, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Programme, and Ms Jessie Shutt-Aine Portfolio Manager for the Global Fund.
The awards from the Global Fund to the 8 successful Caribbean projects amount to approximately US $40Million over the first two years and a possible total of US$110Million over a five-year period. Yet as we have already alluded to these figures which include Haiti, are nowhere near the level that is required to stem the tide of this devastating disease
Consequently PANCAP needs to engage its partners and the Global Fund in further discussions about the levels of support. We need to challenge the notion that in this region, countries are being disqualified on the basis of an income classification that is mainly on GDP criteria. This is unfair. It ignores the fact that HIV/AIDS and other catastrophic diseases reinforce the poverty trap especially in circumstances like the Caribbean where poverty levels are relatively high, structural unemployment,also high; and the income distribution, skewed. We need to challenge the notion also on the basis of empirical evidence that the Caribbean countries especially the OECS, are highly vulnerable to natural disasters that wreak havoc on physical and human resources with implication for public finance and the burden of increasing debt.
The Future
As we move forward in our planning and programming we also have to pay attention to those priorities that may redress the balance of poverty and inequity and indeed truly respond to the theme of the Council for human and Social Development investing in human resources with equity. In this regard we must incorporate the business community into our struggle. I am pleased to acknowledge the presence of the representatives from the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce, which has indicated its intention to sign the PANCAP Partnership agreement. Together with the Caribbean Association for Industry of Commerce and the Caribbean Tourism Association, we hope that we are witnessing the genisis of a Caribbean Business Cooalition in the fight against HIV/AIDS. This is an initiative that is being promoted by Sir George Alleyne, the UN Envoy for HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean.
We also need to consider the introduction of new elements into the Regional Strategic Framework such as the initiative by UNESCO to focus on HIV/AIDS in education. We need to also go beyond the current activities on youth and embrace the suggestions by the Caribbean Youth Ambassadors (CYA) programme for new forms of advocacy to change behaviour patterns among the youth population so severely affected by the disease. I acknowledge the presence of two youth Ambassadors Mr.Joel Richards of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Mr. Michael Alexander, Dean of the CYA who are currently on an internship programme with CARICOM/PANCAP. We also should have no reservation in having our agenda connect up with others such as the UNICEF itiative on a World Fit for Children on UNICEF’s emphasis on an integrated approach to prevention and care.
Over the past two years this AGM has been concerned with the development of an acceptable Regional Strategic Framework and the establishment of a legitimate structure for the Partnership. We will continue to perfect our systems of governance which include accountability and participation of stakeholders in the decision making process. But these governance prerequisites must be a facilitator to action. Hence in the spirit of the PANCAP Partnership agreement we must dedicate our deliberations at this meeting to truly finding the formula for accelerating the implementation of the Regional Strategic framework. The lives of some many – children, some yet unborn, young men and young women, poor people and other vulnerable groups – depend on our collective efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It is indeed a fight that we cannot afford to lose.
