20 February 2003

Paris, France: United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on the United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) to remain on "standby" to help replenish the corps of experienced civil servants in African countries hard hit by AIDS.

"The disease [AIDS] is killing the most productive members of society," Mr. Annan told heads of state at the Africa-France Summit in Paris. "Schools are losing their teachers; hospitals their doctors and nurses; private businesses their managers and engineers; government ministries the very people responsible for planning and implementing programmes to address society's key concerns."

He added that it is necessary to rebuild the capacity of the state to provide essential public services.

"Where once we spoke of capacity building, today we have to speak of capacity replenishment. I have asked the UN Volunteer Programme to be on standby to offer further help," he said.

In addition, the Secretary-General announced that he would establish a high-level Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa to study links between AIDS and governance in various sectors, including agriculture, youth and the military.

UNV works with communities to help fight HIV/AIDS and provide care for those affected by the disease. More than 160 UN Volunteers have served under 36 projects and programmes at community, national and regional levels. Currently, more than 90 UN Volunteers -- many of whom are HIV-positive -- work directly with HIV/AIDS, while some 170 combat the pandemic indirectly in disease prevention and health care activities.

Following the successful work undertaken by UN Volunteers in Zambia and Malawi to enhance greater involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS, similar initiatives have been expanded to other countries, including Botswana, Burundi, Cambodia, Indonesia, Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and six countries in the Caribbean: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.