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Installation of the UNITAID board of governors (Geneva, October 9, 2006)

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UNITAID board of governors
(Geneva, 09.10.06)
Photo : Cyril Bailleul - M.A.E.

Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy went to Geneva, where WHO has its headquarters, on October 9 for the installation of the UNITAID board of governors. He represented France on it.

The board is composed of representatives of the five founding countries (Brazil, Chile, France, Great Britain and Norway), a representative from the African continent and a representative from the Asian continent together with two members of civil society and a WHO representative. This division ensures that UNITAID resources are managed transparently and efficiently, in close coordination with the partner organizations. WHO will host the secretariat and UNITAID fiduciary fund.

The first board meeting elected M. Philippe Douste-Blazy as chairman and launched UNITAID’s first actions for 2006.

Statements made by M. Philippe Douste-Blazy during his joint press conference with Mrs Singrun Magedal, Norwegian Ambassador for HIV/AIDS, and Dr Anders Nordström, Acting Director-General of WHO (excerpts) (Geneva, 9 October 2006)

"This morning, I was elected Chairman of the UNITAID board. I’m very touched by this honour and thank the board members for their confidence in me. I confirm to you my determination very soon to launch UNITAID’s first projects. As Chairman, I call on every country to join us in this historic undertaking. 19 countries have already committed themselves to bringing in a solidarity contribution on plane tickets and allocating the proceeds to purchases of medicines in the UNITAID framework. We must, we can increase our numbers still further."


The UNITAID International Drug Purchase Facility was officially established in New York on September 19 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly by President Jacques Chirac, his Brazilian counterpart Luis Ignacio Lula Da Silva, and Congolese counterpart Denis Sassou Nguesso. Also present were UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Chilean Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley Riosesco, British Under-Secretary for International Development Gareth Thomas and former US President Bill Clinton who heads the Clinton Foundation.

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