Statement by the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador Sérgio França Danese, at the UNGA meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the political declarations on HIV/AIDS - June 19th, 2024

Mr. President,

Brazil is honored to participate in this annual plenary debate and the joint review of the implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and its subsequent Political Declarations, particularly the 2021 Political Declaration.

My delegation highly commends the Secretary General for his report. We note with satisfaction that in 2022 global new HIV infections were the fewest in decades, and that 76% of people living with HIV are 2 receiving life-saving treatment. We congratulate, in particular, the region of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia for contributing to our collective efforts with a massive expansion of access to antiretroviral therapy.

Brazil shares the concern that, despite remarkable progress made, HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are not declining fast enough to reach our global goal and targets. Inequalities, stigma and discrimination are still major barriers faced by people living with, at risk of, and affected by HIV. We fully endorse the SecretaryGeneral’s recommendations for strengthened collective actions with a focus on equitable and affordable access to medicines and other health technologies; engagement with the community; sustainable financing; and international cooperation and global solidarity, while harnessing synergies between AIDS response and efforts on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response and broader Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr. President,

In 2023, Brazil established an Interministerial3 Committee for the Elimination of Tuberculosis and Other Socially Determined Diseases. The Committee developed in 2024 the Healthy Brazil Program, which reaffirms the goal of eliminating HIV/AIDS as a public health issue by 2030, in line with SDG 3.3.

Brazil has consistently advanced in the prevention and care of HIV/AIDS thanks, above all, to our Unified Health System, which guarantees universal and free of charge access to prevention, treatment and diagnosis.

Through our national health system, around 800.000 people are assisted with free antirretroviral drugs - a steady increase from 2022. To ensure early detection and reach out key and priority populations, we have promoted the free distribution of HIV self-tests in public health units along with HIV rapid tests.

To steeply reduce new HIV infections, our health system provides, free of charge, a wide availability of proven HIV prevention tools, such as condoms and PrEPs.

Affordability, however, remains a key issue. As the 4 Secretary General points out, upper-middle-income countries are often not eligible for price reductions, and for new products such as long-acting injectable PrEPs. Equitable and affordable access to medicines and other health technologies, a key in some of the biggest breakthroughs against the AIDS pandemic, is still highly needed for developing countries to provide innovative and effective diagnostics, prevention and treatment to our populations and to reach everyone, everywhere.

The engagement of civil society in planning, implementing, monitoring and reviewing has long been the backbone of our HIV response. With community support, Brazil has also built a legal framework to protect people living with HIV and counter stigma and discrimination. Any discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS is a crime in our country. Since 2021, a federal bill guarantees the confidentiality about the condition of the person living with HIV in settings such as schools and workplaces.

Enhanced partnerships and global solidarity are also 5 key. Brazil has donated, upon request, antiretroviral drugs and rapid tests to several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Brazil is proud to be a founding member of the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics, with a focus on strengthening the response to AIDS and other pandemics.

We wish to recognize with appreciation the fundamental role played by UNAIDS in assisting member states in the fight against HIV/AIDS, including my own. UNAIDS has been contributing to our national efforts with initiatives such as the FRESH Project, which encourages self-care and adherence to prevention strategies among transgender women in vulnerable situations.

Mr. President,

The international community has made headway in significantly reducing infection and death cases associated with HIV/AIDS. Yet, there is much to be done to end AIDS by 2030 and to eliminate all forms of HIV-6 related stigma and discrimination.

Brazil reiterates its full commitment to the implementation of the 2021 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS. You can count on Brazil to continue contributing to those efforts and to strengthening its cooperation with interested countries in this crucial area.

Thank you.