(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) President of Brazil, His Excellency Lula Inacio Lula da Silva has guaranteed his country's support for Technical Cooperation Programmes and capacity building of HIV/AIDS experts through exchange programmes with Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries. President Lula gave this assurance during a meeting with Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, at the Presidential Palace in Brasillia on Tuesday 6 April.

"I commit the Brazilian Ministry of Health to work with PANCAP toward the possibility of providing first line Anti-Retroviral drugs (ARVs) to the OECS countries and to follow up on other areas of cooperation with CARICOM", the President said.

During the talks, Prime Minister Douglas acknowledged Brazil's exemplary health care and financing systems, and lauded that country's initiatives in the areas of social justice, including hunger and poverty alleviation. The Prime Minister also spoke of the bold positions that Brazil has taken in the international arena, specifically on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Prime Minister Douglas referred to the ongoing discussions by the CARICOM delegation with their Brazilian counterparts, which have resulted in a series of priority areas for collaboration. He particularly stressed the importance of the Region accessing Anti Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), the development of monitoring and evaluation systems, and assistance for human resource development.

"The Caribbean has much to gain from adopting the models developed by Brazil in the area of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) techniques, training for HIV/AIDS professionals in building capacity to manage HIV/AIDS programmes", said the Prime Minister.

He expressed support and solidarity for Brazil with respect to UN reform and particularly the expansion of the Security Council, and noted that the Region is considering Brazil's candidacy for the position of Director General of the WTO.

President Lula anticipates that the issues would form part of the agenda for discussion at the first ever South America Summit in Brazil in May, at which President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana and President Ronald Ronaldo Venetiaan of Suriname are expected to participate.

The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis has lead responsibility for Human Resource, Health and HIV/AIDS within the Quasi Cabinet of CARICOM Heads of Government. He is leading a 26- member delegation to Brazil, which also includes Honorable John Maginley, Minister of Health, Youth and Sports of Antigua and Barbuda and Chair of COHSOD, Honorable Damien Greaves, Minister of Health of Saint Lucia and Sir George Alleyne, UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS to the Caribbean.

CONTACT:

Volderine Hackett
vhackett@caricom.org