President Goodluck Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday addressed the United Nations Security Council and called for a "final solution" to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
The Nigerian leader, who would be hosted by United States President Barack Obama at the White House Wednesday afternoon, made the call while delivering a statement at the Security Council debate on: "Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Impact of HIV/AIDS on International Peace and Security".
Jonathan's visit to the UN headquarters in New York is the second within a year and his first trip outside the country since his inauguration on May 29.
Addressing the Security Council Tuesday, Jonathan said: "30 years since the beginning of the AIDS pandemic, the time is ripe for a final solution."
While noting that the prevention imperative is "upon us", he said: "The human, social and economic costs of inaction are too great to contemplate."
He called on the Security Council to set clear and decisive goals in order that efforts to maintain peace could add to the armoury against HIV/AIDS.
He however said yesterday's debate on HIV/AIDS "is a demonstration of the commitment of the Security Council to an issue that is pivotal to the development and security of Africa, in particular and the world in general, since resolution 1308 was adopted by the Security Council in 2000".
He noted that as the largest contributor to peacekeeping in Africa and the fourth largest in the world, Nigeria has a major stake, not only in ensuring that, "our armed forces are protected against HIV and AIDS, but also given adequate treatment".
Pledging Nigeria's full commitment to ensuring that HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care are integrated into the country's armed forces’ health services, Jonathan, who is the chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), said at the sub-regional level, strident steps had been taken towards this objective.
He specifically cited the ECOWAS sub-regional transport corridor project, involving Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, which he said was designed to halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS among various populations.
Jonathan said Nigeria was committed to increasing its level of engagement with the security services in those countries to reduce the impact of the disease in the region.
Meanwhile, Wednesday’s meeting with Obama, slated for 4:30pm, would be the second time the US President would be hosting the Nigerian leader at the White House.
In April 2010, during the Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington DC, Obama hosted Jonathan - who was then Acting President.
THISDAY gathered that Jonathan would be accompanied to the White House by the National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoeye Azazi; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi; and Nigerian Ambas-sador to US, Prof. Adebowale Adefuye, among others.