Our focus was squarely on leadership. We see it as critical to securing and sustaining the commitment of Africa's leaders at the highest possible level. We very much hope that Abuja will be the place where our leaders articulate how they will lead the fight in their own countries. Later today, we will be presenting the outcomes of ADF 2000 in some detail. Their rights must be respected in full and their leadership potential recognized.
National leaders have a responsibility to create the conditions for community mobilization.
Before seeking external support, they should first and foremost mobilize domestic resources. The international community should mobilize the necessary resources to enable Africa to overcome the pandemic. Wherever possible, assistance should be in the form of grants, not loans. Addressing the problem of the cost and accessibility of drugs, especially anti-retrovirals and drugs to treat opportunistic infections, should be a priority. We strongly believe that the outcomes of ADF 2000 provide key elements of such position.