Thank you Honourable chair

Excellencies and colleagues, Good afternoon.

Partners in Population and Development (PPD) is an inter-governmental alliance of 26 developing countries mandated to promote South-South Cooperation in the area of Reproductive Health, Population and Development, representing more than half of the world population.

12 countries from the Asia Pacific region are members of PPD, currently chaired by Hon. Dr. Li Bin, Minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China and the Vice Chair is Hon. Mr. Jagat Prakash Nadda, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare of the Government of India

PPD is a Permanent Observer at the United Nations General Assembly.

Echoing the earlier response from Hon member of the Bangladesh delegation,

I am glad to inform this esteem house that, as part of the National response in meeting the Bangladesh’s commitment contained in the General Assembly resolutions, regional commitments and to promote South to South partnership in HIV and AIDS response, Hon Sheik Hasina, the Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has invited the international stakeholder to Dhaka Nov 20 -23, 2015 for the 12th International Congress on AIDS in Asia Pacific.

Partners in Population and Development is assisting the Ministry of Health and Family welfare and the local organizing committee to host the 12th ICAAP in Dhaka.

 

As the first major gathering after the UNGA adoption of the SDG post 2015 goals ICAAP is also an opportunity to review progress on commitments made here over the 3 days of this meeting of ESCAP.

12th ICAAP will provide specific opportunity to review the national progress in meeting the commitments contained in the relevant General Assembly resolutions on the political Declaration on HIV and AIDS and relevant ESCAP resolutions and to plan for a comprehensive regional response in the context of proposed post MDG, sustainable development goals (SDG).

12th ICCAP will provide a forum for the Bangladesh civil society to strengthen their engagement with the regional networks and the Bangladesh government to review it’s HIV and AIDS response, based on the lessons from other countries in this region.

An Arab-Asia Investment summit on health care and an inter-ministerial meeting of 26 countries will be two significant events of 12th ICAAP.

All the delegates from this high level forum are invited to Dhaka for the 12th ICAAP on 20th 23rd November 2015.

PPD, Bangladesh Civil Society and the Government of Bangladesh look forward to the support from this forum to ensure the success of ICAAP 12.

Thank you.