The Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States

Honourable Ministers, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Government representatives and

Health Experts, Ladies and Gentlemen

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all, on behalf of the ACP Group, to this 1 st Meeting of ACP Ministers of Health.

This Ministerial Meeting is a significant occasion, as it has availed an unique opportunity for ACP Ministers of Health to come together and engage in discussions on the critical issues pertaining to the promotion of health for sustainable development in ACP States. Indeed, your participation in this Meeting today is a testimony of your commitment to finding solutions to the challenges in the health sector that impede the development agendas of our States.

The Khartoum Declaration adopted by the 5 th Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government on 8 December 2006, reaffirmed the commitment of ACP Heads of State and Government to ensure access to health systems for all ACP peoples. The 5 th Summit also reaffirmed the strengthening of intra-ACP cooperation as a pillar of ACP Unity and Solidarity. In this regard, ACP Heads of State and Government urged the adoption of best practices of sustainable development efforts from ACP Regional Initiatives.

It is within this framework that this Ministerial Meeting on Health has been organized not only to reflect on the progress and challenges of ACP States towards attaining the relevant set targets of the 4 th, 5 th and 6 th Millennium Development Goals dedicated to health, as well as target 17 of MDG8 related to access to medicines, but also to take stock on the responses to the outcomes of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Honourable Ministers, Your Excellencies

The development challenges confronted by our States are numerous and multidisciplinary. They require the participation of all relevant stakeholders and development partners to chart out solutions, with the ultimate objective of improving the social and economic well - being of our people. This can only be achieved if there is strong political will and a major investment of financial commitment in development programmes to benefit the health sector.

It is important noting that investment in basic health services in developing countries is only a fraction of what is needed. Low-income developing countries spend only $21 per capita per year on health care, much of it for expensive curative services rather than basic prevention and care. The World Health Organization (WHO)/World Bank Commission on Macro-economics and Health estimated that an additional $30 billion per year is needed to address the needs of the developing World. It is therefore imperative, regardless of income, for countries to design their health systems that are responsive to the needs of their populations and aimed at improving access to services for the poor.

It is in this connection that we need to emphasize the importance of allocating sufficient funds for the health sector in national budgets as well as through the 10 th EDF instrument (National, Regional and All ACP Envelopes). I do note that it might be a bit late for the programming at national level for the 10 th EDF, but, we can look forward to the mid-Term Reviews if health was not indicated in a substantial manner in our Country and Regional Strategic Papers (CSPs, RSPs) at this point in time.

Access to health services is fundamental to the health of individuals and communities. Governments therefore must address access for all people to affordable health services or health insurance and social protection programmes that, at a minimum, cover basic, preventive and primary medical care services as well as referral services.

In organizing this Ministerial Meeting, a specific effort was made to allocate one and half days for preparatory technical discussions of health experts from national, regional and international levels as well as Government policy officials responsible for health matters in ACP States. This was deemed necessary, as it would permit our technical experts and officials, with their wealth of knowledge and experience, to exchange views and chart out an intra-ACP Development Cooperation agenda in the Health sector. These technical discussions took place with a very specific objective in mind. That is, to finalise the draft Brussels Declaration and a Framework for Action for Health for Sustainable Development, to be adopted by ACP Ministers for Health.

I am pleased to report to you, Honourable Ministers, that our experts and officials have worked in a spirit on intra-ACP solidarity, and invested much thought and energy into this task. Their efforts have successfully resulted into the Draft Brussels Declaration and Framework for Action before you today for your further deliberation and adoption.

Honourable Ministers, the challenge before you is to ensure that both the draft ACP Brussels Declaration and Framework for Action clearly reflect the political and financial commitment for the promotion and development of the health sector in ACP States. The enrichment you will provide to these documents will enhance the major objective of this Ministerial Meeting, which is to reaffirm the intra-ACP cooperation at political level, in support of regional collaboration in health areas of concern to sustainable development in ACP States.

We should therefore ensure that these first and historical technical and political discussions on the promotion and development of the health sector in ACP States are not conducted in vain. We look forward to your guidance and support to ensure that the conclusions of this Ministerial Meeting result in implementable and measurable initiatives in priority areas of the health sector in ACP States.

Such desired outcome is possible if ACP Ministers responsible for Health work hand in hand with our National and Regional Authorizing Officers to ensure that activities and programmes in health are amongst those earmarked to receive funding from the EDF resources, and where possible, work hand in hand with Ministers of Finance to receive also other resources outside of the EDF framework. Further your political discussions should seek to explore the modalities whereby health activities can be mainstreamed, at the national and regional levels, into all aspects of development cooperation and support programmes.

We would also wish to call upon you, Honourable Ministers, to ensure that in your relations with the donor community, the importance of building strong and sustainable health systems in our countries is clearly articulated and amplified. It is only by so doing that our countries can make progress in attaining or go beyond, the targets of the relevant health Millennium Development Goals and thereby contribute to the eradication of poverty in ACP States. Let our actions and conclusions today work in harmony to reflect the view that the long-term impact of investment in health is of critical importance if we are to build for tomorrow.

Your Excellencies, Honourable Ministers

We wish also to invite you during your deliberations, to embrace the notion that ACP States will indeed emerge as strong actors in the global economy, when they embrace an unified and coordinated approach to development. The dynamic forces at play in the international arena, and the inevitable socio-economic challenges, which will result from the current trend of globalization, require a dynamic and unified response.

In conclusion, let me wish you fruitful deliberations. I am sure the insights you, Honourable Ministers, will provide today with respect to the sustainable development of our States, will make this 1 st Meeting of ACP Ministers of Health a memorable event in the promotion and development of the health sector in ACP States.

I thank you.