The Alliance called on leaders to capitalise on the success of the AIDS movement to build health for all through civil society involvement, political leadership and multi-sectoral responses.
The statement also addressed the economic crisis, equity and innovative financing needed to fund the international commitment to Universal Access by 2010, as well as the broader health Millennium Development Goals.
“Rather than as an additional obstacle, the economic crisis should be seen as an added incentive to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of aid,” it argued.
“The G8 and G20 should take forward solidarity levies which have the potential to deliver significant long term predictable funding for health, the most promising of which is the establishment of a currency transaction levy that would raise an additional $30-$50 billion per year.”
ECOSOC (the Economic and Social Council) serves as the United Nation’s central forum for discussing international economic and social issues, and for formulating policy recommendations addressed to member states and the UN system.
The annual High-level Segment serves as a forum for ministers and executive heads of international institutions and high-ranking officials, as well as civil society and private sector representatives to discuss key issues on the international agenda.
The focus of this year’s meeting was ‘Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to global public health’. In addition the Council considered ‘Global and national trends and their impact on social development including health’.
Read the Alliance statement in full.