Okinawa International Conference on Infectious Diseases

November 30, 2000

1. The Okinawa International Conference on Infectious Diseases, hosted by Japan, will be held on December 7 (Thu) and 8 (Fri) in Ginowan City, Okinawa, as part of the follow-up to the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit.

2. This Conference will be attended by senior officials from the G8 governments and the European Commission, countries seriously affected by infectious diseases (Brazil, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, Thailand and Uganda), international organizations (World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), World Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)) and experts from non-governmental organizations (NGO) and the private sector. Main participants will include Mr. Frederick J. T. Chiluba, President of Zambia, Mrs. Sinta Nuriyah Rahman, wife of the President of Indonesia, and Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the WHO.

3. At the Conference, the participants will be discussing new strategies and concrete action plans for carrying out the agreement made at the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit for the elimination of infectious diseases, on the basis of the "G8 Communique Okinawa 2000" adopted at the Summit.

4. This Conference is being held in recognition of the fact that at the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit, infectious disease control was one of its important themes because infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria are greatly impeding the economic and social development of developing countries.

Related Information (From Okinawa to Genoa G8 Action Based on the Decisions of Okinawa)