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United Nations ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review Regional Ministerial Meeting for Africa Statement
by
Mr. Thomas Stelzer, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Department
of
Economic and Social Affairs Accra, Ghana
10
-11
June 2009
Honourable Vice President, Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to
join
Ambassador Lucas in congratulating the Government
of
Ghana for hosting this Regional Preparatory Meeting for the ECOSOC AnnualMinisterial Review (AMR) in July in Geneva. I would also like to thank the people
of
Ghana for their
wann
hospitality.I would also like to thank on behalf
of
the Department
of
Economic and SocialAffairs the generous support extended by the Governments
of
Italy and Luxemburg to theorganization
of
this meeting.Ladies and Gentlemen,Africa as a whole is
off
track to meeting the MDGs on reducing child mortality,improving maternal health and combating infectious disease (MDGs 4, 5 and
6).
Yet,experiences from other continents, as well as recent progress in several countries in
the
region, prove that the Goals can be achieved across Africa.The global health landscape is unrecognizable from even a decade ago. While theMDGs have revitalized interest in global health issues, we see an influx
of
newinnovative structures, networks, partnerships and alliances beyond traditional health anddevelopment models. Managing the risks and rewards
of
both technological convergenceand the convergence
of
health and development is increasingly
the
critical challengefacing
all
stakeholders.An unparalleled opportunity exists for governments, donors, foundations,business, international organizations and civil society to act now and as one to craftcoherent and concerted health policies. The perennial ills
of
the health sector -includingcomplex planning environments, sector silos, costly inefficiencies, and risk avoidancemust be addressed. And across the board, new thinking should stimulate using existingand emerging technology the traditional assumptions and models
of
public health.
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