AS DELIVERED

The United States joins consensus on the resolution and notes with deep concern that every week 34,000 people are infected with HIV globally and 19,000 people die of AIDS-related illnesses. Adolescent girls and young women are especially hard hit. In high burden areas, every year 360,000 adolescent girls and young women are infected with HIV – nearly 1,000 a day. No single actor alone can control the epidemic and ultimately end the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We need all sectors and diverse partners working together to provide financing, demonstrate political will, and carry out interventions both within and outside of the health sector, and we must always include people, especially young people, directly affected by HIV in any response.

The United States understands that this resolution does not change the current state of conventional or customary international law, and we do not read it to imply that states must join or implement obligations under international instruments to which they are not a party. The United States understands that any reaffirmation of prior documents applies only to those states that affirmed them initially, and, in the case of international treaties or conventions, to those States who are party.

Regarding the reaffirmation of the 2030 Agenda, the United States recognizes the call for shared responsibility in the Agenda and emphasizes that all countries have a role to play in achieving its vision. We also strongly support national responsibility stressed in the Agenda. However, each country has its own development priorities, and we emphasize that countries must work towards implementation in accordance with their own national policies and priorities.

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