Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala to attend the HIV/AIDS conference in Moscow

Press release 255/2011
6 October 2011

Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala will attend the International MDG-6 Forum on infectious diseases in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, to take place in Moscow on 10–11 October. This Forum dealing with the Sixth Millennium Development Goal (MDG 6 – HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases) is being held at the initiative of President Medvedev. Minister Hautala will address the plenary session, speaking about Finland’s experiences in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment and about the possibilities for development policy to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. The Forum is organised by the UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

During her trip, Minister Hautala will also meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gatilov and with representatives of civil society organisations such as Memorial, SOVA and the Network of Women Living with AIDS.

Russia has increased the country’s development cooperation considerably in recent years, especially in Central Asia. The work has focused in particular on health care and schemes for preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Russia is now in the process of establishing an agency for coordinating development cooperation.

Additional information: Laura Nordström, Special Adviser to the Minister for International Development, mobile tel. 358 40 505 9289