Minister of International Development Erik Solheim is in New York on 1 and 2 June in connection with the UN Special Session on HIV/AIDS. He will deliver Norway’s statement during the High-Level segment of the meeting on Friday 2 June. In his statement, Mr Solheim will emphasise that the fight against HIV/AIDS can only be won if national leaders are open and unprejudiced in issues relating to sexuality and sexual orientation, violence against women and HIV infection among injection drug users.

On Friday 2 June, Mr Solheim will, together with the French and Brazilian Foreign Ministers and a minister from Chile, host an event on innovative financing for development (plane ticket levy). There will be a press conference on the subject on 2 June at 15.00 (local time) in Conference Room 4 in UN Headquarters. The press conference will be held by the four ministers from Norway, France, Brazil and Chile, together with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Liberian politician and former football player George Weah, and a representative of FIFA’s leadership.

Mr Solheim will also have a number of bilateral meetings while he is at the UN. In addition, he will meet with representatives from civil society, including people who are living with HIV/AIDS. Mr Solheim will also have a meeting with Johann Olav Koss in connection with the Right to Play initiative.

Press contact: Deputy Director General Aud Lise Norheim: mobile phone: 48 26 83 69