Archbishop Desmond Tutu, rock star Bob Geldof, former President and UN human rights commissioner Mrs Mary Robinson, and executive director of UNICEF Ms Carol Bellamy are among the guests at a special two-day conference on HIV/AIDS in Dublin next week.
One of the biggest events of Ireland's EU presidency, "Breaking the Barriers: Partnership to Fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia", will be officially opened by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, in Dublin Castle on Monday.
A total of 55 health and development ministers from European and Central Asian governments are scheduled to attend, including the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen. While much of its work will be concentrated on the impact of HIV/AIDS on Europe and Central Asia, the worsening picture in Africa will be a stark backdrop to the conference.
Other invited guests include the President of the European Parliament, Mr Pat Cox, the President of Portugal, Dr Jorge Sampaio, and the Prime Minister of Romania, Mr Adrian Nastase.
The Minister of State for Overseas Development and Human Rights, Mr Tom Kitt, said the key UN agencies had urged the Government to push the issue of HIV/AIDS and its prevalence in the Europe-Central Asia region further up the EU political agenda. "They believe that there is a tendency in this region to see HIV/AIDS as an exclusively African problem."
He said the disease was spreading in this region "at an enormous rate". The incidence had gone up, according to the official figures, from 38,000 five years ago to 1.5 million at the moment, but many experts believed the real level was much higher.
Work is continuing on a Draft Declaration to be adopted at the ministerial conference. The latest version at the weekend includes among its targets:
By 2010, elimination of HIV infection among infants in Europe and Central Asia;
By 2005, ensuring that 80 per cent of injecting drug users have access to treatment and harm reduction services including HIV counselling and testing;
By 2005, ensuring at least 90 per cent of young people aged 15 to 24 have access to HIV information and education;
An earlier draft declaration was criticised on various grounds by Dóchas, the umbrella body of all Irish development aid agencies. Dóchas said it was "completely lacking in measurable outcomes" and "all but ignores the global context and scale of the problem".
It continued: "As a result the actions pledged are devoid of any solidarity with those combating HIV/AIDS throughout the world." Dóchas added that the link between HIV/AIDS and development was not elaborated in any way. "The virus is not just a 'threat to development', but a crisis of development, retarding development gains," it said.
Government sources stressed the document was still at the drafting stage and delegates would have an opportunity to express their views on the content before it was adopted.