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Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore will today meet with President Bill Clinton to discuss Ireland’s partnership with the Clinton Foundation, which is focused on tackling HIV and AIDS in the developing world.

Ireland – through Irish Aid – works with the Clinton Foundation and the Governments of Mozambique and Lesotho to increase access to HIV prevention and treatment services.

President Clinton said:

The Irish Government has long been a major contributor in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

They helped me begin my work, and their support is stronger than ever, in no small measure because of Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore. I am grateful to the Tánaiste and Irish Aid for their help in fighting this epidemic.

Speaking ahead of the meeting the Tánaiste said:

The number of people who are contracting HIV and dying from related illnesses has fallen by 20% since the peak. This success is largely due to greater access to HIV treatment as a result of substantially lower costs. The Clinton Foundation, with help from Irish Aid, has been instrumental in shaping the markets to reduce the cost of these life-saving drugs.

This partnership is yielding results which we can see and measure and is dramatically improving the lives of millions of the most vulnerable people in Lesotho and Mozambique.

Read the full press release here.