Thirty-Third Ordinary Session 2-4 June 1997 Harare, Zimbabwe
AHG/Decl.1-4 (XXXIII) AHG/Dec.120-123 (XXXIII) AHG/AEC/Dec.1 (I)
DECLARATIONS AND DECISIONS ADOPTED BY THE THIRTY-THIRD ASSEMBLY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
AHG/Decl.1 (XXXIII)
HARARE DECLARATION ON MALARIA PREVENTION AND CONTROL IN THE CONTEXT OF AFRICAN ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT
The Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity, meeting in its Thirty-Third Ordinary Session in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 2 to 4 June 1997,
Bearing in mind Declaration AHG/Decl.1 (XXIII) on Health "Basis of Development" adopted at the Twenty-Third Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa,
Recalling other major Declarations on the development of the Continent adopted by its previous sessions, particularly Declarations:
- AHG/Decl.4 (XXX) on Population and Development in Africa;
- AHG/Decl.5 (XXX) on Social Development.
Recognizing the burden that malaria places on the population of Africa and that malaria remains a killer disease and a barrier to sustainable social and economic development,
Taking note that:
- the disease and death (4,200 deaths everyday) caused by malaria only in tropical Africa is unacceptably high;
- malaria is a major impediment to social and economic development in Africa (US$ 5 million loss everyday);
- there is a need for political commitment by all African countries in terms of malaria control policies, resource allocation and mobilization of communities at country level for active participation in malaria control;
- most national programmes are still at the initial stages of implementation and the scope of intervention activities is limited;
- tools for malaria control in Africa are available to reduce deaths and illness but are not accessible, for various reasons, in appropriate forms;
- changes taking place in the world in the area of development often create conditions favourable for malaria transmission opening the way for epidemics in areas which were previously malaria-free;
Acknowledging the invaluable technical and financial contributions provided to Member States of our Organization by all its partners, especially WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, UNESCO and The World Bank Group, in their efforts to prevent and control malaria,
Mindful of the grave concern and alarm over the loss of life and degradation in the quality of life caused by malaria, expressed by Member States of the United Nations at the 50th Regular Session of the General Assembly in 1995, as well as the reaffirmation of their endorsement of the Global Strategy for malaria control:
- PLEDGES to:
a) consider malaria control in Africa as one of its priority programmes and reaffirms its unflagging resolve to maintain the gains so far achieved and prevent the outbreak of epidemics;
b) support fully the implementation of the Global and Regional Strategy and approaches recommended by the World Health Organization;
c) implement well planned and coordinated malaria control programmes involving individuals, families, communities, institutions, relevant government Ministries, and other public and private sectors;
d) allocate sufficient human, financial and material resources, and mobilize other local resources including resources from non-governmental and