WELCOMING REMARKS BY MR. JAMES GUSTAVE SPETH UNDP ADMINISTRATOR ON THE OCCASION OF THE SIGNATURE CEREMONY OF THE AGREEMENT ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL VACCINE INSTITUTE

(Monday, 28 October 1996, UN Conference Room 8)

I am pleased to welcome the representatives of governments and agencies who have joined together today for the signing of the Establishment Agreement for the International Vaccine Institute. Under the aegis of the Children's Vaccine Initiative, UNDP has played the role of mid-wife for this Institute. Today, thanks to the generosity of the Republic of Korea and the support of several governments which recognize the Institute's enormous potential, it will become a full-fledged and independent international entity devoted to technical and scientific cooperation.

The involvement of UNDP evidences our firm belief that the health of children in developing countries can be dramatically enhanced through the use of new and improved vaccines. The International Vaccine Institute will contribute to the quality and availability of these vaccines through capacity building, research, and information dissemination.

Each year some 9 million children lose their lives to infectious diseases. This number could be reduced by a third through the use of existing vaccines. But this still leaves 6 million deaths because reliable vaccines are not accessible or do not yet exist. And most of these deaths take place in the poorest counties which lack safe drinking water, sanitation facilities and health infrastructure. Under such conditions of poverty, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, respiratory and diarrhoeal diseases flourish.

The founding partners of the Children's Vaccine Initiative - UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank and the Rockefeller Foundation - are collaborating with many other national and international agencies in the implementation of strategies to bring about increased access to safe water and sanitation, better nutrition and protection of the environment. But new and effective vaccines - the most cost-effective approach to preventing infectious diseases - must be developed to complement these efforts.

The International Vaccine Institute, dedicated to capacity-building for research and development and working in partnership with public and private institutions, will fill a great need. It will be the world's only international research center devoted to vaccines for developing countries. It should serve as a catalyst to ensure that the benefits generated by new technology will lead to healthier lives and therefore better livelihoods, especially for the poor.

I am pleased that UNDP's involvement with this effort has allowed us the opportunity to work in close partnership with the Government of the Republic of Korea. The Republic of Korea has, itself, made remarkable progress in many ways. In only one generation it made a remarkable transition from war-torn poverty to become a dynamic, rapidly growing and prosperous nation today. It is also a nation deeply committed to global citizenship and responsibility. It augurs well for the future of the International Vaccine Institute that the Korean government and its people are providing its home. I am also gratified that the World Health Organization will be taking an active role in shaping the direction and focus of the Institute's work.

The signing of the Establishment Agreement today represents a critical first step for the International Vaccine Institute. I understand that several other member states have indicated strong interest in signing the agreement and are likely to do so in the coming months. The Institute will, however, also require the future support of many more institutions and governments as it pursues its noble objectives. UNDP is committed to help in this process, and by working together, I am sure that all of us can take pride in being present at the creation of a vital new instrument for development.