Princess Mathilde of Belgium on Friday encouraged education to children and young people in Tanzania in the country's HIV/AIDS response.

The princess spoke in the capacity as the UNAIDS and UNICEF Special Representative for Children and AIDS.

"During the past days, I have heard the missing voice of children giving testimony on HIV/AIDS issues," said the princess at the end of her first visit to the east African country.

"I am deeply touched by children living with HIV/AIDS and I am convinced that education for children and young people is of great importance."

"More than ever, it is clear that prevention is crucial, because ignorance is the number one enemy of the AIDS response."

Executive Director of UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS) Dr. Peter Piot told a press conference that he got encouraged by his impression that for the first time the pandemic had stopped rising in East Africa.

"AIDS is not rising and may even start to go down in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania," said the UNAIDS chief who came with the Belgian princess and the executive director of UNICEF, Madam Ann M. Veneman.

The United Nations team met with Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and the first lady and also discussed the issue with representatives from various walks of life and visited people living with the HIV virus during their three days of stay in the country.

Their visit was expected to help focus increased attention on the situation of children and young people infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS in Tanzania.

Source: Xinhua