Zimbabwe to chair UNAIDS board

ZIMBABWE will next year assume the chair of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and Aids (UNAIDS) programmes co-ordinating board, a development that is expected to strengthen the country’s response to HIV.
The country will take over from Australia, whose tenure expires at the end of the year.
Zimbabwe already sits on the board with 22 other member countries, where it deputises Australia.

UNAIDS country director Mr Micheal Bartos told Sunday News last week that assuming the UNAIDS board chair will help Zimbabwe generate more support for its HIV response programmes.

Mr Bartos said the opportunity can also be used to highlight and share, with the rest of the world, the success the country has recorded in the fight against the virus.

“Part of it is a symbolic role, but it can also be practical so that the opportunity can be used to highlight what Zimbabwe is doing.

“The opportunity can also be used to generate more support from other countries across the globe. Zimbabwe is doing a pretty good job, let’s help them to make a difference,” he said.

Zimbabwe is faced with a $3 billion funding gap in its HIV response programmes for the next decade and would want to improve its resource base to plug the gap.

The country needs about $7 billion to sustain its HIV response programmes from next year to 2025, but with the current funding levels, only $4 billion can be available.

Chairing the UNAIDS board may provide Zimbabwe with an opportunity to court more partners, as it seeks to augment its resource base.

The programme co-ordinating board acts as the governing body on all programme issues concerning policy, strategy, finance, monitoring and evaluation of UNAIDS.

Membership of the programme coordinating board comprises 22 member states, elected from among the member states of the co-sponsoring organisations.

Western European countries have seven seats on the board, while Africa has five seats, Asian and Pacific countries five seats, Latin America and the Caribbean three seats and two seats for Eastern European or Commonwealth of Independent States.

The term of membership of the 22 members is three years, after which a new board is elected.