Feature story

Asia Pacific Leadership Forum meets

19 March 2009

The 7th Steering Committee of the Asia Pacific Leadership Forum met today in the Thai capital Bangkok to discuss progress made and to design ways forward for work on HIV in the region.

The meeting was opened by the Executive Director of UNAIDS Mr Michel Sidibé who encouraged the leaders to focus on partnership building for a truly comprehensive response to the epidemic.

Lady Roslyn Morauta, the Australian Ambassador on HIV chaired the meeting and gave opening remarks about the actions taken on the recommendations made at the 6th APLF Steering Committee meeting.

The steering committee meets once a year to review progress and provide guidance on future strategies and activities for leadership mobilisation. The APLF works primarily at country level through the UNAIDS country offices which in turn work in partnership with government, civil society groups and the private sector to further the AIDS response in Asia Pacific.

At the invitation of the Thai Government, UNAIDS Executive Director Mr Michel Sidibé has spent the week in Thailand meeting government and civil society partners. During his stay Mr Sidibé also met with the Prime Minister of Thailand Abhisit Vejjajiva.