Feature story

Luxembourg stands firm in its commitment to HIV

14 October 2011

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and Luxembourg’s Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Marie-Josée Jacobs.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé commended the country’s contribution to the AIDS response and its support to UNAIDS at a meeting with the Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Marie-Josée Jacobs in Luxembourg.

“The Government of Luxembourg has been a longstanding partner in the global AIDS response and has shown strong leadership through its engagement in social justice against social disparities,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé.

During his visit Mr Sidibé also met with the Minister of Health, members of parliament, senior officials from the Directorate for Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives from youth groups.

Since the beginning of the epidemic Luxembourg has been committed to the AIDS response and supports many programmes around the world. The country is expanding its response to HIV and is focusing on gender equality and stopping new HIV infections among children with special emphasis on women and girls and young people.

"Besides its bilateral commitments in public health and more specifically in the response to AIDS, Luxembourg maximizes the impact of its international development cooperation by working with strategic partners such as UNAIDS,” said Minister Jacobs. “Luxembourg will focus its efforts on three tracks which are crucial for the global AIDS response: HIV prevention, treatment and research.” 

The Government of Luxembourg has been a longstanding partner in the global AIDS response and has shown strong leadership through its engagement in social justice against social disparities

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé

From 2005 to 2011, Luxembourg has contributed more than EUR 32.8 million to the work of UNAIDS. Today its commitment to AIDS is stronger than ever, with financial commitments remaining firm despite difficult economic times.

During the UN High Level Meeting on AIDS in June 2011, Minister Jacobs chaired a pivotal panel on HIV prevention. Mr Sidibé commended her engagement and briefed her on current issues including Treatment for Prevention, Treatment 2.0 and the important link between HIV and non-communicable diseases. He also emphasized that UNAIDS will continue to work closely with Luxembourg to ensure that AIDS remains high on global political agenda and that the progress made to date is not put in jeopardy.

The visit concluded with a conversation with youth representatives. Mr Sidibé emphasized the importance of strengthening the leadership of young people in the global AIDS response as well as the need for a prevention revolution to break the trajectory of the epidemic. "Young people don't want to be passive beneficiaries but active players for change. They are refusing to accept stigma and exclusion.”