Press release and statement archive

A report by world-leading economists, public health experts, and political leaders released today ahead of G20 meetings, Breaking the inequality-pandemic cycle: building true health security in a global age, shows that inequality is making the world more vulnerable to pandemics.

Parliamentarians from around the world met with policymakers and partners at the World Health Summit in Berlin to foster dialogue on how to mobilize political will, defend equal rights and build inclusive and sustainable responses to HIV.

UNAIDS proudly presents, ‘Ghotul,’ a short film about a conversation between a daughter and her mother about how she met her father and how she navigated dating and relationships when she was younger.

UNAIDS has wrapped up UNGA80 week with a productive mix of high-level events, announcements and decisions. The week kicked off with a face-to-face meeting of the esteemed members of the Global Council on Inequalities AIDS and Pandemics.

UNAIDS and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to deepen collaboration in advancing Africa’s health security, strengthening community health systems, and ensuring sustainable HIV responses.

UNAIDS strongly welcomes the announcement of two new agreements to advance progress in stopping new HIV infections. UNAIDS estimates show that 1.3 million people were infected with HIV in 2024 far higher than the target of 370,000 by 2025. Lenacapavir, produced by US company Gilead, is a revolutionary new medicine...

The United Nations Secretary-General has put forward UN reform proposals in his new UN80 progress report, Shifting Paradigms: United to Deliver , which UNAIDS plans to discuss with its board and stakeholders.

GENEVA, 22 September 2025—Prominent global HIV advocates are joining forces in a new short film to call on governments and donors to sustain life-saving investments to end AIDS. They warn that hard-won progress against HIV is at risk of being reversed due to sudden and drastic funding cuts by donors.

GENEVA, 18 September 2025—UNAIDS welcomes reaffirmed leadership from the United States in the AIDS response and its continued commitment to saving lives through the United States President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In its new strategy, released today, the US is placing emphasis on global HIV targets, country partnerships...

UNAIDS welcomes the announcement by the US State Department that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will be supporting an initiative by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to provide lenacapavir to up to 2 million people in countries with high burdens of HIV.

From 1 to 30 September, a series of UNAIDS posters is on exhibit in Geneva along the Lac Leman. The posters dispel many of the mistruths about HIV and AIDS. While many people think they may be well-informed about the virus, in reality many misconceptions continue to circulate. Forty years...

UNAIDS celebrates the groundbreaking decision by the High Court of Justice in Saint Lucia declaring sections 132 and 133 of the Criminal Code unconstitutional for criminalizing consensual adult sexual acts in private. This triumph upholds LGBTQ+ people’s rights to protection of the law, privacy, non-discrimination, freedom of expression, and equal...

GENEVA/ABIDJAN, 24 July 2025—UNAIDS welcomes the announcement by the government of Côte d’Ivoire to close the funding gap for HIV following cuts from international donors. The Government has committed to invest US$ 60 to 65 million in 2025 and US$ 80 to 85 million from 2026 onwards to maintain critical...

Lenacapavir – a long-acting, six-monthly injectable antiretroviral medicine manufactured by Gilead Sciences – is now recommended by the World Health Organization as an additional HIV prevention choice as part of combination HIV prevention approaches.

UNAIDS today launched its 2025 Global AIDS Update, “AIDS, Crisis and the Power to Transform”, which shows that a historic funding crisis is threatening to unravel decades of progress unless countries can make radical shifts to HIV programming and funding.

Statement by Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, on the Passing of Former Deputy President David Mabuza of the Republic of South Africa

GENEVA/SEVILLE, 2 July 2025—At the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, UNAIDS has welcomed the Financing for Development outcome document adopted by 192 countries in a time of multilateral distress. The new Seville Platform For Action calls for actionable and coordinated global efforts to transform and strengthen global health...

UNAIDS 56th Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) meeting concluded in Geneva, Switzerland this week at an unprecedented moment in the AIDS response with sudden and drastic cuts to HIV funding by international donors.

GENEVA, 25 June 2025—UNAIDS and Flanders have strengthened their joint efforts to combat the AIDS pandemic in Africa by signing a new cooperation agreement covering the period 2025—2026. “I want to thank Flanders for their reliable and continued support to UNAIDS and for their strong leadership during this critical phase...

GENEVA, 24 June 2025—Cambodia has strengthened their joint efforts to combat the AIDS pandemic by signing a new cooperation agreement with UNAIDS for a year and pledging US$ 100,000.

GENEVA/JOHANNESBURG, 20 June 2025—The Executive Director of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima, has concluded a four-day mission to South Africa. During the visit Ms Byanyima recognized South Africa’s continued leadership in the national HIV response. She also gained a deeper understanding about the impact of the global funding cuts on HIV services...

GENEVA, 18 June 2025—The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved long-acting injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention. The new medicine is administered by injection once every 6 months and is a significant step in improving prevention options for people at risk of HIV infection around the world. Gilead...

On Friday, June 13, during the closing session of the Governors’ Conference in Kolwezi, Lualaba Province, His Excellency President Félix Tshisekedi will launch the Presidential Initiative to End Pediatric AIDS in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Mr Musk made the remarks during an interview with Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain at the Qatar Economic Forum on 20 May

Governments at the 78th annual World Health Assembly have adopted a global Pandemic Agreement. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and other stakeholder played an important role in supporting the process by advocating for an agreement that centres equity and human rights.

As funding cuts threaten to cause an additional 6 million new HIV infections and 4 million preventable AIDS-related deaths, UNAIDS is calling on governments and partners attending the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) to recommit to ending AIDS by 2030.

GENEVA, 16 May 2025–Ahead of International day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), May 17, UNAIDS stands in solidarity with LGBTQI+ communities. Despite gains in the HIV response, LGBTQI+ communities continue to be left behind. While new HIV infections have dropped 35% among adults globally since 2010, they have risen...

UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, saw firsthand Cambodia’s strong progress towards ending AIDS as a public health threat during her 12-16 May mission. Among other achievements, the country treats 100% of people who are aware of their HIV status. Key approaches include national roll-out of modern HIV prevention and treatment...

As the global HIV response faces rising risks, UNAIDS shifts to a leaner, sharper model focused on country impact

Indigenous Peoples often face higher rates of health risks, greater unmet needs for health and social services and poorer health outcomes than non-Indigenous populations. Indigenous Peoples in some contexts are more vulnerable to and disproportionately affected by HIV, tuberculosis and Hepatitis C due to multiple and intersecting inequalities that they...

Delegates at the World Health Organization (WHO) Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) have today reached a consensus on the Pandemic Agreement.

Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV are intricately linked, and they present profound challenges for global health. In 2023, 1.25 million people lost their lives to TB, including 161 000 people living with HIV. As the leading life threating comorbidity of HIV infection, TB accounted for nearly one third of all deaths...

Ahead of International Women’s Day, 8 March, UNAIDS calls for renewed efforts in support of gender equality to facilitate increased and accelerated access to HIV services for women and girls.

26 February 2025–On Zero Discrimination Day, 1 March, everyone’s right to live a full and productive life with dignity is celebrated. Zero Discrimination Day highlights how people can become informed and promote inclusion, compassion, peace and, above all, it is a movement for positive change.

JOHANNESBURG/GENEVA, 25 February 2025—UNAIDS welcomes South Africa’s plan to put an additional 1.1 million people living with HIV on life-saving treatment by the end of 2025 as a significant step towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. At the launch of the Close The Gap campaign in...

Today, the Executive Director of UNAIDS Winnie Byanyima met with leaders in the Catholic Church as part of a global effort to mobilize voices of faith to stand up in a moment of crisis for the AIDS response. Speaking to communities of faith at events in Vatican City Ms Byanyima...

Despite proven effectiveness, UNAIDS is alarmed by a decrease in condom use in several countries

While continuity of HIV treatment is essential, services must continue to be monitored, and oversight provided for quality. Other critical HIV services for people, especially marginalized people including children, women, and key populations, must continue. Last year, PEPFAR provided over 83.8 million people with critical HIV testing services; reached 2.3...

The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has approved an “Emergency Humanitarian Waiver”, which will allow people to continue accessing HIV treatment funded by the US across 55 countries worldwide. More than 20 million people living with HIV, representing two-thirds of all people living with HIV receiving treatment globally...

Zambian football star Racheal Kundananji has been appointed as a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador to champion the fight to end AIDS as a public health threat in Zambia.

UNAIDS encourages President Donald J. Trump to continue the strong leadership of the United States of America in the global AIDS response

UNAIDS urges speed and compassion urging pharmaceutical companies to enable access to new, life-saving medicines