Representatives of 27 European Union and neighbouring countries met in Bremen, Germany to discuss ways of strengthening political leadership in the response to AIDS. Over 600 people attended the conference which was organised by the German Federal Government as part of its 2007 European Union Presidency. UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot spoke on the opening day about the epidemic in the region and actions necessary to curb the epidemic. The second day of the Conference included workshops covering many key aspects of the AIDS response in the region including presentations on human rights, migration, stigma, gender and issues concerning sex work, injecting drug use and men who have sex with men.

During a visit to Bangkok, Thailand, UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot met with the Prime Minister of Thailand and celebrated the International Women’s Day with the Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and with Ms. Joana Merlin-Scholtes, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Thailand.

Dr Piot also released a statement stressing the importance of addressing gender inequality and the feminization of the AIDS epidemics. “Women, inside and outside the home, must have the economic, social and political power to stand up for their rights and protect themselves and their families from violence and disease.” He also stated that “to stop the feminization of the epidemic, as well as the epidemic itself, we have to initiate legal but also social, cultural and economic changes to challenge some of the most pervasive social patterns and gender norms that continue to fuel the AIDS epidemic.”

UNAIDS Executive Director was in Spain from 9-12 February to meet with government officials to discuss ways of enhancing collaboration and strengthening the response to the AIDS epidemic. During his visit, Dr Piot met with the Spanish Minister of Health, Elena Salgado, in Madrid to discuss the ongoing collaboration between UNAIDS and the Spanish Government and to brief her on the latest developments in the AIDS response.Dr Piot also traveled to the Basque Country where he met with leading members of the Basque Government including President Juan José Ibarretxe, the Minister of Health, Gabriel Inclán and the Minister of Housing and Social Affairs, Javier Madrazo.

UNAIDS Executive Director was in Dublin, Ireland on Tuesday 30th January to sign with Conor Lenihan TD, Minister of State for Irish Aid, a new €30 million, five year partnership between Ireland and UNAIDS. The agreement strengthens Ireland's commitment to the response to AIDS and confirms its leading position in the global response. The Minister of State for Irish Aid, Conor Lenihan TD, and UNAIDS Executive Director, Dr Peter Piot, also met with fourteen Irish Aid sponsored UN Volunteer (UNV) Interns who will travel overseas next week to work in the developing world for a period of one year.

AIDS leaders from the United Kingdom and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) came together in India for a joint mission to gain greater insight into the country’s AIDS response. During the four-day visit, Sir Suma Chakrabarti, Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Development (DFID) and Dr Peter Piot, Xecutive Director of UNAIDS met with political leaders, senior government officials and parliamentarians, students, representatives from non governmental organizations and from the donor community.

As part of the mission, the delegation visited Patna in the North Indian state of Bihar on Saturday 16 December where Dr Piot and Sir Chakrabarti noted the significant progress made in this province since their last visit, including the establishment of India’s first ‘Legislative Forum on HIV and AIDS’ to raise AIDS awareness among policy makers in the state and to build capacity to address the challenges posed by AIDS.

Some 260 participants gathered in Lusaka for the 19th Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS governing board meeting. The meeting brought together representatives from government, civil society, donors and the United Nations to push for greater UN action to strengthen country efforts against AIDS.

UNAIDS launched the new joint UNAIDS/WHO report, AIDS Epidemic Update 2006, featuring updated global and regional AIDS estimates and new trends in the epidemic’s evolution on 21 November 2006.

Key findings of the report will be presented, including:

- New evidence showing drop in HIV infection rates in several countries and among young people.

- However, global AIDS epidemic continues to grow, with some evidence of resurging epidemics.

- New data suggests where HIV prevention programmes have not been sustained and/or adapted as epidemics have changed—infection rates in some countries are staying the same or going back up.

- HIV prevention and treatment programmes need to be sustained, adapted and focused to reach those most at risk.

Photographs: UNAIDS/A. Sterck

UNAIDS Executive Director was in Germany from 26-28 September to participate in a range of meetings to discuss ways forward and continued commitment to the AIDS response.

UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot visited China from 7 – 12 September to encourage continued leadership and commitment and to mobilize a multi-sectoral response to AIDS. As part of his visit, Dr Piot took part in a three-day mission to the southwestern province of Guizhou, where he saw progress made in trying to prevent the spread of HIV among drug users. Among other sites, the Executive Director visited a drug detoxification centre and a methadone maintenance treatment centre in the county of Zhijin in Guizhou province.

In Beijing from 10-12 September, Dr Piot met with people living with HIV, migrant workers, representatives of the business community, ambassadors of donor countries, NGO and UN staff, Chinese Goodwill Ambassadors and government officials. In addition, the Executive Director addressed the regional meeting of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an event during the World Economic Forum China Business Summit, and launched a campaign for children and AIDS in China. Meetings were also held with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Public Security and the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Dr Piot ended his five day visit to China with a meeting with Ms He Luli, Vice Chair of the National People's Congress.

Credits:
UNAIDS/Li Mingfang
World Economic Forum/Global Health Initiative