The Global Health Initiative (GHI) of the World Economic Forum has released the first global report on Business Coalitions – Business Coalitions Tackling AIDS: A Worldwide Review – and the role they play in supporting the private sector to tackle AIDS around the world.

National health ministers, public health leaders and HIV/AIDS experts convene today at the first-ever international conference on task shifting to scale up access to HIV/AIDS treatment and, at the same time, expand the global health workforce.

The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, along with the Government of Uganda; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; UNAIDS; UNICEF; the World Bank; the World Health Organization; and the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, is pleased to announce a call for abstracts for the 2008 HIV Implementers’ Meeting.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) joined other UN agencies and the Secretary General in stating its shock at the tragic bombing of the UN offices in Algiers, and great sadness at the loss of life.

The World Bank with United Nations and private sector partners today launched a competitive Development Marketplace aimed at identifying and funding innovative approaches to reduce stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and AIDS in the South Asia region, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Today, the world marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a focus on “universality”.

Today, on World AIDS Day, we are called upon to be leaders in the fight against AIDS. Where there is strong and committed leadership, the response is more effective.

On the eve of World AIDS Day recognizing the theme of leadership, Parliamentarians from around the world have adopted bold recommendations to guide their response to HIV at the national level.

On the occasion of World AIDS Day the global call for nominations for the Red Ribbon Award 2008 will be announced in Mexico City. The biennial award, which will be presented at next summer’s International AIDS Conference in Mexico, will honour 25 community-based organisations for their contributions in responding to the AIDS epidemic.

Today, on the 20th World AIDS Day, we are again beseeching leadership to ‘Stop AIDS and keep the promise.’ We asked them to do so last year, and we are asking them to do so again. Although much has been done since the last World AIDS Day, AIDS clearly has not stopped. Stopping AIDS is the ultimate measure of progress in the AIDS response, but we must remember that it is not the only one.