I thank Chairman Howard Berman and Congresswoman Barbara Lee for their leadership on this issue. I would also like to thank the “MSM Policy Working Group” of the Global AIDS Roundtable for organizing this Forum and inviting me to say a few words. I am honoured to share the platform with my good friend Ambassador Eric Goosby, who brings extensive experience working with the gay community’s early response to the epidemic and San Francisco and to all of you working on the front lines.

I want to thank the organizers and particularly Latida Smith for the invitation to spend some time with you today. I'd like to make sure you know the UNAIDS Washington team, Pauline Muchina, Greg Smiley and John Hassell—who I want to thank for connecting us. Most importantly, I want to thank each of you all for the difference that you make to the AIDS response.

HIV in the Eastern Mediterranean region: Facing challenges; creating opportunities. EMRO is home to well over one half million people living with HIV. The bulk of infections are concentrated among men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs and people who sell sex. These are people who tend to suffer major stigma and discrimination. Not surprisingly HIV remains a highly stigmatized health condition.

My friends, who could fail to care about the human consequences of HIV? The most recent data published with our Cosponsors makes for somber reading. Despite tremendous progress with treatment access, we are not there yet. For every person newly on treatment, three more people are newly infected with HIV.The Church’s uncompromising position on the need for social justice—to do what is right— and on the inherent dignity of individuals, inspires us to champion for universal access to comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, care and support as a moral imperative.

This is an exciting time to be among AIDS vaccine researchers—even more exciting than I anticipated when I accepted the invitation months ago.We have witnessed a significant moment in the AIDS field with the announcement of the results of the Phase III trial in Thailand of a combination HIV vaccine candidate. As you know, the results presented thus far from the Thai trial are modest. Yet that the results are not conclusive is to miss the point—the point is that they provide much needed hope to the scientific community.

BY: Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS DATE: 01 December, 2009 PLACE: Pretoria Showgrounds, Pretoria, South Africa OCCASION: Commemoration of World AIDS Day South Africa’s Reinvigorated AIDS Response

Mr Chairman, Vice-chair, honourable ministers and ambassadors, delegates: Good morning and thank you for joining the 25th meeting of the Programme Coordinating Board. A special thank you to my friend Tedros, who so capably chaired both our Board and that of the Global Fund.

Distinguished jurists, friends and colleagues, I am extremely honoured to be here today. I appreciate the valuable time you have carved out from your demanding schedules to discuss the role of the judiciary in the HIV epidemic. This is a testament to your deep commitment to confronting this major challenge of our time.

I am deeply honored and privileged to join you for this important meeting for three reasons: First, we are witnessing a revolution in practice—a revolution which brings altogether users and ex-users, human rights advocates, public health practitioners and of course those who have the financial resources to make a difference—to address a pressing problem for which there are straight-forward evidence-informed solutions.

Speech by: Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS DATE: 12 January, 2010 PLACE: KICC Amphitheatre Nairobi OCCASION: Launch of Kenya National AIDS Strategic Plan