By United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
UNAIDS and the Australian Government have signed a new five-year strategic partnership agreement to advance efforts to respond to HIV in the Asia-Pacific region. The agreement will help to intensify efforts to get back on track to end AIDS by 2030, by addressing the inequalities that hamper the global HIV response.
As part of the agreement, Australia will commit AUD 25 million from 2022 to 2027 to support the global effort to end AIDS, and to improve HIV outcomes for people in Asia-Pacific.
While Asia-Pacific has seen remarkable progress, many challenges remain. The COVID crisis interrupted vital services across the region, hurting progress. New HIV infections in the region are rising again for the first time in a decade. Key populations, LGBTQI communities, and people with disabilities continue to face unequal access to medicine and healthcare, along with enduring stigma. These inequalities have hindered the HIV response.
The agreement will assist communities and countries to tackle those inequalities, advancing proven approaches which help equalize access to HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care. The agreement recognizes the role of UNAIDS in providing international leadership and coordination to guide the HIV response. It builds on the strengths and experiences of Australia and UNAIDS to ensure strong partnership engagement.
The partnership will enable a robust and sustainable response to HIV which is integrated into the wider context of health and sustainable development in the Asia–Pacific region.
“Australia is a longstanding and valued partner of UNAIDS, said Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS. This new agreement will help us to build on this partnership and draw on our collective expertise to end AIDS by 2030.”
“The Australian government is investing in our long-standing partnership with UNAIDS,” said Senator the Hon Penny Wong, minister of foreign affairs. “Our five-year partnership builds upon our efforts to recover lost ground during the COVID pandemic and set our region, and the world, back on the path to ending HIV/AIDS.”
In 2021, 650 000 people were lost to AIDS and 1.5 million people newly acquired HIV. Through bold international action to tackle the inequalities which drive it, the world can end AIDS by 2030.
