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General Assembly: 76th Plenary meeting, 79th session
While the world is tantalizingly close to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030, the risk of backsliding is great due to shortfalls in funding, lack of political will and intersecting inequalities, the General Assembly heard today.
As delegates in the Assembly considered the report of the Secretary-General titled “The urgency of now: AIDS at a crossroads — progress report on the 2025 targets and strategic directions for the future” (document A/79/869), several speakers highlighted the need to shore up the gains made so far. The report notes the key role of the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The funding pause by that Government since the end of January has created deep uncertainty, many speakers pointed out.
If that stream of funding was permanently halted, Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, speaking for the Secretary-General, noted, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) projects 4 million additional AIDS-related deaths and over 6 million new infections by 2029. “This would shatter the possibility of achieving the 2030 Goal to end AIDS as a public health threat,” she said. The increasing suspension of foreign assistance has caused widespread disruption to HIV services, she said, pointing to closing clinics, laid-off staff and decreasing supply of prevention services.
Implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the political declarations on HIV/AIDS - Item 11: report of the Secretary-General (A/79/869)
- Debate on the item
