REGRIONAL COMMITTEE FOR AFRICA Fifty-sixth session Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 28 August–1 September 2006 RESOLUTION
AFR/RC56/R3 1 September 2006 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
HIV PREVENTION IN THE AFRICAN REGION: A STRATEGY FOR RENEWAL AND ACCELERATION (document AFR/RC56/8) The Regional Committee, Considering that HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of mortality in the African Region, with a disproportionate burden on young people and women; Alarmed that despite early signs of decline in HIV prevalence in some countries, more than 3 million new infections continue to occur annually in the African Region; Bearing in mind the increasing political commitment and engagement by governments and the international community in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the African Region; Encouraged by the progress made in scaling up antiretroviral treatment and convinced that treatment and care offer a good opportunity for accelerating HIV prevention; Cognizant of the March 2006 Brazzaville Commitment on Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support, and the May 2006 Abuja Call for Action by the Heads of State Special Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Mindful of the progress made in implementing resolution AFR/RC55/R6: Acceleration of HIV prevention efforts in the African Region, adopted in Maputo in August 2005; the declaration of 2006 as the Year for Acceleration of HIV Prevention in the African Region under the leadership of the African Union; the mobilization of the UN family to support the acceleration of HIV prevention in the African Region; and the steps being taken by countries to accelerate HIV prevention; 1. APPROVES the document entitled “HIV prevention in the African Region: a strategy for renewal and acceleration”; 2. URGES Members States: (a) (b) to develop, adapt or revise national strategies for accelerating HIV prevention in the context of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support; to develop operational plans for implementation of the strategy in the context of multisectoral collaboration, with targets for scaling up HIV prevention and based on those defined in the regional strategy;
AFR/RC56/R3 Page 2 (c) (d) (e) 3. to ensure political leadership and coordination for implementation of the strategies and plans; to ensure operational research on behaviour change in order to guide behaviour change communication programmes; to commit long-term resources, with international support, to ensure scaling up of sustainable national HIV prevention efforts;
REQUESTS the Regional Director: (a) (b) (c) to provide technical support to Member States in the development and implementation of health-sector-based HIV prevention strategies; to advocate for more resources and help mobilize long-term international support for scaling up HIV prevention efforts; to monitor progress in the implementation of the strategy and report to the Regional Committee every other year. Fourth meeting, 29 August 2006
REGRIONAL COMMITTEE FOR AFRICA AFR/RC56/R3 1 September 2006 Fifty-sixth session Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 28 August–1 September 2006 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH RESOLUTION HIV PREVENTION IN THE AFRICAN REGION: A STRATEGY FOR RENEWAL AND ACCELERATION (document AFR/RC56/8) The Regional Committee, Considering that HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of mortality in the African Region, with a disproportionate burden on young people and women; Alarmed that despite early signs of decline in HIV prevalence in some countries, more than 3 million new infections continue to occur annually in the African Region; Bearing in mind the increasing political commitment and engagement by governments and the international community in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the African Region; Encouraged by the progress made in scaling up antiretroviral treatment and convinced that treatment and care offer a good opportunity for accelerating HIV prevention; Cognizant of the March 2006 Brazzaville Commitment on Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support, and the May 2006 Abuja Call for Action by the Heads of State Special Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Mindful of the progress made in implementing resolution AFR/RC55/R6: Acceleration of HIV prevention efforts in the African Region, adopted in Maputo in August 2005; the declaration of 2006 as the Year for Acceleration of HIV Prevention in the African Region under the leadership of the African Union; the mobilization of the UN family to support the acceleration of HIV prevention in the African Region; and the steps being taken by countries to accelerate HIV prevention; 1. APPROVES the document entitled “HIV prevention in the African Region: a strategy for renewal and acceleration”; 2. URGES Members States: (a) to develop, adapt or revise national strategies for accelerating HIV prevention in the context of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support; (b) to develop operational plans for implementation of the strategy in the context of multisectoral collaboration, with targets for scaling up HIV prevention and based on those defined in the regional strategy; AFR/RC56/R3 Page 2 (c) to ensure political leadership and coordination for implementation of the strategies and plans; (d) to ensure operational research on behaviour change in order to guide behaviour change communication programmes; (e) to commit long-term resources, with international support, to ensure scaling up of sustainable national HIV prevention efforts; 3. REQUESTS the Regional Director: (a) to provide technical support to Member States in the development and implementation of health-sector-based HIV prevention strategies; (b) to advocate for more resources and help mobilize long-term international support for scaling up HIV prevention efforts; (c) to monitor progress in the implementation of the strategy and report to the Regional Committee every other year. Fourth meeting, 29 August 2006