The executive director of UNAIDS, Mr Michel Sidibé, will relay his plans for the future direction of UNAIDS and give his views on the next steps for the global response to the AIDS epidemic.

Mr Sidibé will underline the need to invigorate global momentum, action and commitment towards achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, ahead of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals.

Mr Sidibé has recently returned from his first official country visit to South Africa where he gave a visionary speech in the Township of Khayelitsha, rallying momentum around access to HIV treatment and prevention. He also gave his first address at the Commission on the Status of Women in New York last week where he called for a social revolution to promote gender equality and make access a reality for all – regardless of gender, age or HIV status. UNAIDS is an innovative joint venture of the United Nations, bringing together the efforts and resources of the UNAIDS Secretariat and ten UN system organizations in the AIDS response. The Secretariat headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland—with staff on the ground in more than 80 countries. Coherent action on AIDS by the UN system is coordinated in countries through UN theme groups, and joint programmes on AIDS. UNAIDS’ Cosponsors include UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank. For more information on these and other of Mr Sidibé’s priorities please visit the UNAIDS website at:

www.unaids.org
Contact:
Sophie Barton-Knott
tel. +41 22 791 1697 | bartonknotts@unaids.org