6 June 2014: The UN General Assembly discussed international action on HIV/AIDS, noting mixed progress on the targets set out in the 2011 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS. In opening remarks to the plenary discussion in New York, US, on 6 June 2014, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed a proposal to hold a high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS in 2016.

US Member States considered the Secretary-General’s review report, ‘titled Towards ending the AIDS epidemic: meeting the 2015 targets and planning for the post-2015 era’ (A/68/825). The report notes that, although several key targets and goals for 2015 are within reach, AIDS will remain an urgent global health and development challenge in 2016, and must have a prominent place in the post-2015 development agenda.

The report highlights valuable elements of the AIDS response that could be adopted toward overall health and development goals, including an emphasis on advocacy, community empowerment, high-level political leadership, evidence-based and rights-based action, innovative models of care and prevention, and broad-based partnerships and collaboration. It expresses concern that discrimination, criminalization and punitive approaches are limiting an effective HIV response for those in greatest need.

The 2011 Political Declaration identified ten targets, on: halting the spread of AIDS through sexual contact, use of injectable drugs, and mother-to-child transmission; providing antiretroviral (ARV) treatment; halving tuberculosis deaths among AIDS sufferers; eliminating discrimination and stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS; and integrating action on HIV/AIDS with other health and development efforts.

Ban thanked the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) for its leadership, noted that domestic spending on HIV now makes up more than half of all global spending, and that the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has received replenishment of more than US$12 billion over three years. He urged Member States to consider how the aim of eliminating HIV/AIDS can be reflected in the post-2015 development agenda.

John Ashe, UNGA President, drew attention to increasing numbers of older adults living with HIV, and the intersection with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). He called for addressing the HIV response together with broader health and development priorities such as education, nutrition, health and community system strengthening, and social protection.

Member States presented national and regional actions towards ending HIV/AIDS. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said its Task Force on AIDS is fast-tracking accreditation for licensing to produce affordable generic ARVs. The African Group called on partners to support implementation of the Pharmaceutical Master Plan for Africa. [Meeting Summary] [Report of the Secretary-General] [UNAIDS Press Release] [UN Secretary-General’s Statement] [UNGA President’s Statement]