The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and Aids (UNAIDS) has reiterated its support to South Africa, as the country works to expand HIV treatment to at least 6.1 million people by 2020.
UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima expressed the agency’s support during a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday.
The meeting at Tuynhuys, Cape Town, was directed at strengthening the long and productive collaboration between government and UNAIDS in addressing HIV and Aids.
The meeting also served to re-introduce Byanyima in her new capacity as Executive Director of UNAIDS and Under-Secretary General of the United Nations. Byanyima also invited the President to provide support to her in the performance of her new functions.
During discussions, Byanyima commended South Africa for designating HIV and Aids as a strategic priority, and an essential element of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“The Executive Director assured the President that UNAIDS and the UN system will continue to support South Africa in addressing the epidemic, noting the country’s determination to expand the HIV treatment to at least 6.1 million people by 2020,” said the President’s office following the meeting.
The Executive Director was accompanied by UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa Director, Aeneas Chuma and UNAIDS Country Director for South Africa, Mbulawa Mugabe.
The delegation used the opportunity to congratulate the President on his assumption of the Chair of the African Union, and expressed their gratitude for and endorsement of the recommendations of Aids Watch Africa, signalling a renewed commitment of Heads of State to ending the Aids epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.
Byanyima also expressed her support to the President on the issue of gender-based violence.
She undertook to support the President in his capacity as AU Chair and in his advancement of gender equality in the year of Beijing+25, which marks a quarter century since the United Nation Conference on Women was held in the People’s Republic of China.
President Ramaphosa shared with UNAIDS that South Africa and the AU were striving equally for an end to gender-based violence and for an HIV and Aids-free generation.
The President has prioritised gender empowerment during his African Union Chairship and committed to supporting the issue of protecting and promoting the rights of the adolescent girls and young women on the African commitment.
The President welcomed UNAIDS’ stated commitment to support South Africa’s efforts and those of the continent as a whole to end gender-based violence, address HIV and Aids and ensure that young women remain in school and are given opportunities to develop themselves, their communities and their countries. – SAnews.gov.za
