Statement of Intervention by Latin America & The Caribbean NGO Delegate on AIDS Response in The Post 2015 Development Agenda

Thank you for sharing this paper. The NGO delegation agrees that the Post 2015 Framework is an important agenda item that we need to continue to address in every PCB meeting until it is done.

On the paper itself: although we recognize the effort done by UNAIDS in briefing and lobbying the various member states, we really would like to see HIV reflected in the OWG outcome reports as an indicator that the work in place has been effective – but in the outcome report on the OWG on Health, there was no mention of HIV. This suggests that we need to have strong strategy and focus in the upcoming sessions, and it is clear that we need a stronger support from governments – especially considering that the OWG’s will conclude their work in February.

In the same way, in regard to the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing, that will be working until August 2014, it is now an urgent matter to define what will be the core-message from UNAIDS on how the new Strategic Development Goals will be funded. In this regard, it is important to say that more accountability is needed in the ongoing Public-Private Partnerships and that it is imperative to use the post 2015 opportunity to advocate and implement financial transactions taxes (FTTs). In addition to their potential to keep sustainable resource flows towards human and environmental development initiatives, FTTs a) limit the incentives for damaging short-term speculation in financial markets, b) reduce systemic risks the capital market and curb money laundering and flows to tax havens. Once approved it will have a strong impact on education, health and gender equity and poverty reduction for instance.

So, in regard to strategies to address both, the OWG and the Expert Committee on Financing, we would like to see more specific support from co-sponsors and PCB member states on the matter, because it is not a work to be done alone by the UNAIDS secretariat. And we also would like to see more clear strategies implemented by the UCCs at the country level. Direct conversations with governments are keys at this stage.

Finally, we would like to share that the PCB NGO delegation firmly believes that HIV should remain a high priority within the Post 2015 framework. This positioning is fundamental to realize the work we started three decades ago and continue to preserve the lives of people living with HIV, halt new infections and inspire us to work towards ending the new HIV infections and AIDS progression in the years ahead. Again we highly welcome Michel Sidibe’s request to have a distinct goal in the post 2015 framework and we urge the governments to embrace and support this proposal.

While not forgetting that governments still have to accelerate efforts to achieve the current MDGs and 2011 HLM Commitments, by the conclusion of the 33nd PCB meeting we would like to have clarity on the UNAIDS strategy to promote among members states the idea of having HIV within the Post 2015 agenda a distinct goal , especially by building synergy with other sectors beyond Health, including the sexual and reproductive rights sector, which is key to move forward the agenda of treatment and prevention.

We recognize the symbolic value produced by now, but we urgently need to move beyond the production of catch phrases and slogans. We are all serious about reducing the HIV impact within a generation so, more than never, we need to put the money and efforts where our mouth is.