Annual NGO meeting on the European Response to the Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic

27 May 2005

On 14 April 2005, Stop AIDS Alliance – a joint initiative between the Alliance and Stop AIDS Now! – held its third annual NGO Meeting on the EU Response to the Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Brussels, Belgium. Around 80 European and International NGOs and representatives of the European Commission, European Union Member states, African, Caribbean and Pacific (APC) countries and the European Parliament participated in the full day event.

The aim of the meeting was to update NGOs and other civil society actors on the European Union’s HIV/AIDS policy and discuss NGO concerns, to identify opportunities to collaborate with the European Union presidencies and institutions during 2005, and to learn more about the challenges facing African, Caribbean and Pacific countries in achieving the health and HIV/AIDS Millennium Development Goals.

In the morning session, representatives of the Commission, the UK and Dutch Presidencies presented their HIV/AIDS agenda, with the current EU Presidency, Luxembourg, giving written input. The UK government will take over the EU Presidency in July.

The afternoon session focused on the challenges that African, Caribbean and Pacific countries face in achieving the Millennium Development Goals related to HIV/AIDS and health. During the session, representatives of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, the Commission and NGOs discussed ways of improving collaboration to overcome these challenges. Civil society involvement and the need to support it formed the core of the discussions.

2005 is an unprecedented year for HIV/AIDS work with significant opportunities to increase political commitments to the epidemic. A key message of the Alliance this year is that civil society is a crucial part of successful responses, which should be recognised and supported. Over the next six months, the Stop AIDS Alliance will be focusing on two key commitments made by the UK for its EU Presidency:

  • To make the money going into HIV/AIDS work better, by putting the principles of the 'Three Ones' into action and minimise duplication.
  • To increase momentum for comprehensive approches to HIV prevention.