AIDS Watch Africa Heads of State Communique

 
“Renewed Action to Halt and Reverse the Burden of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by 2015”
 
WE, the Heads of State and Government of the Action Committee of AIDS Watch Africa (AWA) held a Breakfast Meeting in at Sheraton Addis Hotel, Addis Ababa on 14 July 2012. Our Meeting was hosted and chaired by the AU Chairperson, H.E Dr. Boni Yayi, President of the Republic of Benin in his capacity as the Chairperson of AWA. It was a Side Event of the 19th Session of the AU Assembly.

AIDS Watch Africa (AWA) was created by eight Head of State and Government at the 2001 Special Summit on HIV/AIDS, TB and Other Related infectious Diseases. The objectives of AWA include leadership and ownership of Africa’s response to AIDS, TB and Malaria, advocacy for mobilization of action resources, accountability. In 2006 through the leadership of AWA Head of States and Government, the “Abuja Call for Accelerated Action towards Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Services in Africa by 2015” was adopted.

After a decade of existence, AWA was re-launched in January 2012 by the 18th Session of the AU Assembly as an advocacy, resource mobilization and accountability platform for the response to AIDS, TB and Malaria. This high level platform is spearheaded by the Action Committee comprising Heads of State and Government and the Chairperson of the AU Commission. The other AWA structures include the Consultative Experts Committee and the Secretariat. Regional and international partners participate in the programme and activities of AWA as observers.
 
At the Breakfast Meeting, the Heads of State and Government of AWA Action Committee highlighted its leadership role in mobilization of resources and action as well as  accountability. They also examined the strategies and action plans on the Future Direction of AWA from 2012 to 2015; as well as a Roadmap on Shared Responsibility and Global Solidarity Africa’s Response to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria from 2012 to 2015.
 
At the end of our deliberations and in line with the AWA slogan: “Renewed Action to Halt and Reverse the Burden of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by 2015”, we recommitted ourselves to intensifying personal and collective efforts towards the realization of the objectives of AWA in 2012-2015 and agreed on the way forward on Africa’s response to the three diseases between now and 2015. We adopted and committed ourselves to the following:
 
1.    The Future Direction of AIDS Watch Africa (AWA) 2012-2015 and the Shared Responsibility and Global Solidarity for Africa’s Response to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria: Roadmap 2012-2015;
 
2.    The outcome of our Action Committee Meeting as summarized in “Draft Declaration  on the Report of AWA Action Committee of Heads of State and Government Meeting” will be presented to the 19th  Session of the AU Assembly for endorsement and subsequent dissemination to stakeholders and partners for follow up action;
 
3.    Intensifying and facilitating advocacy, and further developing partnerships at all levels. In this regard, we call upon the partners to build on their commendable support for Africa to win the struggle against AIDS, TB and Malaria;
 
4.    We request the AU Commission, in collaboration with other AU Organs, RECs, UN Agencies as well as other regional and international organizations and partnerships, to coordinate the dissemination of the outcome of our meetings, follow up on its implementation and report to our annual meeting.
 
H.E Dr. Boni Yayi,
President of Benin, AU and AWA Chairperson