African Heads of State committed to sustain efforts to ending AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by adopting the recommendations stated in an AIDS Watch Africa report—including prioritizing AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in the new development goals in order to ensure that the continued international financing of the response will not be threatened—during the twenty-third African Union Summit, held from 20 to 27 June in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

The report by AIDS Watch Africa, an Africa-led instrument to stimulate leaders into action and mobilize the resources needed to address AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in an effective, sustainable and accountable manner, stresses the need for continued international support in the spirit of shared responsibility and global solidarity. However, it also stresses the importance of developing solutions towards innovative domestic financing for health, and urges countries to continue prioritizing rights-based responses.

During his visit to Equatorial Guinea, Michel Sidibé met with Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea, where he pledged to provide UNAIDS technical assistance in order to help achieve a more effective and coordinated response to HIV. Mr Sidibé also met with Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, who announced that he will send back to Parliament for revision the controversial HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Bill 2010 introduced on 19 May.

While in Malabo, Mr Sidibé also participated in the extraordinary General Assembly of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA). At the General Assembly, the First Ladies launched their activity report, which includes plans to minimize the number of women infected and affected by HIV in their countries, the role of traditional healers in achieving universal access to HIV treatment and the provision of free antinatal and postnatal check-ups for women.

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