At the 41st UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) Meeting on Agenda item 4: Report on progress in the implementation of the UNAIDS Joint Programme Action Plan, delivered by Dr. Sumit Seth, First Secretary.                

                                  [WHO HQ, Geneva,13th December 2017]

Thank you, Mr Chair

At the outset, India would like to welcome the report on the progress of the implementation of the UNAIDS Joint Programme Action Plan seeking guidance from the Member States.

The Political Declaration on ending AIDS, which was adopted in June last year reaffirmed the strategic directions needed to Fast-Track the global AIDS response and accelerate the progress towards achieving the SDG target of ending AIDS by 2030.

We agree that there is a need to refine and reinforce the Joint Programme model so that it is in congruence with the framework of transformative change at the highest level. India believes that this will enable UNAIDS to deliver on the Fast-Track agenda as part of the vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

We share the concerns expressed by some of the member states and NGO delegations that the funding situation of UNAIDS needs our careful attention. We cannot emphasise enough the need for renewed collaboration and strengthening of global partnership based on shared and equity-based responses. Our success will depend on our ability to identify, mobilise and sustain the required financial resources and effectively implement the identified actions.

India supports a fully funded and sustainable UBRAF  as it provides an instrument to maximise the coherence, coordination and impact of the United Nations response to AIDS by combining the efforts of the UN Cosponsors and UNAIDS Secretariat. We support the view that UNAIDS requires a constant un-earmarked funding to fulfil its role in setting the global framework for the Global AIDS response.

Finally, India was able to make a significant turn around on the AIDS epidemic, by making an early investment on prevention, especially primordial and primary prevention. We would also like to underscore the commendable role played by the civil society organisations in India, who have worked closely with the Government.  We believe that this model could be replicated by the other Member States through mechanisms available under the rubric of South-South Cooperation.