Kenya has clinched a top seat at the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS as the Chair of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS for the year 2024.
Kenya was elected to this position during the 53rd UNAIDS programme Coordinating Board held in Geneva, Switzerland.
Through a statement issued by Health Cabinet Secretary Nakhumicha on Friday, December 15, the position will give Kenya decision-making power on both local and international levels due to the country’s capacity to respond to HIV/AIDS.
The Health CS in her statement noted that Kenya will heighten its efforts to create awareness and improve access to treatment in the country.
“As we embrace the responsibility to drive this impactful change, we will intensify prevention efforts, expand access to treatment, activate awareness and sensitization campaigns as well as champion inclusively as we focus on building a future where HIV/AIDs is not a threat to our communities”, her statement read in part.
Kenya was represented at the summit by Ruth Laibon Masha, who is currently the Chief Executive Officer at the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC) formerly recognized as the National AIDS Control Council in Kenya.
UNAIDS is an innovative joint venture of the United Nations family, which brings together the efforts and resources of 11 United Nations system organizations to unite the world against AIDS. These are UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank.
As the chair of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Kenya is mandated to lead the Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) which acts as the governing body on all programmatic issues concerning policy, strategy, finance, monitoring and evaluation of UNAIDS.
The membership of the PCB comprises 22 Member States, elected from among the Member States of the Cosponsoring Organisations, with seats distributed across various regions.
The Chair is mandated to preside over meetings, act as a neutral moderator of the Board and facilitate balanced representation of views in the debates.
The Chair is also responsible for ensuring that decisions made align with the principle of decision-making by the Board.
