Asia-Pacific Leadership Forum on HIV/AIDS and Development
[last updated February 6, 2006 4:11 PM]

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General Information
Partnership website(s)
Expected Timeframe
January 2002 - Open Ended
Partners
Governments:
  • Government of Australia - AusAID
Major Groups:
    UN System:
    • UNAIDS/South East Asia and Pacific Inter-Country Team (SEAPICT) (Thailand)
    		Other intergovernmental organizations:
      Other:
        		 
        Thematic Focus
        Primary Themes:
        • Health and sustainable development
        		 Secondary Themes:
          Geographic Coverage
          Geographic Scope: Regional
          Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented:
          Thailand
          National Focal Points
          At present, no information is available as to whether the partnership has made contact with the national focal points for sustainable development in the relevant countries.
          Goals and Objectives
          Summary of the partnership's goals and objectives
          The goal of the APLF is to minimise the impact of HIV/AIDS in the Asia-Pacific through increased political leadership for effective national and regional action against the epidemic. It will seek to involve leaders and decision makers from government and civil society in countries in Asia and the Pacific. In line with the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, the APLF will be part of the collective efforts to strengthen the momentum building in the region to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
          Targets and Progress
          Partnership targets
          July 2002: Establishment of an APLF Coordinator position within UNAIDS SEAPICT;
          August 2002: Official launching of the APLF;
          Implementation (first 12 months): Regional institution inviting key leaders to a range of learning fora on the broad social and economic impacts of HIV/AIDS on development in the region.
          Key result areas will be defined in conjunction with relevant partners. As an indication, the following issues may be covered during meetings of participants:
          - Increased level of knowledge and understanding of HIV/AIDS amongst key decision makers from a range of sectors in countries across the Asia-Pacific;
          - Improved exchange of experience and lessons among key decision makers with regard to effective measures for responding to HIV/AIDS;
          - The generation of momentum and additional resources that increase commitment to and leadership for responding to the HIV/AIDS epidemic amongst key decision makers, civil society and the media.
          Progress against targets
          Two significant events for the APLF took place in 2003. The first was the inaugural meeting of the Steering Committee of the APLF, which was held in October 2003. The participants discussed the current status of the epidemic in the Asia-Pacific, challenges and opportunities this presents and APLF priorities for the next 12 months.
          The second event, the first APLF Shared Learning Workshop for the South Asia region, was held in Sri Lanka in December 2003. This was the third of a series of workshops targeting senior government officials from throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The workshops aim to promote vigorous, effective and appropriate leadership responses to HIV/AIDS as a high development priority within countries of the Asia-Pacific.
          The Minister for Foreign Affairs made a 3 year funding commitment to the APLF of $ 3 million starting from the 2004-2005 financial year.
          Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
          Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
          • Education/building awareness
          • Institutional strengthening, including local participation
          Leaders and decision makers will undertake intensive learning programs, facilitated by leading institutions in the region; Opportunities will be identified to enable decision makers and leaders to exchange experience and ideas on expanding a comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS; Decision makers and leaders will make use of a range of tool kits and strategic information to support their advocacy and policy work;
          Relationship to International Agreements on Sustainable Development
          How the partnership contributes to the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
          Agenda 21 Goal 6.12 (j): mobilize and unify national and international efforts against AIDS to prevent infection and to reduce the personal and social impact of HIV infection.

          UN Millennium Declaration: Resolution 19: to have, by 2015, halted and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, the scourge of malaria, and other major diseases that afflict humanity. Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
          Protecting and promoting human health conditions
          Relevant Sections of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
          Health and sustainable development ; Sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific
          Coordination and Implementation
          Coordination Mechanism of the Partnership
          The United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS will have responsibility for managing APLF activities. An APLF Coordinator, based in the UNAIDS SEAPICT office on Bangkok, has been appointed to oversee the day-today work of the Forum. SEAPICT will monitor the day to day operation of the APLF; A reference group comprising of eminent regional officials will provide strategic direction to the APLF; Individual donor monitoring arrangements will be developed in conjunction with UNAIDS.
          Implementation Mechanism of the Partnership
          The APLF will initiate a range of research and other complementary activities aimed at supporting advocacy action by leaders in the region.
          Resources
          Funding Currently Available
          Amount in US$: 3000000
          Source(s): Government
          The Government of Australia provided initial funding of over one million dollars to establish the APLF. Other governments and partners also provide resources to support the Forum, including Japan, the EU, the US and New Zealand. The Minister for Foreign Affairs made a 3 year funding commitment to the APLF of $ 3 million starting from the 2004-2005 financial year.
          Non-financial resources available
          Type(s):
          Source(s):
          Funding Sought
          Required Amount in US$:
          Source(s) already approached:
          Non-financial resources sought
          Requirement(s):
          Source(s) approached and details:
          Additional Information
          Additional Relevant Information
          The APLF responds to the call for strong leadership on HIV/AIDS articulated in the United Nation's General Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS agreed by member states at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, New York, July 2001. The call for strong leadership on HIV/AIDS was reconfirmed when Ministers of the Asia-Pacific agreed to support the establishment of the APLF during the Ministerial Meeting on HIV/AIDS and Development in Asia and the Pacific, held in Melbourne, in October 2001.