Global Leaders Rally Behind UNAIDS at UNGA81 to Accelerate End of AIDS by 2030

At the 81st UN General Assembly, governments, civil society and partners reaffirmed support for UNAIDS, the UN’s flagship HIV programme, as it pushes toward ending AIDS by 2030. The meeting highlighted new financial pledges, including a €500,000 contribution from Benin and renewed backing from Botswana, Algeria, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Laos, the Philippines, South Africa and Thailand. A high‑level session on African health sovereignty, co‑hosted with AU‑NEPAD, called for expanding local production of HIV medicines and strengthening regulatory systems. UNAIDS also convened ministers to discuss its transformation and the need for a coordinated global response. The assembly underscored that ending AIDS requires sustained UN leadership and partnership.