UNAIDS board rules out shutdown, pledges continued HIV support

The United Nations body overseeing the global HIV response has rejected plans to wind down UNAIDS, instead approving a strategy to transform the programme while protecting services for people living with or affected by HIV.

The UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) reached the decision during a special session in Geneva on Monday, October 26, reaffirming support for a streamlined and efficient joint programme.

The board approved the overall strategic direction for the transition of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, as outlined in a report by its working group.

It also asked the PCB chair to submit the decisions and proposed direction to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima welcomed the decision, saying the priority was now to implement the reforms without undermining the programme’s role in the global fight against HIV.

“You have rejected the sunsetting of UNAIDS and chosen instead to transform and strengthen this unique Joint Programme. I thank programme countries, donors, civil society and activists who stood firm and fought for the future of UNAIDS. Saving the Joint Programme is only the beginning. Now we must transform it and get that transformation right,” she said.

The decision comes amid funding cuts and the possibility of the programme withdrawing from some countries, raising concerns about continuity of HIV-related services.

The approved strategy outlines a stronger and more focused UNAIDS secretariat, which will lead four core functions, while the programme’s 11 UN co-sponsoring organisations take greater responsibility for technical areas according to their respective mandates.

The reforms also seek to place communities at the centre of decision-making, with greater emphasis on joint planning and leadership.

The board further agreed that human rights and gender equality must remain protected, while maintaining UNAIDS’ ECOSOC mandate and the inclusive governance structure provided through the PCB.

The transition will be phased rather than rushed, taking into account the circumstances and readiness of individual countries.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the reforms were intended to preserve the UN’s HIV response while strengthening its delivery at the national level.

“The Secretary-General’s intention was to preserve and strengthen the UN’s HIV response in face of disruption and anchor the response more firmly at the country level,” she said.

To oversee implementation, the board directed Byanyima to establish a Transition Task Team comprising representatives of the secretariat, co-sponsoring organisations and two community representatives nominated by the PCB’s non-governmental organisation delegation.

The team will consult implementing countries and other stakeholders and report to the board on a fully costed implementation plan.

Meanwhile, several governments have pledged support for UNAIDS amid financial uncertainty.

Algerian Ambassador Idris Latreche announced a voluntary contribution of US$40,000 to the agency’s country office in Algiers for 2027. Algeria also provides office premises free of charge and national personnel to support the office’s operations.

Other countries that have contributed include Benin, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Laos, the Philippines, South Africa and Thailand.

Latreche said the contributions were intended to maintain an effective presence at country level and prevent interruptions to services relied upon by affected communities.

The board also approved the 2027 Work Plan and Budget, which includes simplified performance reporting. It urged governments that had not yet released their 2026 contributions to do so promptly and encouraged multi-year funding commitments, alongside the timely release of 2027 contributions.

UNAIDS brings together 11 UN organisations, including the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the World Bank, to coordinate international efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 under the Sustainable Development Goals.

Byanyima also informed the board that her tenure as executive director would end on December 31, 2026.

The UN Secretary-General will appoint an interim executive director from January 1, 2027, as the board begins the process of selecting her successor.

The transition will determine how UNAIDS reorganises its operations while maintaining its mandate to support countries and communities in preventing new HIV infections, combating discrimination and reducing AIDS-related deaths.