Press Release

Flanders signs new two-year agreement with UNAIDS including €1.5 million contribution to help end AIDS in Africa

GENEVA, 25 June 2025— UNAIDS and Flanders have strengthened their joint efforts to combat the AIDS pandemic in Africa by signing a new cooperation agreement covering the period 2025—2026.

“I want to thank Flanders for their reliable and continued support to UNAIDS and for their strong leadership during this critical phase of the AIDS response,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima. “In these uncertain times, the consistency of Flanders’ engagement is highly appreciated and greatly valued.”

The agreement was signed during the 56th meeting of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board, with the Flemish delegation headed by Katrien de Pauw, General Representative of Flanders to the United Nations in Geneva.

“To end AIDS by 2030, we must stay the course—we're close, now is not the time to give up. Flanders remains firmly committed to a sustainable finish,” said Ms de Pauw.

The €1.5 million contribution includes an annual €250,000 in core unspecified funds, €250,000 per year in core specified support for Mozambique, and €250,000 per year in core specified support for the seven other most affected countries of Southern Africa.

“This funding from Flanders will make a significant difference to the lives of people living with and affected by HIV in Mozambique, especially for women and girls and other marginalized and vulnerable groups of people. Hartelijk Bedankt Vlaanderen (Thank you Flanders)!” said Phillipe-Serge Degernier, a Belgian national and UNAIDS country director for Mozambique.

With 2.4 million people living with HIV in 2023, Mozambique has the second largest HIV epidemic after South Africa. A total of 2.1 million people in the country are on treatment to keep them well. However, the pause in US funding and the reduction to other international funding streams have complicated efforts to maintain HIV treatment, care and prevention efforts in the country and across the region.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Contact

UNAIDS
Michael Hollingdale
tel. +41 79 500 2119
hollingdalem@unaids.org

Region/country

Press Release

Cambodia signs new cooperation agreement with UNAIDS and pledges US$ 100,000 in funding

GENEVA, 24 June 2025—Cambodia has strengthened their joint efforts to combat the AIDS pandemic by signing a new cooperation agreement with UNAIDS for a year and pledging US$ 100,000.

“This contribution shows the importance Cambodia places on UNAIDS, the HIV response, and the multilateral system,” said UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima. “Considering the significant cuts the global AIDS response faces, we thank you and we appreciate your solidarity.”

Cambodia is on track to achieve the 95-95-95 Global AIDS Strategy targets. Currently 92% of people living with HIV are aware of their status, almost all diagnosed people are on treatment, while more than 98% of those on treatment are virally suppressed. Since 2010, new infections have decreased by 45%. This is a greater decline than overall global results and more than three times faster than the average Asia-Pacific rate of decline.

A Cambodian delegation attended the 56th UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) meeting in Geneva June 24-26, headed by Ieng Mouly, Senior Minister and Chair of the National Cambodia AIDS Authority as well as Dara In, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Cambodia in Geneva, Switzerland.

“This contribution from the Royal Government of Cambodia is not just a financial investment in the global HIV response,” said Ieng Mouly. “This is also a symbol of our belief in UNAIDS, the UN Joint Programme on HIV, and the multilateral system. Therefore, financial support to UNAIDS is crucial. We urge other countries to commit and invest in UNAIDS to make ending AIDS a reality.”

Cambodia has been a board member of the UNAIDS PCB since 2023 and has recently been re-elected for a second term (2026–2028).

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Contact

UNAIDS
Charlotte Sector
sectorc@unaids.org

Region/country

Documents

Agenda item 6: CRP5: High-level Panel on a Resilient and Fit-for-purpose UNAIDS Joint Programme in the context of the sustainability of the HIV response

24 June 2025

Documents

Agenda item 1.3: Outline of the report of the Executive Director

24 June 2025

Documents

List of Participants

24 June 2025

Press Release

UNAIDS urges Gilead to drop price of new HIV prevention shot

GENEVA, 18 June 2025—The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved long-acting injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention. The new medicine is administered by injection once every 6 months and is a significant step in improving prevention options for people at risk of HIV infection around the world. In an interview with the New York Times, Gilead Sciences has announced a US list price of $28,218 USD per person per year. 

In a research paper published in The Lancet HIV this week, experts found that generic lenacapavir could cost $35-$46 per person-year. This could fall to $25 per person-year for a committed demand of five to ten million people within the first year, bringing pricing in line with or lower than current oral PrEP.

Responding to news of Lenacapavir’s FDA approval, Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS and United Nations Undersecretary-General, said:

“This is a breakthrough moment. The approval of lenacapavir is a testament to decades of public investment, scientific excellence, and the contributions of trial participants and communities. I congratulate Gilead and US partners for advancing this important innovation. Lenacapavir could be the tool we need to bring new infections under control – but only if it is priced affordably and made available to everyone who could benefit.

“UNAIDS has seen research that lenacapavir can be produced for just $40 per person per year, falling to $25 within a year of roll out. It is beyond comprehension how Gilead can justify a price of $28,218. If this game-changing medicine remains unaffordable, it will change nothing. I urge Gilead to do the right thing. Drop the price, expand production, and ensure the world has a shot at ending AIDS.”

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Documents

Agenda item 1.4: Report by the Chair of the Committee of Cosponsoring Organizations (CCO)

24 June 2025

Documents

Agenda item 5: CRP3: Survey on the Global AIDS Strategy 2026-2031

24 June 2025

Documents

Agenda item 7: CRP 6: People of UNAIDS 2024

24 June 2025

Documents

Agenda item 6: Report on the recommendations for revisions to the Joint Programme operating model

24 June 2025

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