Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria and Champion for an AIDS-Free Generation in Africa, chaired a discussion at a side event entitled “Financing vulnerabilities” held on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS, taking place in New York, United States of America, from 8 to 10 June.

Joining Mr Obasanjo for the discussion were Helen Clark, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, Patrick Guillaumont, the President of the Foundation for International Development Study and Research, Dorcas Makgato, Minister of Health of Botswana, Javier Bellocq, from the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Antonio Patriota, Ambassador of Brazil to the United Nations, and Philippe Meunier, the French Global AIDS Ambassador.

This panel, moderated by Luiz Loures, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, focused on financing vulnerabilities and explored mechanisms to ensure that fragile communities are at the centre of the global public health agenda. Ensuring that the health of fragile communities is secured, at a time when new epidemics and health issues threaten to further increase the vulnerability of low- and middle-income countries, was also discussed, and the panel explored the social and economic risks of the most vulnerable people.

It was noted that a majority of the world’s poor live in middle-income countries and that equity is essential in the determination of funding allocations. A strong call was made for new commitment and innovations to meet the needs of key populations, including sex workers, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users, transgender people and prisoners, and people living with HIV.

Mr Obasanjo recalled the beginnings of the establishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as the establishment of the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, at a time when very little funding was available. Today, Africa funds 55% of HIV treatment from domestic budgets. Mr Obasanjo emphasized the need for continued commitment to end the AIDS epidemic, both from domestic and international resources.