UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé has briefed the Health Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on the Political Declaration on Ending AIDS during his first official visit to Kazakhstan. The Political Declaration, adopted at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS, includes a set of specific, time-bound targets and actions that must be achieved by 2020 if the world is to get on the Fast-Track and end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals.

During his visit to Kazakhstan, on 21 and 22 June, Mr Sidibé thanked senior government officials for Kazakhstan’s active participation in the negotiation process and the country’s support for the Political Declaration. He noted that more than 90% of the funding for the AIDS response in the country comes from national resources and called on other CIS countries to follow Kazakhstan’s example.

Eastern Europe and central Asia is one of the few regions in the world where the HIV epidemic is still on the rise. The number of people living with HIV increased from 1 million in 2010 to 1.5 million in 2015, and only 21% of all people living with HIV were accessing antiretroviral therapy in 2015. However, more than 95% of pregnant women living with HIV received treatment to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Earlier this month, the World Health Organization validated that Armenia and Belarus have eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV, the first two CIS countries to do so.

In Astana, Kazakhstan, Mr Sidibé met with Prime Minister Karim Massimov, the Chairman of the Senate, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the Minister of Health and Social Development, Tamara Duissenova, and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mukhtar Tileuberdi. He also met with UNAIDS key partners, including representatives of international, governmental and community-based organizations.

During his visit, Mr Sidibé announced the establishment of a UNAIDS subregional office for central Asia in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Mr Sidibé was presented with the Kazakhstan State Jubilee Medal, which was established to honour Kazakh and foreign citizens who have made a significant contribution to strengthening social harmony in the country.