World closing in on Millennium Development Goal 6, globally the AIDS epidemic has been halted and reversed—race is on to reach universal access to HIV treatment.

Heads of State and Government from countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) met on 18 August to discuss the progress made and the challenges that the region is facing regarding HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

ABUJA, Nigeria, 15 July 2013—A report launched today at the Special Summit of the African Union on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria highlights increased, targeted health spending as an essential foundation to greater economic growth and development in Africa. The report, Abuja +12: Shaping the future of health in Africa, published by the African Union (AU) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), reviews progress made since the AU’s 2001 Abuja Declaration—in which leaders pledged to mobilize domestic and international resources for health and remove barriers to the AIDS response—highlights remaining gaps, and prioritizes next steps.

Representatives of more than 100 civil society organizations (CSO) from 42 countries urged African leaders to intensify efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. The call was made during a technical meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria from 4-5 July as part of the events leading up to the Abuja +12 Special Summit of the Africa Union on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria that will take place in the Nigerian capital from 15-16 July 2013.

NAIROBI, Kenya, 1 July 2013—In a joint visit to Kenya, the leaders of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signaled strong partnership to defeat infectious diseases including HIV and tuberculosis (TB).

Biggest year on year increase as numbers of people accessing antiretroviral therapy increase by 1.6 million from 2011 to 2012

Review first year’s progress toward implementing the African Union Roadmap.

New report shows that strong partnership between African and G8 governments has delivered impressive results but gaps remain in efforts to improve health across the continent.

UNAIDS reports more than 7 million people now on HIV treatment across Africa––with nearly 1 million added in the last year—while new HIV infections and deaths from AIDS continue to fall

African Ministers of Finance and other leaders have agreed that the continent needs to shift from a reliance on exports of primary commodities to greater industrialization in order to accelerate the continent’s development. 800 ministers, experts and representatives of the United Nations met at the Annual Meeting of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Africa Union (AU) Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance. The conference on ”Industrialization for an Emerging Africa.” opened in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on 25 March.