Benin
Benin demonstrates engagement in the fight against AIDS 

afrol.com, 9 October - In a special seminar on AIDS and civil society in Cotonou today, the extensive participation of civil society in the fight against AIDS was emphasized. The Beninese "government has moved forward significantly, and now it is time to take action on a broader front across all of civil society," it was stated.

The gathering, which is taking place in Cotonou on 9-10 October, is entitled "Greatest Challenge at the Beginning of the Third Millennium: Socio-Political Dimensions of the AIDS epidemic in Africa" and is being held within the framework of the International Partnership Against AIDS in Africa. Some 30 high-level participants from across Africa are expected to attend, representing governments, the United Nations system, civil society and the private sector. 

The government of Benin has already demonstrated its political engagement in coming to grips with the epidemic. Recently, the Council of Ministers put AIDS on its agenda and committed to allocating debt relief funds to the AIDS response. The UN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS has also addressed the National Assembly on the issue. 

"My greatest hope is that we can truly initiate a partnership at the national level," said Solange Kouo Epa, head of the United Nations Theme Group on HIV/AIDS in Benin, an inter-agency working group on AIDS. "There is already great awareness in the country of the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS, and we have worked hard to achieve this. The government has moved forward significantly, and now it is time to take action on a broader front across all of civil society." 

Other groups in Benin are now gearing up to collaborate on AIDS, including service associations and bankers, who have indicated their willingness to take action on the epidemic. 

A key speech at the seminar, "Africa in the 21st century," will be given by Professor Albert Tevoedjre, a former senior official of the International Labour Organization in Geneva and former government minister in Benin. Prof Tevoedjre is also founder of the Pan-African Social Prospects Centre, the Cotonou-based think tank on African social and political issues organizing the seminar. 

Benin has a population of 5.7 million of which 2.45% is living with HIV, up from 0.32% in 1990. According to the latest figures, the epidemic is spreading quickly to rural areas and Dr Piot, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), warns there is little room for complacency. 

Civil society is pivotal to the AIDS response and extensive participation on every front is critical to rolling back the epidemic, said Dr Peter Piot. "No sector of society remains untouched by HIV and AIDS," he went on. 

Worldwide, 34.3 million people are now living with HIV or AIDS, 24.5 million of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Just last year, 2.8 million people died of AIDS, the highest death rate in any single year since the start of the epidemic. 

Source: UNAIDS

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