Fourth Central Asian Forum of Partners working in the field of HIV epidemic prevention took place in Almaty on November 10-11, 2009. The Forum was initiated by Central Asia AIDS Control Project and United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

 

Problems and perspectives of cross sectoral coordination of HIV epidemic counteraction, both at national and regional levels, were discussed by countries’ representatives. Presentations were made by the representatives of government organizations and civil society followed by the discussions in working groups by countries. Representatives of the partner organizations had an opportunity to exchange opinions concerning improvement of coordination and harmonization of activities of international organizations and their projects in the region; results of activities of the international organizations in 2009 and plans for 2010 have been presented during plenary session.

 

The second day of the Forum was devoted to discussions of findings of various regional researches conducted in the field of prevention and treatment of HIV-infection in Central Asia countries. New regional initiatives have been presented as well. Key outlines of the Regional Strategy on prevention of infectious diseases in Central Asia developed under the guidance of Eurasian Economic Cooperation were presented and discussed. Forum’s results were outlined in the Resolution.

 

More than 150 participants – representatives of Ministries of Health, Republican AIDS Centers, nongovernmental AIDS-service organizations as well as mass media from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan took part in the Forum. Representatives of a number of United Nations  regional agencies including UNICEF, UNODC, UNIFEM, UNESCO, UNDP, UNPFA, WHO, IOM, World Bank as well as International Organizations working in the region on  HIV infection prevention programs such as USAID, GFTAM, AFEW, PSI, CDC/CAR, CARHAP/DFID, ADB,  Columbia University Global Health Research Center of Central Asia, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Eurasian Harm Reduction Network were also invited to take part in the Forum.