This year’s African Development Forum theme on "AIDS: the Greatest Leadership Challenge" is unique because it offers an opportunity to conduct critical appraisal of current strategies and approaches and to discuss how to secure the commitment of African leaders to take action now to implement prevention and care programmes.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is taking a devastating toll in terms of human suffering; it is jeopardizing economic growth, development prospects and political stability, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Given the degree to which HIV/AIDS is undermining progress in development, it is no longer merely a health problem, but poses a major development crisis on the continent. While SSA accounts for only one-tenth of the global population, it bears the brunt of the disease, with more than 80% of AIDS-related deaths worldwide.

Expected Outcomes fron this conference are Commitment from African leaders to make HIV/AIDS a top priority on their development agenda and to invest early in the fight against HIV/AIDS; Concrete actions by African governments and their development partners to increase the scale of successful interventions and develop multisectoral plans that have national-level impact; and Achievement of a fuller understanding of the impact of HIV/AIDS on Africa and its global implications.