The Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has rejected plans to wind down the organisation, opting instead for a streamlined and more efficient structure to sustain the global response to HIV. The decision was taken at a special session of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB)…...
The Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has rejected plans to wind down the organisation, opting instead for a streamlined and more efficient structure to sustain the global response to HIV.
The decision was taken at a special session of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) in Geneva on Monday, October 26, 2026, following discussions on the future of the joint programme amid funding cuts and proposed reforms within the United Nations.
In a statement dated Monday, October 26, UNAIDS said board members unanimously supported a continued and strengthened programme, stressing that the transition must protect people living with, at risk of and affected by HIV.
The statement quoted UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, as saying the board had chosen to strengthen the organisation rather than discontinue its operations.
“You have rejected the sunsetting of UNAIDS and chosen instead to transform and strengthen this unique Joint Programme. I thank programme countries, donors, civil society and activists who stood firm and fought for the future of UNAIDS. Saving the Joint Programme is only the beginning. Now we must transform it and get that transformation right,” she said.
The board also approved the overall strategic direction for the transition, as outlined in the final report of its working group, and directed its chair to communicate the decisions to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
READ ALSO: #WorldAIDSDay: 12 million people waiting for HIV treatment – UNAIDS
The move aligns with the UN Secretary-General’s UN80 reform agenda, which seeks to improve efficiency and strengthen the organisation’s impact at country level.
Addressing the board, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the reforms were intended to preserve and strengthen the global HIV response despite disruptions.
“The Secretary-General’s intention was to preserve and strengthen the UN’s HIV response in face of disruption and anchor the response more firmly at the country level,” she said.
Under the proposed arrangement, UNAIDS will retain its mandate on HIV, with a stronger and more focused Secretariat responsible for four core functions. The programme’s 11 cosponsoring UN organisations are expected to assume greater leadership in their respective technical areas.
The framework also places communities at the centre of decision-making through increased co-creation and co-leadership, while maintaining commitments to human rights and gender equality.
The board further agreed that UNAIDS would retain its ECOSOC mandate and inclusive governance structure under the Programme Coordinating Board.
It also called for a phased transition based on individual countries’ circumstances and readiness, rather than a rushed process.
Read Also
As part of the implementation process, the board requested Byanyima to establish a Transition Task Team comprising representatives of the UNAIDS Secretariat and cosponsoring organisations, alongside two community representatives nominated by the PCB’s non-governmental organisation delegation.
The team is expected to work with implementing countries, consult relevant stakeholders and develop a fully costed implementation plan for submission to the board.
The development comes as several countries have pledged support for UNAIDS amid funding reductions and the potential withdrawal of support from some countries.
Algeria’s Ambassador, Idris Latreche, announced an early voluntary contribution of $40,000 to the UNAIDS country office in Algiers for 2027. The country also provides office accommodation at no cost and supplies national personnel to support the office’s operations.
Other countries that have contributed include Benin, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Côte d’Ivoire, Kazakhstan, Laos, the Philippines, South Africa and Thailand.
Latreche said the contributions were aimed at ensuring continuity in the organisation’s operations and preventing disruptions to services.
“These contributions reflect Algeria’s commitment to our collective efforts towards maintaining an effective UNAIDS presence at country level, towards ensuring continuity of services, and towards avoiding any disruption that could affect the people who depend on them,” he said.
The board also approved UNAIDS’ 2027 Work Plan and Budget, which includes simplified performance reporting. It thanked governments that contributed to the 2026 budget and urged others to release outstanding contributions promptly.
Governments were also encouraged to make multi-year funding commitments and release their 2027 contributions without delay.
Meanwhile, Byanyima informed the board that she would complete her tenure as UNAIDS executive director on December 31, 2026.
The UN Secretary-General is expected to appoint an interim executive director from January 1, 2027, while the board begins the process of selecting her successor.
UNAIDS brings together 11 UN organisations and works with national and international partners to advance efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.