Joining Forces to Fight HIV/AIDS
U.S., Global Fund, Ethiopian Government Form New Partnership

February 7, 2006
No. 02/06

Addis Ababa (U.S. Embassy) - On Tuesday, February 7, the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, Ambassador Vicki Huddleston, joined Minister of Health Dr. Tedros Adhanom to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that will collaboratively advance HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment activities in Ethiopia through better harmonization, coordination, and integration of two major initiatives – the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.  The parties agreed to work to advance HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment activities in Ethiopia; together, the President’s Emergency Plan and the Global Fund are providing funds totaling over $199 million to combat the epidemic in Ethiopia.

Joining the Ambassador Huddleston and Dr. Tedros at the signing ceremony, which took place at the Ministry of Health, were Linden Morrison, Portfolio Manager at the Global Fund; William Hammink, Mission Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development in Ethiopia; and Dr. Tadesse Wuhib, Country Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The new MOU aims to enhance partnership among the parties in the implementation of Ethiopia’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy through a common program of work for planning, management, resource mobilization and allocation, and monitoring and evaluation.

Among the activities made possible by this memorandum is the start of joint planning and procurement of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). Through grants from the multi-national Global Fund, the Government of Ethiopia will provide first-line drug treatment, while the President’s Emergency Plan will provide second-line adult and all pediatric formulations. Through a transparent process, the two will work closely to ensure that national treatment services operate with an uninterrupted supply of anti-retroviral drugs.

This year the combined efforts of the President’s Emergency Plan and the Global Fund, working in cooperation with the Government of Ethiopia, promise to have a substantial impact in the frontline attack against HIV/AIDS.

####