The 57th Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) meeting concluded in Brazil this week at a time of severe disruptions to the HIV response in many countries and to the work of the UNAIDS Joint Programme. In this context, the Board adopted a new Global AIDS Strategy 2026-2031 for the world, “United to End AIDS."

“Inaction is not an option. If we stall and fail to reach the targets laid out in the Strategy, 3.3 million more people will be newly infected by 2030. We cannot allow that,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS.

During the three-day meeting, board members approved establishing a PCB Working Group to develop a plan and timeline for UNAIDS’ transition and integration into the UN system. The group will ensure meaningful engagement of all relevant constituencies – civil society, governments, Cosponsors, and other partners in-line with the UN80 initiative. “One of our key tasks through the Global AIDS Strategy, the transition of UNAIDS, and UN80 more broadly is to better understand how we can effectively encourage the international community to re-engage,” said Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations. “Lives, dignity and hard-won progress are still on the line. UNAIDS has shown what collective action can achieve. This legacy must be protected.”

Throughout the meeting, PCB members and observers expressed deep appreciation for the critical role UNAIDS plays in the HIV response and UNAIDS staff. They spoke with conviction about what dedication means for governments and communities around the world.

“Brazil has reaffirmed, as a central government priority, the elimination of socially determined diseases, including the AIDS epidemic,” said Mariangela Simao, Brazil’s Vice Minister for Health Surveillance and Environment. “This agenda is grounded in our Unified Health System - universal, comprehensive and free of charge - which guarantees prevention, diagnosis and treatment across a country of continental scale and deep regional diversity,” she said.