At the 39th African Union summit, UNAIDS urged African leaders to stay united, keep HIV high on the political agenda and move towards sustainable financing for health and development.

“AIDS is not over in Africa and continued African leadership is essential,” said Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Now is the moment to raise ambition, safeguard our gains and ensure Africa drives the global agenda for a sustainable and sovereign health future.”

In 2024, 82% of people living with HIV in Africa were on lifesaving treatment compared with 45% just ten years earlier. New HIV infections were reduced by 71% since their peak in 1994 and AIDS-related deaths were reduced by 75% since the peak in 2004.

However, 26.5 million people were living with HIV in Africa in 2024, which represents 65% of global total—4.8 million of whom were still not accessing HIV treatment. There were 390 000 AIDS-related deaths in 2024, representing more than 60% of AIDS deaths globally.

The summit took place as Africa advances on health sovereignty and more equitable global cooperation through initiatives like the Accra Reset, the Lusaka agenda, and the African Union Roadmap to 2030. UNAIDS underscored the importance of anchoring HIV sustainability within this broader agenda to ensure resilient, community centred health systems across the continent.

African countries are facing serious financial pressure, with debt repayments often outstripping health spending, and revenue collection that has stalled below 16% of GDP for over a decade. Securing Africa’s health sovereignty will require action to relieve debt, fight tax dodging, increase revenue collection, and ensure access to affordable financing.