The head of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has been reappointed for another four years to spearhead the world bodys battle against a global pandemic in which close to 40 million people now live with the virus.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was delighted that Dr. Peter Piot would continue to lead the UN response to HIV/AIDS “at a crucial time in our fight against the epidemic and in our work to mobilize the world against this unique threat to human development and security.”
UNAIDS, established in 1996, first grouped the anti-aids effort by the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank.
These agencies were joined by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 1999, the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2001 and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in 2003.
– I am very pleased and honoured to have the opportunity to serve UNAIDS for an additional four years, Dr. Piot said adding: – Over the past years we have made great progress in the global response to AIDS. As we enter a new era of implementation, we must focus our efforts on translating the commitments of recent years into improved prevention, care and support services for the people who need them.
Piot, who is a Belgian national, was first appointed Executive Director of UNAIDS and UN Assistant-Secretary-General on 12 December 1994.
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