In his concluding remarks Mr Jonsson, Director of UNICEF ESARO, reiterated the dual relationship between HIV/AIDS as had been highlighted in the country presentations and the group discussions. He reminded participants that the HIV is causing and contributing towards the food crisis owing to the diminished or reduced capacity of households to cope. He reiterated that HIV/AIDS attacks adults resulting in fewer adults being able to care for the elderly and the children. But likewise he stressed that the food crisis impacts on HIV/AIDS. People living with HIV/AIDS are in need of food to maintain their health and quality of living. He stressed that the response is not either or - the response needs to be simultaneously targeted at ensuring food availability and also continuing to address the HIV/AIDS crisis. He stressed that if the UN wants to make a meaningful impact on the epidemic it is important for the system to demonstrate that it can collaborate. However he reminded participants that the present crisis was not only about UN collaboration but required partnerships with bilaterals, multilaterals and NGOs to ensure a more effective response. He reiterated his call from the opening session that African leaders break the silence around HIV/AIDS and called for greater resource mobilisation to be undertaken which needs to put at the forefront of the impending catastrophe confronting many countries.
Mr Sidibe highlighted that the meeting afforded the opportunity to analyse the challenges confronting the region in addressing the inter-linkages between HIV/AIDS and the humanitarian crisis. He said that the meeting provided the opportunity to look at areas in which investments could be made, through defining the strategies and mapping these strategies so as to ensure that the priorities defined are articulated into action points. He concluded by saying that it is important to frame the present humanitarian crisis as being a different crisis, resulting in the collapse of coping mechanisms and undermining the recovery system, since when people are sick recovery becomes a major problem. Lastly he pointed out to the participants that they should stop waiting for resources to address the emergency, but should tap into existing mechanisms to address the present situation. He called on the participants to use the current crisis in the region to ensure that HIV/AIDS is more visible on the agenda.
In her closing remarks, Deborah Saidy of the World Food Programme (WFP) highlighted that the scale of the humanitarian crisis coupled with the HIV/AIDS crisis represented a life threatening situation on a mammoth scale. She reminded participants that the emphasis being attributed to HIV/AIDS was a result of the mission by Special Envoy, Jim Morris, to the region who articulated a number of steps and areas that needed to be addressed. She reminded participants though that in order to address the crisis the emphasis has to be on national action.
Michael Angaga from the Network of African People Living with HIV/AIDS (NAP+), ended the workshop by presenting the draft consensus statement. He closed by emphasizing that the UN had taken a big step by drawing attention to the challenges confronting the sub-region, namely that of HIV/AIDS and food security. He emphasised and called on participants not to forget that the situation unfolding in Southern Africa could soon be faced by other regions in the continent.
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