Assembly/AU/4(XI) Page 3 INTRODUCTION On 2-4 May 2006, in Abuja, Nigeria, the AU Heads of State and Government held a Special Summit on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria (ATM). Their deliberations focused on the theme: “Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Services by a United Africa by 2010”. The main objective of the Special Summit was to review the status of implementation of the Declarations and Plans of Action on the 2000 Abuja Summit on Roll Back Malaria (RBM) and the 2001Abuja Summit on HIV/AIDS, TB and Other Related Infectious Diseases (ORID). The specific objectives included the following: • To review the achievements made to attain the targets of the 2000 and 2001 Abuja Summits, in the framework of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS). • To identify gaps, constraints and challenges to the achievement of the Abuja and MDGs targets; • To identify new strategies that would enable Africa to chart a new and more realistic course towards achieving these targets. • To obtain renewed commitment by African Leaders for addressing these disease; and promoting health and well-being in Africa. • To strengthen the efforts of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) towards poverty reduction and measuring progress towards achieving socio-economic development. • To prepare Africa’s Common Position to global forums such as World Health Assembly and the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) and High Level Meetings on HIV/AIDS. The African Leaders noted that in spite of commendable efforts and achievements, HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria continue to be the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Africa. Additionally, the three diseases contribute to considerable social-economic stagnation on the continent, hence exacting an ever-increasing burden to the population, especially the poor and vulnerable. In this regard, Heads of State and Government still considered HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria as a State of Emergency in Africa. They underscored the challenges and obstacles as well as opportunities for accelerated action towards universal access to comprehensive health services. Consequently, they individually and collectively re-dedicated themselves to scale up efforts towards universal access to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria Services when they adopted the following commitments: d) Abuja Call for Accelerated Action Towards Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Services in Africa;