Assembly/AU/Decl.2(XIX) Page 1 DECLARATION ON THE REPORT OF AIDS WATCH AFRICA (AWA) ACTION COMMITTEE OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT We, the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, meeting at our Nineteenth Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 15 to 16 July 2012, following our consideration of the Report of AIDS Watch Africa (AWA) Action Committee of Heads of State and Government: RECALLING Assembly Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.395 (XVIII) whereby AIDS Watch Africa (AWA) was revitalized as an African high level platform to advocate for action, accountability and resource mobilization for response to HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria in Africa; and Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.413(XVII) requesting the AU Commission, NEPAD and UNAIDS to work out a roadmap on shared responsibility for a viable response to AIDS, including health financing; ALSO RECALLING the global and Abuja commitments on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, as well as the Continental Policy Framework on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights; Africa Health Strategy, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa, and African Plan Towards Elimination of New HIV Infections among Children by 2015 and Keeping their Mothers Alive; ACKNOWLEDGING that efforts to implement these commitments should be redoubled by all stakeholders for Africa to achieve universal access to health services and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015; ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING AND COMMENDING the role played by international development partners in the response to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, particularly through availing the required financing and promotion of access to health services; RECOGNIZING that the achievements of the last decade in promoting access to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria services depended largely on the political will and commitment by Africa’s top leadership, increased financing as well as improved partnerships at all levels; APPRECIATING the support of UNAIDS in the revitalization of AIDS Watch Africa; DEEPLY CONCERNED that, in spite of these achievements, the challenge posed by HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria on the continent remains immense. Hereby declare as follows: 1. RE-COMMIT individually and collectively to continued implementation of all our previous commitments towards universal access to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria services in Africa including maternal and child health, equitable access to affordable and quality-assured medicines and health commodities, promotion of social protection and strengthening of health systems in the context of gender-equality and human rights;