UNAIDS and Chinese Xinhua News Agency To Intensify Partnership On HIV/AIDS Prevention

UNAIDS and Xinhua News Agency had agreed to intensify partnership on HIV/AIDS prevention and control.

The agreement has been achieved during the visit of the UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé to the Xinhua headquarters in the lead-up to the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China

Mr. Sidibé discussed with Xinhua President Cai Mingzhao a highly successful partnership between the two institutions. The news agency has helped to promote important messages about ending AIDS, making its contribution to the early achievement of UNAIDS' "three-zeroes" vision, namely "zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths."

During the 2016 United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS, held in New York, United Sates of America, a UNAIDS video played on Xinhua’s screen in Times Square.

Cai said Xinhua attaches great importance to the cooperation with UNAIDS, and will actively assist their work: “Xinhua attaches great importance to its partnership and cooperation with UNAIDS. Our bilateral friendship is part of Xinhua's social responsibility.”

Sidibé spoke highly of Xinhua's efforts in promoting HIV/AIDS prevention and believed that Xinhua could continue to support its work on HIV/AIDS prevention education: “Xinhua is a critical partner for UNAIDS. Through Xinhua, we can reach people who are left behind and who do not have access to information.”

Mr. Sidibé accentuated how the Chinese news agency is an important partner in its efforts of reaching billions of people with life-saving messages, adding that their continued engagement is critical for China–Africa health cooperation and to keep HIV on the global agenda.

Building bridges together is key, said Mr. Cai, who reemphasized Xinhua’s commitment to raising awareness to end the AIDS epidemic in China and globally.

The UNAIDS–Xinhua partnership dates back to 2011. Since then, two memorandums of understanding have been signed. Efforts carried out during the past six years include global media campaigns to promote public awareness of HIV and support for World AIDS Day activities.

The Belt and Road Forum, taking place on 14 and 15 May, aims to promote ties and cooperation between countries through the development of two major economic development projects—the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. In his television interview, Mr. Sidibé highlighted that the Belt and Road initiative is an important platform for person-to-person connectivity—an issue that the AIDS response has championed.