The Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA) selected Ethiopia to host the 16th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) to be held in Addis Ababa from 4-8 December 2011, under the theme “OWN, SCALE-UP and SUSTAIN”. ICASA is one of the major international AIDS conferences happening in Africa. Its current biennial hosting alternates between the Anglophone and Francophone African countries. The 15th ICASA held in 2008 was hosted by Dakar, Senegal.
The Federal Ministry of Health jointly with the Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (HAPCO) has taken the lead in organizing the conference. Ethiopia’s selection is based on interest expressed by the Ethiopian Government to organize and host the conference, as well as having met the set criteria including adequate logistics, security, communication, accommodation and conference venue. The conference expects to welcome more than 10,000 delegates from around the world including scientists, health workers, policy makers, people living with HIV (PLHIV), community leaders and activists working in the fields of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, Tuberculosis & Malaria.
The conference also provides a forum for exchange of experiences and lessons learnt in Africa and around the globe in responding to HIV/ AIDS and STIs, Tuberculosis and Malaria. It will also provide a platform for taking stock of progresses made and challenges facing the movement towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support in the continent which is the milestone of MDG 6.
Most importantly, ICASA 2011 can serve as a platform where efforts in Ethiopia as well as in the African Region in combating HIV as well as other sectoral achievements could be promoted at a global level. This is also a paramount occasion to further strengthen the partnership among governments, civil societies, communities, development partners and the global community, not just within the Region but also across the globe.
It is also important to note the significance of 2011 as the year of the conference marks the 30th year after AIDS was first discovered as a new disease; 10 years after the UNGASS Political Declaration on AIDS; and 5 years after the Global Declaration towards Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
In this respect, Africa in general and Ethiopia in particular has a unique opportunity to provide a platform to review the collective progresses made towards universal access and attaining MDGs as well as the challenges facing the fight against the epidemic.
ICASA 2011 Expectations
Indeed, this Conference is a big undertaking and demands considerable financial, technical and logistics mobilization from all sources including the Government of Ethiopia, civil societies, the private sector, development partners and the community at large. With strong commitment, active participation and collaboration, Ethiopia will undoubtedly host a successful international conference given the country’s track record in preparing international conferences and delivering its international commitments.
Ethiopian, in collaboration with the Society for AIDS in Africa, multilateral and bilateral organizations is also expected to mobilize the scientific communities, international leaders, activists, higher learning institutions, civil societies and others to elevate the knowledge on HIV/AIDS, STIs, TB and Malaria to a higher level.
Therefore, all have a role to play to make this a highly successful conference starting from creating awareness and visibility through the active involvement of the local and international media to presenting new and innovative research findings and best practices to be shared in ICASA 2011.
Contact ICASA 2011
ICASA 2011 Secretariat
P.O.Box 122326, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Telephone: +251 115 54 87 73
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://icasa2011addis.org