Addis Ababa, 09 April 2010: The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of ICASA 2011 made an experience sharing visit to Dakar, Senegal from 6-9 April 2010.
Senegal, the host country for the 15th ICASA in 2008, had successfully organized the conference with over 10,000 participants.
Presentations were given by Professor Souleyman MBOUP, President of the 15th ICASA, and the respective chair persons of the various committees and sub-committees detailing all the key aspects of organizing and hosting ICASA. Following the presentation, discussions were held highlighting on what has worked well and what did not during ICASA 2008.
According to the report given by the LOC upon their return, the major lessons learned include:-
- High level political commitment and professionalism are of utmost importance for organizing and hosting a successful ICASA.
- Establishing strong Local Organizing Committee (LOC) is essential as most of the work of organizing and hosting ICASA falls on the host country.
- Setting the vision, theme, objectives, and preparing detailed plan with budget are essential to communicate, mobilize resources, implement, monitor and evaluate the conference events.
- Establishing chronological plan of events and following and enforcing establishment are crucial.
- Advocacy and promotion of ICASA is vital to ensure participation.
- Creating and maintaining strong communication with SAA, ISC, scientific, leadership committees, civil societies in country and abroad are essential.
Ato Meskele Lera, the Deputy Director General of Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (HAPCO) and also the LOC Co-Chair for ICASA 2011, expressed his gratitude for organizing this visit. “We are humbled by the great hospitality, enthusiasm, and friendliness expressed by the ICASA 2008 Secretariat and UNAIDS Regional Office for Western and Central Africa during our experience sharing visit.”
Ato Meskele gave special thanks to Prof. Souleyman and Dr. Meskerem Grunitzky-Bekele, Director of UNAIDS Regional Office for Western and Central Africa, for their “commitment and leadership which was indispensable in making the experience sharing visit successful.”
Given the lessons learned from the experience sharing visit and recommendations given by ICASA 2008 organizers, the LOC and ICASA 2011 will convene to map out and fine tune the ICASA 2011 strategy.
Source: ICASA Secretariat at Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (HAPCO)