Executive Summary
The Forum brought together leaders of business coalitions and associations, national AIDS commissions, and other public and private sector policy makers from 13 Sub-Saharan countries. It provided the participants with the tools to support and implement action plans and work programs and to develop strategies to further engage the private sector in national AIDS agendas.
Mr. Mohamed Lemine Ould Moustapha (left), Director of Private Sector Monitoring and Evaluation for the National HIV/AIDS Commission in Mauritania and Mr. Bode-law Faleyimu, Coordinator of ChevronTexaco's Workplace AIDS Prevention Program (CWAPP) in Nigeria, tour the health clinic and facilities of the Coca-Cola - Carlsberg Bottling Plant in Blantyre Malawi.
Countries represented included: Ethiopia, the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.
The Forum was jointly sponsored by the World Bank, UNAIDS, the World Economic Forum and CCA.
Summary of the principle outcomes:
- 11 strategic work plans produced with clear, realistic & measurable action priorities for Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- Information and experience sharing on issues relating to private sector mobilization: strategies and techniques to gain access to companies, e.g. through business coalitions and associations; small & medium enterprises and the supply chain; realistic implementation plans with appropriate monitoring and evaluation; scaling up the response; stigma & discrimination; laws & regulation; and the role of labor and key partners, including worker representatives, PLWHAs and civil society.
- Agreement on the need to incorporate a Private Sector component in the National AIDS Strategy, while integrating the Business Coalition as part of this Private Sector component.
- Successful results of several Business Coalitions motivated and inspired all stakeholders in the region to strengthen newly institutionalized Business Coalitions as mechanisms to increase effective private sector engagement by providing representation and sharing best practices.
- Exploration of possibilities to expand the mandate of Business Coalitions in order to include SMEs as members and provide targeted services, and increasing the range of services and deliverables.
- Identification of steps to improve the capacity of Business Coalition to deliver services to their members; advocacy, communication, marketing and strengthening relations, resource mobilization, harmonization with national and international frameworks, monitoring and evaluation.
