World Bank, Washington D.C. Mayor’s Office Join Forces to Fight AIDS

TSHWANE , SOUTH AFRICA, December 7, 2007 — “When it comes to HIV/AIDS it should be us against the disease.” That was the consensus of service providers and government officials from South Africa’s capital city of Tshwane ( Pretoria) and Washington D.C. who came together via video conference to commemorate World AIDS day.

Lebohang Mahaye, Executive Head, Tshwane Governance and Secretariat Services

The session brought together experts and service providers from the public and private sector to share experiences and lessons learned. The discussion focused on several themes: defining capacity building methods; sustaining successful public private partnerships; the importance of collaboration vs. competition among NGOs; and model indicators for measuring performance.

Lebohang Mahaye a representative from the Tshwane mayor’s office expressed hope that the dialogue would translate into strong collaboration.

“Our cities are facing similar challenges that impact especially on women, children and youth,” she said. “We are now collaborating on HIV and AIDS and we hope we can share joint strategies leading to concrete action.”

Representatives from the Washington D.C. Mayor's Office participate in a video conference meeting with their counterparts in Pretoria, South Africa.

“Our vision is to have an empowered community that is coping with HIV and AIDS,” Mosley said. We want to support all those affected to assist them to live normal lives.”

She noted the city’s plan is in line with the national strategy targeting various population groups for behavioral change through education and awareness campaigns.

“We don’t work in silos; we promote collaboration and avoid duplication. We encourage mentoring.”

Juliana Victor-Ahuchoga, from the World Bank’s Global HIV/AIDS program noted governments cannot do it alone.

“We need to build and support each other in collaboration with NGOs,” Victor-Ahuchoga said. “In fact a non-profit organization working with other non-profit groups is a great way to share and build capacity.”

Panelists discuss best practices in fighting HIV/AIDs.

Judith Dobbins, the Executive Director of Covenant House Washington, said the community as a whole has to assume responsibility for the issue.

Another panelist noted even the clinicians themselves have to improve their care-giving, develop a greater degree of cultural competence and not contribute to the stigma.

The Washington D.C. Mayor’s Office of Partnerships and Grants Development collaborated with the Africa Region’s External Affairs unit in spearheading the video conference. Its aim is to engage in multi-sector initiatives that facilitate the establishment and enhancement of public-private partnerships. The office, which has been operating for six years, connects the District’s government agencies and executive offices with business, corporate, foundation, and individual partners who share goals and want to leverage resources.

The Office’s HIV/AIDS capacity-building project is one year old. Program Director Lafayette Barnes noted this was the first HIV/AIDS video conference, but not the last.

“Through our twinning agreement we need to continue this important and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship,” he said. “A session like this one helps us to exchange views aimed at ensuring a better quality of life for everyone living with HIV/AIDS.”

Reiterating the fact that “we are all at risk,” Beldina Auma from the Bank’s Africa Region External Affairs office hailed the Bank’s intensified HIV in the Workplace Program for reinforcing the message that HIV crosses all lines of race, education, and socioeconomic status. Auma noted that “some in the Bank may think we are ‘safe’ from HIV because we are a highly educated and knowledgeable workforce.”

“But knowledge without action provides no protection at all, and in reality many of the risk factors identified in migrant workforces that are characterized as ‘higher risk’, such as living away from partners for extended periods of time and extensive travel, are present in our own workforce,” she said.

The World Bank’s Richard Seifmann, from ACT Africa, noted the session followed the most recent UNAIDS report, which indicated a reduced incidence.

“There are 1.7 million people affected in Africa. And unless we keep up our efforts to provide treatment and care, new populations will become exposed. We have seen the figures—but that does not mean we can relax our efforts.”

By Mallory Saleson, World Bank South Africa Office