LONG-AWAITED CREATION OF THE NATIONAL AIDS COMMISSION

UNCLAS MASERU 000429

SIPDIS

AIDAC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV SOCI KHIV LT HIV
SUBJECT: LONG-AWAITED CREATION OF THE NATIONAL AIDS COMMISSION


1. The Parliament of Lesotho unanimously passed the bill
establishing the National AIDS Commission (NAC) on June 29,

2005. The legislation was subsequently given the Royal Ascent by
the King, thereby transforming it into law on July 26 , 2005.
The NAC Act will come into effect on its official promulgation
which is expected to be finalized in September. Copies of the
law are currently being printed and post will attempt to get
one, when available.


2. The NAC is a new body responsible for the development and
coordination of strategies and programs for combating HIV and
AIDS; it is also to facilitate implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of programs. The NAC has replaced the Lesotho AIDS
Program Coordinating Authority (LAPCA). The Board of
Commissioners is the governing and implementing body of the NAC
and consists of: a Chairperson appointed by the Prime Minister;
a legal expert; a financial and management specialist; a member
of the HIV/AIDS Forum; a health specialist and the Chief
Executive of the National AIDS Secretariat who will be the
secretary of the Commission.

SIPDIS


3. The National AIDS Secretariat is responsible for the
administration and implementation of the strategies and policies
of the Commission. It is headed by the Chief Executive who is
appointed by the Prime Minister acting on the advice of the
Board of Commissioners. There is also an organ of the Commission
known as HIV and AIDS Forum which consists of: a representative
of people living with HIV and AIDS; a representative of women's
organizations; a representative of the youth organizations; a
representative of the business sector; and a representative of
faith - based organizations. The functions of the HIV and AIDS
Forum are to provide a formal and representative coordination
platform for discussion, consensus building, joint and mutual
support for constituencies in the national response to HIV and
AIDS.


4. COMMENT. The NAC has been a long time coming. LAPCA was
widely seen as chronically ineffective. At the encouragement of
the donor community and many Basotho to create a more socially
representative organization, the Cabinet approved establishment
of the NAC, in principle, in October 2003. However, a
reexamination of the body's make-up, objections by some GOL
officials to the costs associated with the Commission,
subsequent questions from the donor/diplomatic community, and
the typically slow legislative process caused the considerable
delay in making the Commission a reality. While LAPCA was a
standard government organization filled by civil servants, the
NAC will have independent authority to hire and fire personnel.
It is hoped that this automony and the representative
composition of the NAC will make it more effective than its
predecessor. With Lesotho having one of the highest HIV/AIDS
prevalence rates in the world, a NAC that fulfills its mandate
is crucial to successfully combating the pandemic.



ALBRECHT