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