Dear Partners, colleagues and friends,
It is already June 2017 and it is time to get aligned and coordinated in order to have the same level of understanding, collaboration and synchronized efforts towards the 2018 September UN High Level Meeting on TB, through the 2017 November Moscow Global TB Ministerial Conference and the 2018 March Stop TB Partnership Board in New Delhi.
In order to ensure that the UNHLM of Heads of State and governments, and TB stakeholders ultimately results in increased political will, new resources, actions, and impact of lives of people affected by TB, it is critical that we all, as the TB community start preparing now.
The Stop TB Partnership Coordinating Board held a session on the HLM on TB during its Board Meeting in Berlin last month. The Board encouraged the UN General Assembly to agree the HLM be held in September 2018 in conjunction with the UNGA General Debate in order to maximize the attendance of Heads of State, and that it be 1.5 days in length. The Board also agreed to create a Coordinating Group to work across all partners and stakeholders to ensure a strategic and coordinated approach.
The Board also appealed to the President of the UNGA to invite civil society to create a representative Civil Society Taskforce for the HLM, to ensure the voice of civil society is included in the preparations and during the UNHLM on TB. The full decision points are available here.
With this news alert, we will start sharing information and news with the TB community at large.
This piece includes core information on the UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on TB, that we consider is important to know at this stage:
a. The Meeting will be held in New York in 2018, however the timing and duration are still to be decided.
Partners and Stop TB Partnership advocate for a one and a half day meeting to be held during the week of 24 September 2018.
b. The UN HLM will build on the outcomes of the Moscow Global TB Ministerial Conference, further strengthened and enhanced by a wide and transparent process taking place at national, regional and global level with the participation and engagement of all stakeholders, especially of civil society, communities and people affected by TB.
c. UN HLM Background Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - We produced this document (see below) to clarify some of the basic facts and questions on the UN HLM. We are currently working on translating this into additional languages.
TB needs the attention of the high level decision makers if we are to achieve the SDGs and aim to reach Universal Health Care. With the events outlined above, placed in a great sequence over 2017 and 2018, we have an historical opportunity to achieve what we dreamt of for many years - an end of this disease. It is possible.
If you have any questions or comments please feel welcome to write us. We will keep all posted.
With best regards,
Dr. Lucica Ditiu
Executive Director
The Stop TB Partnership