AFEW International is pleased to welcome Michel Kazatchkine as the new Chair of its Board. Prof. Kazatchkine brings a lot of experience to AFEW International having dedicated over 30 years fighting AIDS and promoting global health as a physician, researcher, advocate, policymaker, and diplomat.
Between 2007 and 2012, Professor Michel Kazatchkine has been the executive Director of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and malaria. From 2012 to 2017, he served as the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. He is currently the special advisor to Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Michel Kazatchkine has played a key role in supporting the Eastern European and Central Asian region (EECA) and in mobilizing national authorities, civil society, donors, researchers and other relevant groups on the need to prioritize vulnerable groups and adopt evidence and human rights-based responses to HIV/AIDS and related epidemics.
Prof. Kazatchkine has in-depth knowledge about the challenges and successes of the region. As one of Programme Committee Co-Chairs of the 22nd International AIDS Conference, he has advocated for an increased role of the EECA region at the AIDS 2018 Conference.
Professor Kazatchkine is also a Senior Fellow with the Global Health Centre of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, and a member of the Global Commission on Drug Policy.
“Eastern Europe and Central Asia is the only region in the world where annual HIV infections continue to rise rapidly. Communities are central to the response to HIV/AIDS and TB. I look forward to this new role with AFEW International to enhance their impact in supporting under-served populations and improve public health in the region,” says Michel Kazatchkine.
AFEW International relies upon the expertise of its Board members for guidance and support. Therefore, AFEW’s Board is comprised of professionals with extensive experience in organisational management, programme development and evaluation, financial management, and research. Currently, the AFEW Board consists of six members, and you can read more about them here.
