IRI Hosts AIDS and Governance in Africa Roundtable

April 28, 2003

On April 3, 2003, IRI hosted a roundtable discussion titled "AIDS and Governance in Africa: The Politics of the Pandemic." The event examined the impact of the rapid spread of the virus in Sub-Saharan Africa, the consequent threats to democracy and stability, the need for good governance solutions, and the potential for mobilization of institutions to strengthen democracy in response to the crisis.

The roundtable was attended by representatives of international foundations and organizations in the fields of democratic governance, public health, humanitarian assistance and crisis relief, as well individual democracy and HIV/AIDS activists from various African countries. Featured speakers included: Dr. John Kane-Berman, President and CEO of the South African Institute for Race Relations (SAIRR); Dr. Joe Muwonge, Senior Policy Advisor for Africa and Multi-Laterals at World Vision; Dr. J. Stephen Morrison, Director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); and Dr. Robert Groelsema, Democracy and Governance Specialist with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), who facilitated the discussion.

The presentations illustrated how HIV/AIDS has highlighted the interconnectedness of governance and public health. It was clear from the statements of participants that African institutions almost invariably lack the capacity to handle the problem. Virtually all the governments lack a coherent policy and sufficient structures for policy implementation, especially at the local level. Without sufficient government capacity, these groups will have difficulty implementing a coordinated, community-wide and nation-wide strategy to control the disease and its impacts. The crisis will be a continuing test of the promises of democratic institutions.

IRI's South Africa program continues to address these issues through an innovative local government training program, which is helping to bolster a democratic response to the AIDS epidemic by providing technical assistance to local officials in areas such as crisis management, budgetary and strategic planning, and community coordination.

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