Namibia to Set Up Local Chapter of Alliances of Mayors Against HIV/AIDS

Mayors and local leaders from across Namibia met in Windhoek on July 20 to brainstorm about how to campaign effectively against HIV/AIDS, according to the Web site of the newspaper the Namibian. The local leaders, hosted by Windhoek Mayor Matthew Shikongo, set up a Namibian chapter of the Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders on HIV/AIDS in Africa (AMICAALL). AMICAALL was launched in January 1998 during the Africities meeting in Abidjan with the support of that city's government and the UN Development Program.

On Friday, Shikongo said the new Namibian chapter will work towards reducing the socioeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS by implementing effective measures to reduce HIV transmission. Local authorities will also ensure the active involvement of people infected and affected by the HIV epidemic in designing and implementing local strategies. "We need to organize ourselves as a country to face the challenge," Shikongo said. "The scourge of HIV/AIDS in Namibia cannot be overemphasized. HIV/AIDS represents the biggest challenge facing our country today, and . . . demands the involvement of all leaders."

Fisho Mwale, AMICAALL co-founder and first deputy coordinator, explained that the organization's main objective was to develop and implement responses to the epidemic at the local government level through consultations with civil society organizations and community leaders.

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