At UNGA 81, UNAIDS is organizing a side event on 24 September to convince stakeholders that a transformed UNAIDS remains fit for purpose. This brings us to a crucial question: where do we stand with the funded working group tasked with merging UNAIDS into the broader UN system?
After cutting 55% of staff during Phase 1 under the UN 80 initiative—costing $28.4 million USD plus a $4–6 million USD financial loss—the UN 80 proposal was abruptly scrapped.
Taxpayers then funded another $200,000 USD for a working group to craft a transition plan, only for UNAIDS to end up hosting a UNGA 81 showcase claiming it was fit for purpose all along.
Is this UNAIDS reform actually driving efficiency, or is it just an exercise in squandering public funds?