Russia, the US, and Israel voted against the UN declaration on HIV/AIDS

The UN adopted a Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS for 2026–2031. While 149 countries voted in favor, eight states voted against it, including key players like Russia and the US. There is concern regarding the prospects of implementing this declaration.

According to the UNAIDS press service, the UN High-Level Meeting concluded on June 23, the same day the declaration was adopted. UNAIDS views the voting results as a victory and a significant step toward achieving the 2030 goals.

“Governments of the world, supported by communities, have come together and affirmed that multilateralism is alive and well. A majority of countries have adopted a strong declaration that sets ambitious targets for the world to race to the 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat. They have kept the promise of 25 years ago,” said Winnie Byanyima.

However, the stances taken by Russia, the US, and their allies cast doubt on the feasibility of achieving the stated goals. The US—formerly the world's leading donor in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic—casting a vote against the declaration dealt a particularly serious blow. As Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) emphasizes, this marks the first time in history that the US has voted against such a measure. This decision was the culmination of eighteen months of actions by the Trump administration that had already undermined the global system.

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