The President of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi arrived in the country for the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) that went underway in Kigali on Monday. The meeting has attracted at least 10,000 delegates from over 150 countries representing different constituencies, including policymakers, international NGOs, researchers, academics, civil society and activists among others. The biannual meeting taking place in Rwanda is the 20th edition. President Nyusi was on arrival welcomed by Foreign Affairs Minister, Vincent Biruta at Kigali International Airport. Among other dignitaries who attended the opening of the meeting on Monday include First Ladies from at least five African countries; Antoinette Sassou N’guesso, (Congo), Hinda Deby Itno (Tchad), Aïssata Issoufou Mahamadou (Niger), Rebecca Akufo-Addo, (Ghana) and Neo Jane Masisi of Botswana. The meeting takes place a year before the UNAIDS global 90-90-90 targets in 2020. This forum will according to organisers serve as a platform to take stock of the challenges of UNAIDS global 90-90-90 targets and pave the way for a new and efficient innovation towards a generation without AIDS in Africa. The 90-90-90 target is to ensure by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV know their HIV status, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection receive sustained antiretroviral therapy and ensuring 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy have viral suppression.
