The UNAIDS board has authorized its secretariat to utilize a portion of the joint program’s operating reserves to cover the cost of its ongoing restructuring efforts.
The decision allows UNAIDS’ executive director to draw up to a maximum of $15 million from its Operating Reserve Fund, which holds a total of $35 million. The money from the reserve fund will be used to implement its activities, including the secretariat’s restructuring, which is estimated to cost $32.8 million in 2025 and 2026. Without it, UNAIDS could face a shortfall of $8.7 million in 2026.
UNAIDS is a joint program made up of 11 United Nations agencies, called cosponsors, as well as a secretariat that has its headquarters in Geneva and several regional and country offices that coordinate the work of the program. UNAIDS relies entirely on voluntary contributions, which are shared between the secretariat and its cosponsors.