Inter-governmental organisations play important normative and coordination roles in the fight against infectious diseases, but should leave implementation to governments and civil society who can and do deliver programmes at scale in more cost effective and sustainable ways. This was the message from the International HIV/AIDS Alliance at a UK House of Lords Committee on Intergovernmental Organisations that took place on 31 March 2008.

The Alliance was asked to present oral evidence after submitting written evidence to the committee on "Acting through intergovernmental organisations to control the spread of communicable diseases."

In addition to presenting the role that civil society organisations play in the HIV response, the Alliance commented on the UK's investment in organisations such as UNAIDS, the Global Fund, the World Bank and UNODC - the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

The Alliance's written submission (http://synkronweb.aidsalliance.org/graphics/secretariat/images/News/Submission%20to%20the%20House%20of%20Lords%20Ad%20Hoc%20Committee%20on%20Intergovernmental%20Organisations.pdf) covered:

-- access to affordable medicines and TRIPs (trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights) -- the global AIDS services gap -- the value of UNAIDS, WHO, the World Bank and UNICEF in their global responses to AIDS -- the need for policy coherence between the drug control efforts of UNODC and their stated commitments to public health, human rights and harm reduction -- the impressive track record of the Global Fund -- the need to improve accountability of of government-to-government funding, or direct budget support, in financing AIDS responses.

The Alliance's Executive Director, Alvaro Bermejo, gave evidence alongside Nick Partridge from the UK's Terrence Higgins Trust at the oral evidence session. The discussion was lively and engaging, with Committee Members well-informed and interested in hearing the Alliance's views. Read the full unedited transcript (http://synkronweb.aidsalliance.org/graphics/secretariat/images/News/Minutes%20ad%20hoc%20committeee%20on%20intergovernmental%20organisations.pdf).

The Committee will produce a final report for the House of Lords in July, which is likely to feature some of the views expressed by the Alliance. The report will be debated in the House of Lords, and the UK's Department for International Development will be invited to respond to the Committee's findings.