Issues of governance are critical to global, regional and national efforts to address the AIDS epidemic. This is due in part to the large number of stakeholders and cash flows involved. It is also a reflection of the intrinsic link between institutional capacities, broad-based participation and accountability, on the one hand, and evidence of progress in responding to AIDS on the other. How society is organized for governance in terms of the “pact” or relationship between those who govern and those whom they govern is now a key factor in the outcomes of the AIDS response. After more than 25 years of addressing AIDS, there is now a growing body of evidence from national experiences, as well as consensus in global public policy circles, that effective governance is essential for an effective response to AIDS.

This issues paper builds on such evidence and capitalizes on previous discussions that have primarily focused on the impact of AIDS on development, and its implications for governance. The paper continues to explore the close linkages
between AIDS, development and governance, but above all identifies a number of critical governance requirements for an effective AIDS response. Recognizing the limitations posed by definitions, we nonetheless approach the governance of the AIDS responses from the perspective of the conditions that are necessary for ensuring an effective and harmonized national response to AIDS and developing and strengthening partnerships between key stakeholders, especially government and civil society.