The AFC and UNAIDS signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the Malaysian capital on Monday to pave the way for joint advocacy activities to enhance awareness of HIV.

Through the MoU, both organisations will carry out activities in selected competitions organised by the AFC in support of the UNAIDS’ Protect the Goal campaign, a new initiative within the framework of UNAIDS’ sports for global advocacy.

The AFC and UNAIDS recognise that the achievement of United Nations Millennium Development Goals requires concerted action through cooperative partnerships with key stakeholders including governments, inter-governmental organisations, NGOs and the private sector.

The campaign will highlight during football matches and associated functions and events the shared commitments of UNAIDS and AFC to enhance awareness of HIV, improve access to HIV prevention and treatment and eliminate HIV-related stigma and discrimination in advance of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

The MoU was signed by AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa (pictured, left) and Dr. Djibril Diallo (right), Senior Adviser to the UNAIDS Executive Director.

“The AFC is proud to take these steps to share our responsibility in creating awareness of HIV in Asia,” said Shaikh Salman.

“Sometimes people think football is just a game, and yes it is, but actually it’s more than that. Football has the power to make great contribution to the society.

“Our obligation to this cause is 100 percent. I hope the AFC and UNAIDS will be able to gain the support from everyone to bring more awareness of HIV to the society.

Dr. Diallo said: “At the UN and UNAIDS, we believe that sports can greatly help in our mission to raise the awareness of HIV among people. This MoU is a historic moment to UNAIDS because it enables us to accelerate the advocacy and prevention of HIV to reach out to a bigger section of world and Asian society.

“Our goals are to reach ‘Three Zeros’, namely Zero New HIV Infections, Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS-Related Deaths and I believe this MoU will assist in achieving these.”

“We are excited with this relationship forged with the AFC and with the partnership being developed with others such as the Asian Development Bank to reach the objectives of our mutually beneficial mission.”

To add to the collaboration, the AFC has initiated a joint programme between the football body, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and UNAIDS, which will embark on a new football-based HIV prevention programme to tackle the risk of HIV transmission among young people.

The campaign will be co-organised and co-funded by the ADB and AFC with technical and country-specific implementation and campaign support coming from UNAIDS.