US embassy cable - 05MASERU429

UNCLAS MASERU 000429 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, SOCI, KHIV, LT, HIV 
SUBJECT: LONG-AWAITED CREATION OF THE NATIONAL AIDS COMMISSION 
 
1. The Parliament of Lesotho unanimously passed the bill 
establishing the National AIDS Commission (NAC) on June 29, 
2005. The legislation was subsequently given the Royal Ascent by 
the King, thereby transforming it into law on July 26 , 2005. 
The NAC Act will come into effect on its official promulgation 
which is expected to be finalized in September.  Copies of the 
law are currently being printed and post will attempt to get 
one, when available. 
 
2. The NAC is a new body responsible for the development and 
coordination of strategies and programs for combating HIV and 
AIDS; it is also to facilitate implementation, monitoring and 
evaluation of programs. The NAC has replaced the Lesotho AIDS 
Program Coordinating Authority (LAPCA). The Board of 
Commissioners is the governing and implementing body of the NAC 
and consists of: a Chairperson appointed by the Prime Minister; 
a legal expert; a financial and management specialist;  a member 
of the HIV/AIDS Forum; a health specialist and the Chief 
Executive of the National AIDS Secretariat who will be the 
secretary of the Commission. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
3. The National AIDS Secretariat is responsible for the 
administration and implementation of the strategies and policies 
of the Commission. It is headed by the Chief Executive who is 
appointed by the Prime Minister acting on the advice of the 
Board of Commissioners. There is also an organ of the Commission 
known as HIV and AIDS Forum which consists of: a representative 
of people living with HIV and AIDS; a representative of women's 
organizations; a representative of the youth organizations; a 
representative of the business sector; and a representative of 
faith - based organizations. The functions of the HIV and AIDS 
Forum are to provide a formal and representative coordination 
platform for discussion, consensus building, joint and mutual 
support for constituencies in the national response to HIV and 
AIDS. 
 
4. COMMENT.   The NAC has been a long time coming.   LAPCA was 
widely seen as chronically ineffective.  At the encouragement of 
the donor community and many Basotho to create a more socially 
representative organization, the Cabinet approved establishment 
of the NAC, in principle, in October 2003.  However,  a 
reexamination of the body's make-up, objections by some GOL 
officials to the costs associated with the Commission, 
subsequent questions from the donor/diplomatic community, and 
the typically slow legislative process caused the considerable 
delay in making the Commission a reality.  While LAPCA was a 
standard government organization filled by civil servants, the 
NAC will have independent authority to hire and fire personnel. 
It is hoped that this automony and the representative 
composition of the NAC will make it more effective than its 
predecessor.   With Lesotho having one of the highest HIV/AIDS 
prevalence rates in the world,  a NAC that fulfills its mandate 
is crucial to successfully combating the pandemic. 
 
 
 
ALBRECHT