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INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
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RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 9569
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 000280 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF 
S/OFFICE OF GLOBAL AIDS COORDINATOR, BHAVNA PATEL 
STATE PLEASE TO USAID GLOBAL HEALTH BUREAU 
HHS PLEASE PASS TO OFFICE OF GLOBAL HEALTH AFFAIRS, WILLIAM 
STEIGER AND SAMUEL ANDENIYI-JONES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON KHIV PREL SF SOCI
SUBJECT: GLOBAL AIDS COORDINATOR AMBASSADOR MARK DYBUL 
HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTION AND PARTNERSHIPS IN 
THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS TO SOUTH AFRICAN MEDIA 
 
PRETORIA 00000280  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
 ¶1.  (U) Summary:  During his January 25 visit to Pretoria, 
Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Mark Dybul emphasized that 
PEPFAR represents a transformation in donor aid from a 
donor/recipient mode to an equal partnership with host 
countries.  He also highlighted the importance of prevention, 
partnerships, and sustainability of programs as we move into 
the next five years of PEPFAR. End Summary 
 
¶2.  (U) Ambassador Dybul and Ambassador Bost participated in 
a roundtable on January 25, with print and radio media.  They 
emphasized that President Bush has led a philosophical 
revolution in development and that the USG, through PEPFAR, 
is working as an equal partner with South Africa to combat 
HIV/AIDS.  Both stressed that the USG measures success by the 
number of lives saved or improved, not by the amount of money 
spent.  Taped portions of Ambassdor Dybul's roundtable 
discussion with Channel Africa (the South African 
Broadcasting Corporation's regional radio network) was 
packaged into a one minute segment and used at 15h15 and 
19h15 on Friday, January 25, in English and French.  Channel 
Africa broadcasts live on three platforms; shortwave, 
satellite and internet. Its broadcasts are in Chinyanja, 
Silozi, Kiswahili, English, French and Portuguese.  The 
shortwave broadcast covers South, East, Central and West 
Africa.  The satellite broadcast covers the sub-Saharan 
region, although it can be picked up as far as London.  The 
internet broadcast covers the world. 
 
¶3.  (U) Ambassador Dybul participated in a live call-in 
program on Radio 702 from 9:45-10:30 pm (Jan. 25) broadcast 
in Gauteng (Pretoria, Johannesburg, audience 400,000) and the 
Western Cape (Cape Town, audience 113,000).  After a fifteen 
minute discussion with the host, he answered questions from 
listeners.  Listeners asked about the SAG's investment in 
fighting HIV/AIDS, USG cooperation with the SAG, and included 
praise for the efforts of both governments and calls for 
greater cooperation.  Ambassador Dybul emphasized that it is 
not only the responsibility of governments to fight HIV/AIDS, 
but that all individuals must take personal responsibility in 
order to effect the behavior change needed to combat the 
disease. 
 
¶4.  (U) An article with the headline "US Cash for AIDS Rivals 
State's Own Budget," appeared in the Sunday Times 
(circulation 500,000), January 27, highlighting the increased 
USG commitment to South Africa through PEPFAR in 2008.  The 
article noted that "Both ambassadors (Dybul and Bost) said 
the plan was close to President George W. Bush's heart.  'I 
have heard this from his mouth,' said Bost." It further 
quoted Ambassador Dybul stating that, "South Africa's HIV and 
AIDS and STI Strategic Plan is a 'model for the rest of the 
world in many ways'." 
 
¶5.  (U) Ambassador Dybul met with a group from the South 
African Department of Correctional Services (DCS).  The DCS 
receives PEPFAR support for its comprehensive HIV/AIDS 
program.  Correctional Services noted that some of its 
biggest challenges are a lack of isolation facilities for 
infection control and lack of nurses within the prisons. 
This is especially significant given the number of TB cases 
QThis is especially significant given the number of TB cases 
within the prisons, including more than 200 cases of 
multi-drug resistant TB and 97 cases of extensively-drug 
resistant TB.  The Department noted that it is compiling its 
challenges and best practices, which it would like to share 
as a model with other SADC countries.  This would be 
important for the region since South Africa has one of the 
only correctional services departments within Africa with a 
comprehensive HIV/AIDS program. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Ambassador Dybul led a discussion with Ambassador 
Bost and the USG South Africa PEPFAR Task Force in which he 
reflected on the strategic focus areas for the team in the 
upcoming year.  Ambassador Dybul stated that 2008 should be 
the year of prevention and that the team should look closely 
at programs to see where changes could promote greater 
progress.  He futher highlighted the need for the team to 
surpass its program targets on treatment.  The discussion 
also focused on the ongoing PEPFAR reauthorization process in 
Congress and the need to plan on scaling down South Africa's 
PEPFAR budget and shifting from programmatic areas to 
sustainability and technical assistance. 
 
PRETORIA 00000280  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶7. (U) Ambassador Bost later hosted a reception for 
Ambassador Dybul at his residence that included SAG 
officials, representatives of international and business 
organizations, PEPFAR partners and Task Force members. 
 
¶8. (U) This cable has been cleared by the Office of the 
Global AIDS Coordinator. 
BOST