Meeting Report: Consultation on The Memorandum of Understanding to Reduce HIV Vulnerability Associated with Population Movement

Within the GMS the need for joint action for HIV prevention and better access to treatment, care and support is increasingly articulated at national and provincial (border provinces) levels, especially in contexts where migrants and mobile populations face barriers to accessing services in destination countries. In 2004, the six countries in the GMS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Joint Action to Reduce HIV Vulnerability Related to Population Movement and, following the expiration of this MOU in 2009, an amended MoU was signed during the 4th GMS Summit in Myanmar in 2011. Accompanying the 2011 MOU is a draft Joint Action Program (JAP) that identifies priority areas for bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Drawing guidance from both the MoU and its attached draft JAP, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the UNDP Asia-Pacific Regional Centre jointly convened this 2012 Consultation on the Memorandum of Understanding to Reduce HIV Vulnerability Associated with Population Movement, in order to formulate concrete national, bilateral and subregional activities to address the challenges faced by migrants and mobile populations in this area.