Vientiane, July 21st 2009 - The Government of Australia and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) entered into an agreement to support HIV prevention through effective harm reduction approaches under the HIV/AIDS Asia Regional Program (HAARP). Australian Ambassador to the Lao PDR, Dr Michele Forster, and UNODC Representative, Mr Leik Boonwaat signed the agreement on July 21, 2009 which signalled a close partnership commitment to ultimately reduce the harms associated with drug use and thus preventing the rise of HIV in the country.

Although Laos is considered a low HIV prevalence nation, there is a great risk of escalation. Given the reported increase in injecting drug use, drug users have been identified as one group extremely vulnerable to HIV infection. HAARP in Lao PDR will contribute to achieving development priorities stated in the National Strategy and Action Plan on HIV/AIDS/STIs and the National Drug Control Masterplan.  It is funded by the Government of Australia with a total budget of AUS $4,000,000 over six years and executed by UNODC, in close cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of the Lao PDR.

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