Namibia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) has called for stronger international support to improve access to affordable HIV medicines and ensure sustainable funding for HIV programmes around the world.

Ambassador Penda Naanda was speaking at a United Nations high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS on Friday.

Namibia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Penda Naanda, said Africa must strengthen its pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity to improve health security and reduce dependence on the imported medicines.

Naanda said technology transfer, stronger regional manufacturing and resilient supply chains are essential to ensure that affordable health products are available to those who need them.

He also expressed concerns over the decline in global funding for HIV programmes.

Naanda warned that cuts in funding could reverse decades of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS, as millions of people still rely on uninterrupted treatment and healthcare services. 

He called on the international community to honour its commitment by providing predictable, sustainable and long-term financing for the global HIV response.

Naanda said Namibia welcomed the political declaration adopted at the high-level meeting as well as the UNAIDS Global HIV Strategy for 2026 to 2031. He reaffirmed Namibia's commitment to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

He concluded by urging all countries to work together to close the funding gap, promote equality and protect human dignity while ensuring that no one is left behind.