HIV and AIDS AND THE AFRICAN MILITARY: TOWARDS A COMMON AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH CONFERENCE JINJA – UGANDA 11 – 13 MARCH 2009

The report details the outcomes of a conference held in Jinja, Uganda, from 11 to 13 March 2009, focusing on the impact of HIV and AIDS on African armed forces. It argues that the pandemic threatens regional security and development, specifically noting that recruitment policies based on health factors can lead to "grossly diminished soldier’s combat readiness." The participants recommend the creation of an African Network on HIV and AIDS in the military to spearhead a unified policy (CCAAHM) covering recruitment, the care of HIV-positive soldiers, and guidelines for peacekeeping deployments. Key proposed actions include adopting a common policy for control and prevention, integrating voluntary counseling and testing (VCCT) in pre-deployment, and conducting human rights assessments of HIV-related military policies.

• The conference identifies several critical operational and policy challenges regarding HIV in the military, including the impact of recruitment exclusions on combat readiness, the management of soldiers who become HIV positive during service, and the budgetary burden of maintaining "non-effective soldiers" which can reach 20% or more of the force.
• The participants propose the establishment of a Common and Comprehensive African Approach to HIV and AIDS (CCAAHM) to standardize practices across African militaries, specifically regarding human rights in recruitment, home-based care, and adherence to international guidelines for peacekeeping deployments.
• To implement the CCAAHM, the document recommends forming an African Network on HIV and AIDS in the military supported by a Technical Team/Secretariat to harmonize initiatives, conduct monitoring and evaluation, and share experiential learning among national militaries.
• The report emphasizes that HIV and AIDS is not only a health issue but a security risk, stating it "remains a threat to regional security and development."

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). HIV and AIDS AND THE AFRICAN MILITARY: TOWARDS A COMMON AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH CONFERENCE JINJA – UGANDA 11 – 13 MARCH 2009. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/HIVMIL2009REC.PDF

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. HIV and AIDS AND THE AFRICAN MILITARY: TOWARDS A COMMON AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH CONFERENCE JINJA – UGANDA 11 – 13 MARCH 2009. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/HIVMIL2009REC.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=HIV and AIDS AND THE AFRICAN MILITARY: TOWARDS A COMMON AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH CONFERENCE JINJA – UGANDA 11 – 13 MARCH 2009 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/HIVMIL2009REC.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesndhiv, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{HIV and AIDS AND THE AFRICAN MILITARY: TOWARDS A COMMON AND COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH CONFERENCE JINJA – UGANDA 11 – 13 MARCH 2009}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/HIVMIL2009REC.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }