Cambodia faces an AIDS epidemic that potentially could reverse the development gains made since peace returned to the country. It is estimated that 2.8% of the adult population is infected with HIV, among the highest in Asia; that many tens of thousands have already died as a result; and that possibly two hundred thousand people including children will develop AIDS within the next 5-10 years.

The efforts of the Royal Government of Cambodia to achieve effective response to the HIV/AIDS crisis, including its efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goal on HIV/AIDS – to halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015 – are tremendous. Indeed, the leadership and broad partnership stance that the RGC has adopted in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic by steering reforms as outlined in the “National Strategic Framework for a Comprehensive and Multi-Sectoral Response to HIV/AIDS, 2001-2005”is already yielding valuable results. Of great encouragement for this concerted response are the indications of a reduction in the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. In the context of such a broad partnership on HIV/AIDS, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Cambodia is working to significantly enhance its support to the national response against HIV/AIDS on the basis of the UNDAF (2001-2005). In doing so, the UNCT has developed a Common Strategy that clearly sets out the future emphasis of the Team both collectively and individually.