(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Regional Coordinating Mechanism (RCM) of the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) will convene its twelfth ordinary meeting on 27 to 28 April 2009, in Saint Lucia.

Under the chairmanship of Dominica Minister of Health and Chair of the RCM, Hon. John Fabien, the issue of resource mobilization is high on the agenda. The approximately 65-member Partnership is currently engaged in intense preparations for the submission of a regional proposal for funding to Round Nine of the Global Fund. Given current trends which show the increasing incidence of the epidemic among the most at risk groups, a significant part of the proposal targets this area of intervention. The meeting is expected to consider and approve the workplan and budget outlined in the proposal.

Resources to implement other aspects of the work programme of this body as spelt out in its framework, the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework (CRSF), is also of critical importance and this too will come up for discussion. The meeting will also review the progress in advancing a number of policy decisions taken at the last Annual General Meeting of the Partnership in October 2008.

The meeting opens at 9 a.m with a special session chaired by PANCAP Coordinating Unit Programme Manager, Mr. Edward Emmanuel, in which brief remarks will be given by Permanent Secretary (ag.) in the Ministry of Health, Mr. Felix St. Hill. The feature address will be given by the Hon. John Fabien.

A wide cross-section of stakeholders are expected to attend the opening and PANCAP Coordinating Director, Mr. Carl Browne will make a brief presentation on the CRSF.

The RCM is the Executive Board of PANCAP and its responsibilities include providing policy guidance on the effective management and operation of the partnership and approving and directing all PANCAP projects. PANCAP, established in 2001, is the regional mechanism responsible for coordinating the Caribbean’s response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.