ZNAN chief given UN HIV envoy role

Appointment seen as chance to be more effective

Elizabeth Mataka, executive director of Zambia National AIDS Network, has been appointed as the new United Nations (UN) HIV/AIDS special envoy for Africa. Mataka, who was recently elected as vice-chairperson of the board of directors of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, was chosen by UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon to replace former special envoy Stephen Lewis, a Canadian whose contract expired at the end of last year. The position had been vacant until Mataka's recent appointment. Mataka, a national of Botswana but a resident of Zambia, said she saw the appointment as an opportunity to be more effective in her service for Africa. She said the appointment was an opportunity to bring the global agenda on the specific challenges that confronted Africa regarding HIV/AIDS, children, and women. "I see myself as an advocate who will speak very strongly to leverage support to the African continent. I also see this as an opportunity to engage African leaders to see that the continent pulls support towards fighting AIDS," she said. Mataka, a policy-maker and activist, is a social worker by training and has 16 years experience in anti HIV/AIDS work. She has been involved in various aspects of responding to the AIDS epidemic, including programmes on HIV prevention, clinical treatment for opportunistic infections, care and support at community and national levels. She has worked with government, the private sector and non-governmental organisations and represents civil society on national policy-making bodies such as the National AIDS Council. Mataka is the first special envoy to be appointed from civil society.