Regional actors addressing HIV in Africa: Comparative advantages challenges and opportunities.

Regional bodies have become active contributors to the development of Africa’s health sector in the last 10-15 years. In a region where more than 70% of people living with HIV globally reside they have a particularly important role to play in supporting global HIV initiatives such as the U.S. Government’s call for an AIDS-Free Generation the Global Plan to Eliminate New HIV Infections in Children and Keeping their Mothers Alive and Ending Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths. Understanding how regional actors have engaged in HIV-related work as well as their comparative advantages and challenges will ensure that governments policymakers donors and implementers partner with them effectively to end preventable child and maternal deaths and prevent new HIV infections.