UNAIDS estimates a global cumulative total in excess of 47,000,000 people infected with HIV, of whom 14 million are thought to have died. Currently it is estimated that 33.4 million people are living with HIV, with more than 95% of these people living in developing countries.

In the Caribbean region alone, 330,000 adults and children were thought to be living with HIV and AIDS, with 45,000 estimated to have become newly infected during 1998 alone. While relatively small in comparison to most heavily affected countries, these figures are nonetheless significant in terms of their implications for future spread of the epidemic and for longer- term social, political and economic development.

The scope and scale of the epidemic necessitate broad and innovative partnerships. One such partnership has occurred within the UN family and is embodied in UNAIDS: which comprises the activities of an international secretariat working collaboratively with a group of co-sponsors:- UNDP, UNFPA, WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, UNDCP and the World Bank.

A new regional partnership has been developed in the Caribbean during 1998/9 and has resulted in a region-wide Task Force on HIV/AIDS chaired by CARICOM.

It is against this background that the first UNDP HIV and Development Workshop took place in Barbados in March 1999. The workshop participants demonstrated collaboration and partnership at many levels:- between National AIDS Programmes, Government Ministries (including planning, economics, health), private sector and non-governmental organisations and people living with HIV and AIDS, CARICOM, CAREC and IDB, WHO/PAHO, World Bank, UNDP and UNAIDS Secretariat.

One of the objectives of the HIV and Development Workshop is to foster a spirit of support and collaboration among diverse actors and stakeholders. A renewed sense of cooperation and potential for the future is one of its achievements.