AFAO’s health promotion program has just launched a new booklet called 'OUR TEAM: A guide to negotiating relationships for gay men'. The resource, which uses sports metaphors throughout, aims to assist men in negoatiating sexual safety agreements.

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AFAO Executive Director Rob Lake said that although definitive study results will not be known until 2017, initial results from the PARTNER study provide important new evidence that HIV treatment can reduce HIV transmission within gay male couples, as well as in heterosexual couples.

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The latest edition of HIV Australia focuses on HIV and relationships. Contributors discuss a broad spectrum of relationships, including sexual and platonic relationships, relationships with friends, family and peers, and relationships involving organisations and community.

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Matt Tyne, International Program Officer, has his last day with AFAO on 14 March after 4.5 years working with the International Program.

During this time Matt was instrumental in supporting the establishment of Kapul Champions, the national network for MSM and TG in Papua New Guinea; worked closely with APCASO to support the Community Advocacy Initiative with community organisations in a number of countries in South East Asia; worked with APCOM to strengthen MSM and TG networks across Asia and the Pacific; and helped established the AFAO International Program Office in Bangkok. Matt will be returning to Sydney to pursue a PhD, and AFAO wishes him all the best for his studies!

The global AIDS Conference, AIDS 2014, will take place in Melbourne from 20-25 July. Aside from the main conference presentations, there will be a plethora of other forums to attend/enjoy, including the Global Village, pre conference and satellite events focussing on key affected populations and issues. For more info: www.aids2014.org

AFAO Global village applications

AFAO has supported applications to AIDS 2014 for two networking zones in the Global Village; the African Networking Zone and the Australian community sector welcome zone. We also are part of a group submitting for the Disability Networking Zone. We will know which of the applications has been successful in April.

AFAO is developing a series of briefing papers on how sub-Saharan African communities in Australia are affected by HIV. The papers will summarise the key findings of a larger discussion paper which will be released within the next few months. Papers available so far address the following topics:

• Overview
• Women
• Men
• Young people
• Gay men and other MSM

In July 2014 in the lead up to AIDS 2014, the AFAO International program will host 50 DFAT funded Australian Awards Fellows. Coming from South East Asia and the Pacific, they will participate in a leadership course in Melbourne, site visits, as well as AIDS 2014. In total, 170 Fellows are coming under the DFAT sponsored ASHM program.

The National BBV strategies (HIV, STIs, HCV, HBV and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander BBV and STI Strategy) are currently being reviewed and redrafted, following their expiry at end 2013.

Following general consultation on the latest draft, and approval at a meeting of Australian Government Health Ministers, the 7th National HIV Strategy is expected to be launched at AIDS 2014 in July.