IPPF, the African Union, Ambassadors of ACP countries and their counterparts in the European Union met on March 17 at the ACP offices in Brussels. These diplomats, who are more conversant with development issues in general, also took an interest in reproductive health issues. 

 Facts and figures speak for themselves: there is a real and urgent need to merge HIV/AIDS and reproductive health services. The situation of the last few years is the exact opposite whereby the HIV/AIDS community and organizations working in sexual and reproductive health, work in a parallel manner, if not in competition with one another and hence there are no concerted efforts or joining of means and resources.