Dear Colleagues, Partners, and Advocates,

We are honoured to announce that the 13th SA AIDS Conference will return to Durban from 23 – 26 August 2027 with the conference theme entitled: An Integrated and Sustainable HIV Response.

The 13th South African AIDS Conference comes at a historic turning point following the 26th International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro, where the global community rallied under the call to “Rethink. Rebuild. Rise.” Rio underscored a critical reality: while scientific innovation is delivering groundbreaking tools, from twice-yearly long-acting injectable to AI-driven health and integrated service delivery, the global health landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift. Reductions in international aid and evolving geopolitical priorities require us to urgently rethink how we finance, strengthen, and sustain our health systems for HIV and beyond.

For the first time, this conference will look at integration beyond HIV and TB, into the wider health system. People living with HIV also live with diabetes, hypertension, mental health needs and more, and they should not have to visit separate services for each. As South Africa implements National Health Insurance (NHI), we have a real opportunity to build on what the HIV response has taught us, including community leadership, rights-based care and strong data, so that it strengthens primary health care and health systems for everyone.

True sustainability cannot be achieved without community leadership. Rooted in human rights and community-led monitoring, SA AIDS 2027 will serve as a vital platform to unite researchers, policymakers, clinicians, and community advocates. By pairing scientific innovation with the lived experience and strength of affected communities, we can ensure our collective response remains resilient, dynamic, and person-centred.

During the conference, attendees will engage in high-level scientific tracks, policy debates, interactive workshops, and community-led dialogues. Your research, clinical insights, and frontline evidence are essential to driving policy change and improving outcomes across Southern Africa.

We look forward to welcoming you to Durban for what promises to be a transformative gathering. Together, let us rethink our strategies, rebuild our systems, and rise to end the AIDS epidemic.

Kind regards,

Prof Janan Dietrich (Chair) and Prof Tracey Naledi (Co-Chair)