Paris, France: United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on the United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) to remain on "standby" to help replenish the corps of experienced civil servants in African countries hard hit by AIDS. Read

The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) has been in Zambia since the 1970s and works with a number of partners including the Zambian Government, other UN agencies, development banks and non-governmental organizations. Since 1991, UNV has made significant contributions to Zambia's health sector reform programme through two UNV-executed projects: HIV/AIDS prevention and care and paramedical training. Read

The first UN Volunteer in PRC was attached to an International Labour Organization (ILO) project in rural development. In 1989, within the Villages Centres Programme of participatory development, many UN Volunteers promoted income-generating activities at the grassroots level. With the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNHCR, one UN Volunteer in human rights (HURIST) supports UNDP's efforts in mainstreaming human rights in the development process. Read

UNV hopes to continue its leadership role in HIV/AIDS in Malawi by using the UNV modality to address the impact of HIV/AIDS on human resources in the public service. UN Volunteers' current contribution to Malawi Currently, there are 13 UN Volunteers working in Malawi. Additional support to Malawi's efforts to combat HIV/AIDS is provided by a public health specialist and a HIV/AIDS adviser. Read

The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) supports development initiatives in Mozambique with a project focused on promoting and strengthening non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) working in development and gender issues. UN Volunteers' current contribution to Mozambique Currently, there are 73 UN Volunteers in Mozambique participating in a number of activities. Read

The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) supports the Government's national development efforts, including the emergency humanitarian programme, social policy advocacy, community support programmes, employment creation and entrepreneurship, HIV/AIDS advocacy and strengthening of the credibility and transparency of Zimbabwe's public institutions. Read

For the past 20 years, the United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) in Uganda has worked primarily in decentralization, governance and HIV/AIDS. UN Volunteers activities 1997-2001: Since 1997, UNV has operated within the first United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Cooperation Framework (CCF -- 1997-2001). UN Volunteers' current contribution to Uganda Currently, there are 29 UN Volunteers serving in Uganda: 24 international and five national. Read

The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) became active in Botswana in 1973 with UN Volunteers focusing on activities in various sectors of the economy. In 2002, 29 UN Volunteers provided support to the National HIV/AIDS Programme, making it the largest concentration of UN Volunteers in the area of HIV/AIDS. Seven national UN Volunteers are now preparing to become HIV/AIDS stigma advisers under a joint project by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Botswana's Ministry of Health. Read

The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) has been operating in Ethiopia since the early 1970s. The United Nations Development Programe (UNDP), in conjunction with the Ethiopian Government, is finalizing arrangements for the establishment of a national UN Volunteers programme. Also, it is hoped a national volunteer programme will strengthen support for the use of national volunteers as key players in effectively understanding local and national development needs. Read

The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) in Kenya supports the Government's National Eradication Plan--a 16-year plan that takes into account the development priorities identified under the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for Kenya. In addition, 10 UN Volunteers are supporting Kenya's national HIV/AIDS programme as HIV/AIDS specialists, public health officers and HIV/AIDS district coordinators. Read