For SAHARA this means that the alliance is recognised as an international role-player in the use of social science research that contributes to the prevention of the further spread of HIV?AIDS and TB and mitigating the devastating consequences of these diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, said Prof Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya, the Director of SAHARA.

The SAHARA Conference is one of the largest conferences of its kind that focuses on the social aspects of HIV/AIDS and TB. It transcends the boundaries of biomedical research, bringing together those involved in producing research and those at the centre of the epidemic in a multidisciplinary, multistage and multisectoral environment.

The two organisations will collaborate as follows:
• SAHARA Conferences to serve as a bridge to prepare sub-Saharan African HIV/AIDS social scientist scholars for forthcoming IAS and international AIDS conferences.
• IAS and SAHARA will disseminate information from both organisations, each using their own available evidence dissemination infrastructure including websites, newsletters, conferences etc.
• Capacity building of emerging social science researchers in the social aspects of HIV?AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa through training.