1. Home
  2. East Africa
  3. Kenya
  • News

Possible security threat to AIDS conference

Some 1,000 delegates could stay away from an upcoming international AIDS conference in Nairobi, Kenya, due to security fears, the conference chairman has said. Around 8,000 delegates were initially expected to attend the bi-annual 13th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA), from 21 to 26 September. However, ICASA chairman, Joseph Owili, said at least 1,015 delegates had confirmed they would not be attending. Owili was quoted by the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news service as saying: "There have been allegations of insecurity in the country and some delegates from the United States [US] have said they will not attend the conference because of that." The US recently extended a warning of "high potential" for terrorist attacks targeting its citizens and interests throughout east Africa, and in particular, Kenya.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

Share this article

Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian

Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

Join