Отчёт VII COBATEST Network Annual Meeting was held online via Zoom on June 6th, 2025. The new members of the network’s Steering Committee were introduced in the meeting, specifically:
- Sergey Gabrielyan, New Generation Humanitarian NGO, Armenia
- Carlo Kantwerk, Deutsche Aidshilfe, Germany
- Yiannis Charilaou, AIDS Solidarity Movement, Cyprus
- Mariana Vicente, AIDS Action Europe, Germany
The Secretariat also led a discussion on the funding challenges anticipated in 2025 and the broader political situation in Europe influencing them. In addition, an overview of the network’s 2023 data analysis and activities carried out during the past year was presented.
As in previous years, members volunteered to share insights on key issues, innovative projects, and lessons learned. Presentations included:
- Inga Upmace, Baltic HIV Association, Latvia – Outreach events by the Baltic HIV Association
- Charles Ddungu, All Together for Sexual Health, Belgium – Community-based demedicalised HIV counselling and testing
- Abimbola Ajomale, Noaks Arc Mosaik, Sweden – Enhancing HIV testing accessibility through community-driven approaches
A significant part of the meeting was dedicated to an open discussion among members on two pressing topics: migration and access to prevention and treatment, and integrated testing—its advantages, challenges, and implementation strategies.
The meeting closed with remarks from Dr. Laura Fernández López who emphasized the importance of these annual gatherings for information sharing, peer learning, and strengthening collaboration across the network.
Please find the meeting minutes here.