ECA's commitment to assisting African countries in their national response against HIV and AIDS dates back to 2000 when the African Development Forum called for stronger leadership at all levels in the response against the pandemic. The Consensus Statement of the ADF 2000 informed the Abuja Plan of Action and the eventual establishment of the Global Fund.

In 2003, the UN Secretary-General inaugurated the ECA-initiated Commission on Governance and HIV/AIDS (CHGA) comprising of 18 members to study the unique challenges posed by the various ways in which the HIV/AIDS pandemic affects development and governance in Africa.