Abstract. The most recent UNAIDS estimates of the global burden of HIV are that 39.0 million people are living with HIV-1 infection worldwide, with 65.6% of them residing in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite an overall 38% worldwide decline in newly acquired infections, we still faced a staggering number of 1.3 million new infection and 630,000 deaths in 2022. A difference still exists between the east/southern and the west/central regions of sub-Saharan Africa, with reductions in AIDS-related deaths in 2021 of 50% and 43% since 2010, respectively. Clearly, much work remains in terms of training health care workers including local physicians and scientists in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of individuals with HIV-1 infection; conducting implementation science to determine the most cost-effective use of financial and human resources; and ensuring evidence- informed public health policy and programming to reduce disparities in the AIDS response across Africa’s sub- regions. Despite treatment likely having contributed to slowing HIV transmission, HIV prevention remains critical to stem the tide of HIV. In fact, a second AIDS pandemic in the next 12 years is predicted due to 1) changing demographics in Africa with increasing numbers of youth, 2) increasing transmitted viral drug resistance, and 3) increased cost and limited availability of 2nd and 3rd line treatment regimens. These factors suggest that the total number of people living with AIDS may increase by 2 million/year to reach a staggering 50 million worldwide by 2030. Since 2007, 17 successful annual INTEREST Conferences, known as the ‘African CROI’, have brought together scientists involved in HIV diagnosis and treatment, pathogenesis, and prevention research in resource- limited settings in Africa to share pivotal findings, promote collaboration, and transfer experiences across several fields and many continents. Planning and organization of the 2024 INTEREST Conference will be overseen by the Amsterdam Institute of Global Health and Development. Dr. Kwasi Torpey (University of Ghana School of Public Health/Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development) chairs INTEREST’s International Conference Committee (ICC) and is the Scientific Chair of INTEREST. The organizers of the 2024 INTEREST Conference will pursue the following objectives to target the early-stage African investigators who will be provided the necessary travel support by this proposal: 1) To provide cutting-edge knowledge in the fields of diagnosis and treatment, pathogenesis and prevention of HIV-1 for adults, adolescents and children living with HIV in Africa, in order to contribute to achieving the 95-95-95 viral suppression goal and to preventing a second great HIV pandemic. 2) To provide career development opportunities to early-stage investigators who represent the potential future scientific leadership for health care and research on the African continent and foster new research interactions between them and...