Burkina Faso hosted Africa's 12th International Conference on AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases, attended by community and activist groups, researchers and politicians. The majority of participants were from African countries, but there was substantial representation from organizations in Europe and North America as well as researchers from Asia. Daily plenary session provided overviews, while parallel sessions were divided into seven themes: community- based care and support; new approaches in the fight against HIV/AIDS; clinical aspects and therapeutic protocols; basic science and vaccine research; determinants and socioeconomic consequences of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases; HIV/AIDS and human rights; and community activities. Two threads that can be drawn from the commentaries are the relative merits of prevention and medical therapy, and a need to scale up action against the epidemic.