U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, announced at the White House on Monday that the International AIDS Society will hold the XIX International AIDS Conference (2012) in the U.S. Capitol.

The announcement – just ahead of WORLD AIDS DAY – was an expected move by the IAS, following the official end of the U.S. HIV travel ban. For more than two decades (22 years to be exact), the IAS has refused to hold conferences in the U.S. because of the controversial ban.

Secretary Clinton made the announcement along side several public health leaders, including the incoming IAS president Dr Elly Katabira.

“The return of the conference to the United States is the result of years of dedicated advocacy to end a misguided policy based on fear, rather than science, and represents a significant victory for public health and human rights,” said IAS President-Elect Dr Elly Katabira, Professor of Medicine at Makerere University in Uganda, who will serve as the International Chair of AIDS 2012.

“AIDS 2012 will be a tremendous opportunity for researchers from around the world to share the latest scientific advances in the field, learn from one another’s expertise, and develop strategies for advancing all facets of our collective efforts to treat and prevent HIV.