In June 2021, the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) released a new global AIDS strategy for the next five years. The Strategy sets out evidence-based priority actions and bold targets to get every country and every community on track to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Drawing on critical lessons learned from the intersecting HIV and COVID-19 pandemics, the Strategy leverages the proven tools and approaches of the HIV response, identifying where, why and for whom the HIV response is not working. The Strategy outlines the strategic priorities and actions to be implemented by global, regional, country and community partners to get on track to ending AIDS. It leverages four decades of experience of the HIV response, supporting governments, partners and communities to “build back better”, supporting systems for health to be more resilient and place people at the centre.