The Regional/Arab Network against AIDS (RANAA) was established in December 2002 in Tunis and concertizes the commitment of 51 Arab civil society organizations representatives coming from 14 countries including Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen and 5 regional or international organizations, including CAWTAR, IPPF-AWRO, the Arab scout Bureau, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent in unifying and coordinating their action against the spread of HIV-AIDS pandemic within the Arab region. In March 2004, Soins Infirmiers et Développement Communautaire (SIDC) Association hosted and organized the General Assembly of RANAA in Beirut where the Network constitution was approved.

Based on the implication of NAMRU3 and UNAIDS MENA RST in February 2007, a Regional Resource Group (RRG) was formed aiming at providing support to the RANAA secretariat, building capacity of the RANAA members through organizing 3 workshops, creating a website to the Network and reviewing the constitution in order to revitalize RANAA. During the 3rd General Assembly of the Network held in Khartoum – Sudan in March 2008, the RANAA organizational structures were modified: the Regional Secretariat of RANAA was replaced by an elected Board of Directors composed of seven members that have elected SIDC Lebanon as the president of RANAA for a term of 4 years.

In November 2008, the fourth meeting of the RRG was organized by UNAIDS, in cooperation with Namru-3, in Aïn el Soukhna, Egypt. The key purpose of the meeting was to strengthen the RANAA visibility in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and enhance its role at the national and regional levels.

Lately the RANAA Presidency developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNAIDS and NAMRU3. The main objectives of this agreement are to promote the civil society and PLHIV involvement in the AIDS response and decision making; strengthen the country-level responses to HIV/AIDS through partnerships between the civil society and the private and public sectors, capacity building activities, etc. ; and facilitate access to prevention, treatment and support services.

In order to increase its visibility and effectiveness, the RANAA Presidency also established a partnership with the International HIV/AIDS Alliance (IHAA). The partnership with the IHAA aims to strengthen the RANAA role and visibility in the MENA region, involve the MARPS, especially the MSM, in the HIV/AIDS response and decision making and increase the advocacy work on the regional level.