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Social science research has documented the emergence of an associative pole in the French AIDS arena during the 1980s and 1990s. However, little research has focused on its reorganization after the discovery of antiretroviral treatments in 1996. This article documents the international turn of mobilizations in this field in the late 1990s, using the case study of the French Aides association. By looking back at the genesis of the association’s international activities and their evolution over the years 2000 and 2010 - towards Africa and beyond - the aim of this work is to study the conditions and effects of the internationalization of its intervention. The article shows that Aides’ foreign activity contributes to maintain its expert position in the French AIDS arena. It also reveals how this activity diffuse legitimate and selective forms of commitment on the African continent and beyond.