DENVER, Colorado, Nov 7 (AFP) - A weekend conference here designed to promote activism in preventing the spread of AIDS in US communities of color focused Sunday on the deadly disease's spread through Africa.

"In short, Africa's very survival is at stake," said Peter Piot, the executive director of the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS.

"Standing here today in this beautiful ballroom in the most powerful country on earth, I ask you: Will the world do what it takes to ensure that our brothers and sisters in Africa have a future?"

This year, the annual conference has emphasized developing awareness about the disease within communities of color throughout the United States.

But the US Conference on AIDS also attracted a sizable fraction of the 3,000 participants came from Africa, the continent hardest hit by the scourge of AIDS.

"In Zimbabwe, morgues now remain open 24 hours a day to speed the collection of the bodies of persons who have died of AIDS," Piot said.

"In the nine countries hardest hit by HIV/AIDS -- all of them in Africa -- a child born between 2000 and 2005 can expect to survive only to the age of 43. In a world without AIDS, the average life expectancy in these countries would be 60," said Piot.

David Satcher, the US surgeon general, said he is watching medical tests in Africa with great interest.

"We have to continue to work aggressively to develop a vaccine," Satcher said.

But Satcher has faced problems at home in HIV prevention programs, such as needle exchange programs for people who are addicted to drugs.

991107
AF991112

Copyright © AFP or Agence France-Presse, 1999 - AFP stories and photos shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, that no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP photos or materials. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP stories, photos or graphics.  http://www.afp.com/