Inter Press Service - September 16, 1999
Anthony Mukwita

If accepted by the international donor community, the plan will involve directing resources meant for international debt relief towards the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The strategic plan, set for the initial period of 1999-2001, was announced by Zambia's Finance Minister Katele Kalumba at the ongoing International Conference on AIDS and STDS in Africa (ICASA), which ends in Lusaka on Thursday.

Kalumba said the plan was arrived at after several consultations with key stakeholders -- the private sector, civil society and the public sector.

This plan proposes, among other things, a multi-lateral and bi- lateral debt for development arrangement to generate resources for AIDS prevention.

"Under the programme," Kalumba said, "scarce national resources, presently used to service debt, would be set aside under commonly agreed terms. The funds would be used by civil, private and public institutions to implement HIV/AIDS prevention..."

The Zambian finance minister called on western donors and other creditors, including development partners, to support the programme.

Kalumba said Zambia is committed to honouring its estimated 6.5 billion U.S. Dollars debt, but the country may not be able to do so and fight AIDS effectively at the same time.

The Zambian official also assured donors and development partners that a programme would be devised to use the funds freed up through a debt cancellation package.

"The Zambian government recognises that considerable concern has been expressed by creditors and citizens alike on how resources freed through debt relief would be used," Kalumba said.

" In response to this concern, a backbone of the proposed programme has been drawn," he added.

According to the plan, debt relief funds will be held by a non- governmental body in an HIV/AIDS Multi-Donor Fund, and channelled directly from this body to other groups such as churches, employers federations, traditional healers associations, among others.

This central body would be required to submit regular financial reports. The HIV/AIDS debt-relief programme will be well planned, and implemented and evaluated in a partnership between the civil, private and public sector, the finance minister said.

Kalumba said he believes that when the plan is finally operational, Zambia will have the necessary resources to reduce the rate of HIV infection.

According to Zambia's Central Board of Health, 19 percent of the country's adult population between the ages 15-49 is HIV positive. (END/IPS/am/pm/99)
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