United Press International - Monday, 25 June 2001
Richard Sale

Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly's special session on HIV/AIDS, Powell told more than 2,200 delegates from governments, advocacy groups and non-governmental organizations, "We have to build a world coalition against this common foe."

"Silence kills," he said.

Earlier, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, calling the AIDS epidemic an "unprecedented crisis," told delegates: "We cannot deal with AIDS by making moral judgments, or refusing to face unpleasant facts."

Annan said 36 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, with 5 million infected with the disease last year and 15,000 newly infected every day.

In some African countries, HIV/AIDS has set back development by a decade or more, and it is now "spreading with frightening speed" in Eastern Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean, he said.

Because of the urgency of the crisis, Annan also called for donations to a Global AIDS Health Fund, open to both governments and private donors, that will "help us finance the comprehensive, coherent, coordinated strategy we need."

Annan asked that the fund be made operational by the year's end.

But Powell told the gathering that the United States already has given $200 million to the fund, adding: "We hope this seed money will generate billions from donors all over the world, and more will come from the United States as we learn where our efforts can be most effective."

Powell added that, beyond the fund, the United States "is the largest unilateral donor in the fight against AIDS, providing 50 percent of all international funding."

To date, this includes $1.6 billion to help combat AIDS in the developing world, Powell said.

In addition, in the next year's budget, President Bush is seeking $480 million for AIDS programs, "more than double the fiscal year 2000 amount," Powell said.

Bush also is asking for another $3.4 billion allotted for AIDS research, Powell said.

"President Bush has put the full force of the government and Cabinet" behind the fight against the disease, he said.

Other contributions to the Global included $100,000 from Annan himself, plus $100 million from the U.K. and $127 million from France.

Private donors such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Winthertur, a Swiss insurance company, each gave a million dollars as well.

Japan, which already spent $700 million, will become "a substantial contributor" in the Global AIDS Fund, according to Japan's former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, who is representing Japan at the conference.

Both Annan and Powell spoke with compassion: "... let us remember that every person who is infected -- whatever the reason -- is a fellow human being, with human rights and human needs," Annan said.

"Our enemy is the virus, not its victims," Powell said.

Conservative Islamic countries, the Catholic Church and some other Christian groups have already expressed firm opposition to distributing condoms, the dissemination of information on safe sex and the number of contraceptive measures to prevent the spread of disease.

Powell seemed to have them in mind when he said: "Unless a strong emphasis is placed on prevention, prevention and more prevention, this pandemic will continue to rage out of control."

Some 140 speakers, including heads of state, ministers of health and other officials are scheduled to speak during the three-day session. Simultaneously, representatives of hundreds of non-governmental organizations and the private sector will participate in different panels on issues related to HIV/AIDS.

The General Assembly's special session is expected to produce a final declaration outlining recommendations, including timetables, for a global action against the disease, based on the contributions and suggestions presented by the delegations.
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