*EPF316 01/29/2003
Text: U.N. AIDS Program Welcomes Bush AIDS Initiative
(Proposal targets $15,000 million to Africa, Caribbean assistance) (410)

The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS issued a statement January 29 welcoming President Bush's State of the Union announcement that he will ask Congress to devote $15,000 million in assistance to the nations of Africa and the Caribbean ravaged by the disease HIV/AIDS.

According to a UNAIDS press release, Executive Director Peter Piot said, "This initiative should spur other wealthy countries to increase their support for global AIDS efforts. AIDS is rapidly wiping out decades of development and contributing to regional instability. The case for increasing action against the epidemic has never been stronger or more urgent."

The Bush initiative virtually triples the current amount of U.S. funding devoted to international HIV/AIDS assistance, according to the White House. One element of the plan is to provide antiretroviral drugs to as many as 2 million HIV-infected people.

Bush said in his speech, "Seldom has history offered a greater opportunity to do so much for so many."

Following is the UNAIDS press release:

(begin text)

JOINT UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMME ON HIV/AIDS
29 January 2003

UNAIDS statement on President Bush's announcement of an emergency plan for AIDS relief

Geneva - The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) welcomes the announcement of an Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief made by US President George W. Bush during his State of the Union address yesterday. In his address, the US President said he will ask the US Congress to commit US$ 15 billion over the next five years, including US$ 10 billion in new funds, to fight HIV/AIDS in the most affected countries in Africa and the Caribbean.

"President Bush's announcement is an encouraging sign of the US government's commitment to preventing the further spread of AIDS in two of the worst-hit regions and to offer urgently-needed care and treatment for those already infected with HIV," said Dr Peter Piot, UNAIDS Executive Director. "This initiative should spur other wealthy countries to increase their support for global AIDS efforts. AIDS is rapidly wiping out decades of development and contributing to regional instability. The case for increasing action against the epidemic has never been stronger or more urgent."

According to UNAIDS estimates, 42 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, of which 29.4 million live in sub-Saharan Africa. The Caribbean is the second worst-affected region in the world, following sub-Saharan Africa.

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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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