africa: Africa Action says White House still slow to act on AIDS crisis
A call from President Bush for quick action from Congress on the global AIDS crisis comes in response to pressure from Africa Action and other groups, demanding a greater U.S. commitment to defeating the AIDS pandemic. Salih Booker, Executive Director of Africa Action, said, "The Bush Administration is finally beginning to grasp the gravity of the AIDS crisis in Africa, and it now acknowledges that AIDS is the greatest global threat of our time. However, the White House is still failing to match rhetoric with resources."
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Contact: Ann-Louise Colgan (202) 546-7961
Africa Action says White House still slow to act on AIDS crisis
Bush promise to Africa not being fulfilled;
Money needed now to fight greatest global threat to human security
Tuesday, April 29, 2003 (Washington, DC) - Today's call from
President Bush for quick action from Congress on the global AIDS
crisis comes in response to pressure from Africa Action and other
groups, demanding a greater U.S. commitment to defeating the
AIDS pandemic.
Salih Booker, Executive Director of Africa Action, said this
afternoon, "The Bush Administration is finally beginning to grasp the
gravity of the AIDS crisis in Africa, and it now acknowledges that
AIDS is the greatest global threat of our time. However, the White
House is still failing to match rhetoric with resources."
In his State of the Union address in January, President Bush
identified Africa's AIDS crisis as a U.S. priority and promised an
"emergency" response. However, the President has requested no
new money for this year (2003), and his budget request for 2004
included only $450 million in new money to fight AIDS. In the Rose
Garden today, President Bush indicated his support for the Hyde
Bill, which would authorize $3 billion for global AIDS in FY2004,
earmarking up to $1 billion of this for the Global Fund to fight
HIV/AIDS. This is at least an improvement over the President's own
request.
Salih Booker said today, "The Hyde Bill represents the minimum that
the U.S. should be doing to fight global AIDS next year and any
attempts by conservatives to restrict this initiative will be seen for
what they are - anti-African in the extreme. Beyond this
authorization bill, money is still urgently needed this year, and
especially for Africa. President Bush made a commitment to saving
lives in Africa, but millions more will die this year unless the
President acts to mobilize money NOW!"
Booker added, "We need an emergency supplemental for this year
to support a war on AIDS. After all, the Bush Administration
secured $79 billion in a supplemental for war in Iraq. Even
Secretary of State Powell has said that AIDS is the biggest threat on
the face of the earth, yet the money needed to fight this threat is not
forthcoming."
Booker continued, "What U.S. policy needs to prioritize is an
increase in money for AIDS this year, specifically support for the
Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS. Next, Africa's illegitimate debts
should be canceled, enabling governments to spend money on
health care instead of debt repayments. Finally, the White House
must break with the pharmaceutical industry and support African
countries' access to cheaper, generic drugs. These measures are
essential to waging a successful war against AIDS."
Africa Action continues to mobilize support across the U.S. for its
Africa's Right to Health Campaign.
For more information see http://www.africaaction.org