africa: HIV/AIDS AND THE HUMANITARIAN catastrophe

While international media and other attention remains focused on Iraq and on terrorism, many countries in sub-Saharan Africa are facing the most severe crisis in their history with the conjunction of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, famine, environmental degradation, endemic poverty, weak governance structures and bad policies threatening entire societies. In addition, political violence and armed conflicts continue to destroy the lives of millions and create conditions in which diseases flourish, poverty and hunger are widespread, democracy and the rule of law are repressed, and there are widespread violations of human rights. Unless there is a massive concerted effort by the international community together with African leaders to address both the immediate humanitarian needs and longer term causes of this crisis, the lives of millions more will be lost and prospects for long-term development in the most affected countries will evaporate, according to a report from a Canadian parliamentary committee.