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News :: Miscellaneous |
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Global AIDS Alliance Calls on Bush to Endorse Debt Cancellation to Combat AIDS |
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by Global AIDS Alliance
(No verified email address) |
25 Apr 2001
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Global AIDS Alliance Calls on Bush to Endorse Debt Cancellation by World Bank and IMF to Combat HIV/AIDS Pandemic |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 24, 2001
CONTACT: Global AIDS Alliance
Paul Zeitz of the GAA, 267-254-5857
WASHINGTON - April 24 - The Global AIDS Alliance (GAA) joins today with partners who are calling for immediate cancellation of outstanding debt by the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in heavily indebted poor countries who are affected by HIV/AIDS.
"With thousands of Africans dying each day -- and over two million Africans projected to die this year from HIV/AIDS, it is the profound responsibility of President Bush to ensure that the IMF and the WB act now to stop this holocaust. Debt cancellation by the WB and IMF, using their own institutional resources, is an essential step that will allow African countries to build the public health and social infrastructure that is necessary to combat HIV/AIDS," said GAA Co-Director, Dr. Paul Zeitz.
"We strongly endorse the 'Debt Cancellation for HIV/AIDS Response Act of 2001' that was introduced to the 107th Congress this week by Congresswomen Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters. We hope that there will be a strong bipartisan support for this critical legislation. We are calling on President Bush to move beyond rhetoric into bold action against the AIDS in Africa crisis," said Zeitz.
The GAA is calling for a three-pronged campaign to accelerate action to reverse the global HIV/AIDS pandemic: First, the GAA is calling on Bush to enact a $2.5 billion dollar emergency supplemental appropriation to combat AIDS in Africa this year. Second, the GAA is calling on Bush to invest in a global bulk procurement system to provide lifesaving medications at the lowest cost; Third, the GAA is calling on Bush to use the voting power of the United States to instruct the WB and IMF to implement complete multilateral debt cancellation in countries affected by HIV/AIDS using their own resources.
GAA Partners include: NAACP, African Services Committee, AFRICARE, American Jewish World Service, Black Church Communal Network, Constituency for Africa, Drop-the-Debt Campaign, Health Gap Coalition, Jubilee USA Network, Malawi Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Pan African Charismatic Evangelical Congress (PACEC), Student Global AIDS Campaign, United Methodist Church, RESULTS, African AIDS Initiative, Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board, Development Indian Ocean Network (DION), Essential Action, Malawi Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Malawi Network of AIDS Organizations, Washington Office on Africa. |
