Secretary-General to discuss HIV/AIDS with US, Nigerian Presidents in Washington

Continuing his bid to galvanize international action in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Secretary-General Kofi Annan will discuss efforts to combat the epidemic with United States President George W. Bush and Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo in the US capital on Friday.

Their joint meeting will serve to promote an exchange of ideas on AIDS, particularly the Secretary-General's proposal for a global fund to raise an additional $7-$10 billion to fight the epidemic worldwide, according to Mr. Annan's spokesman.

Friday's trip will be Mr. Annan's second this week to Washington, DC, where he met on Wednesday with the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, and Secretary of State, Colin Powell. On that visit, the Secretary-General was accompanied by Carol Bellamy, who heads the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

According to a read-out of that meeting provided by the spokesman, the two Secretaries, who chair their country's task force on AIDS, said the epidemic was "of major concern to President Bush and that the President had mandated them to work together to address the matter in a comprehensive way." The US officials also said they planned to work closely with the international community on the issue.

Discussions further touched on the General Assembly's upcoming special session on HIV/AIDS, as well as the involvement of local communities in the fight against the disease and the role of UN agencies in that effort.