Annan calls for more funding - and leadership - to spur fight against HIV/AIDS

With millions of lives at stake, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today estimated that less than half of the $12 billion needed in the fight against HIV/AIDS is in hand.

"This is a global problem without frontiers of any kind. It's everyone's problem. And it's urgent. The futures of entire societies hang in the balance," he told a news conference at UN Headquarters in New York.

"While there has been a real increase in global funding, we need much, much more," he said, noting that some $12 billion was needed for 2005 alone. "On current estimates, we'll have far less than half that amount."

The Secretary-General credited last week's 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, with further raising awareness of HIV/AIDS around the world.

Reviewing the latest statistics for the infection and death of millions around the world, he said national leaders must take a stand against the epidemic, whether their countries were developed or developing, rich or poor.

"They must speak out and they must put many, many more resources - much, much more - into the fight. This is a fight we have to win," Mr. Annan said.