African Development Forum Opens in Addis Ababa, EthiopiaThe 2nd African Development Forum (ADF 2000) on the theme "AIDS: The Greatest Leadership Challenge" opened at the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Sunday, December 3.Organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in conjunction with the United Nations AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Bank and other partners, the ADF 2000 has been designed to serve as a launching pad for a renewed commitment to more concerted actions against HIV/AIDS in Africa. Executive Secretary K.Y. Amoako of the ECA, Secretary General Salim Ahmed Salim of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and Ethiopian President Negaso Gidada addressed the conference, urging the people of Africa to spare no efforts to curb the spread of the pandemic. Some 1,500 people including African leaders and policy makers, representatives of civil society organizations, development institutions and the private sectors from more than 45 African countries, diplomatic envoys to Ethiopia were present at the conference. Besides, some HIV/AIDS victims were also invited to the conference. During the five-day meeting, the participants will focus on how AIDS continues to seriously affect and disrupt development efforts in Africa. They will seek to address concrete roles and responsibilities for leaders at all levels so as to encourage an African-led response to the killer AIDS, the organizers said. Around 26 million adults and children were reportedly living with HIV/AIDS in Africa. According to the latest statistics issued by the UNAIDS, some 36.1 million people have been affected with HIV/AIDS, up 50 percent from the figure in 1991. |
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