America’s War on Terrorism Will Not Divert Attention from Fighting ‘Catastrophe’ of AIDS in Africa, Powell Says
Speaking before a crowd of 2,000 at the 12th annual Africare dinner in Washington, D.C., last night, Secretary of State Colin Powell said that the United States "will not let the war on terrorism distract it from battling the AIDS epidemic in Africa," the Washington Post reports. Africare, a D.C.-based organization that funds economic development projects such as AIDS clinics in 28 African nations, raised $1.3 million from the event. Powell praised Africare for alerting Americans to the African AIDS crisis long ago, and reminded those in attendance that 70% of the world's HIV/AIDS cases and 90% of the world's AIDS orphans live in Africa. He said, "AIDS could kill a continent. It is a catastrophe. It is a disaster. It is a pandemic of the worst kind" (Carlson, Washington Post, 11/7).
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