World Bank Calls for Action to Fight AIDS, Poverty in Africa

On Saturday in Washington, World Bank President James Wolfensohn said this year represents the "last opportunity" to take the global action necessary if Africa is to meet the Millennium Development Goals. The goals, set by the UN in September 2000, call for cutting global poverty in half by 2015, accelerating the fight against diseases such as AIDS and TB, and increasing access to education. The global poverty goal will likely be met, he said, thanks to the explosive economic growth of China and India. Meanwhile, however, sub-Saharan Africa is losing ground. On March 15, the World Bank approved a $20 million AIDS-fighting grant to Africa's six Great Lakes countries: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

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