Business Leaders Launch Arab Coalition Against AIDS

Arab and Western businesses operating in the Middle East have come together to create the AIDS Business Coalition in the Arab Region. ABCAR, whose formation was announced Friday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum for the Middle East in Jordan, has the backing of the 22-member Arab League, the UN Development Program, and the International Labor Organization. Responding to UNDP data showing that "nearly half a million Arabs are living with HIV with 68,000 people newly infected and 36,000 dying in 2006 alone," the new coalition issued a statement saying its purpose is to "inspire, mobilize, and equip the private sector to be an effective actor in the HIV/AIDS response in the Arab region." One ABCAR partner is Shell EP International Ltd.; Gavin Graham, its vice president, said, "It is a fantastic opportunity to increase awareness and tackle this issue.� We have to try and make a difference."

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