Prof Malema
28 August 2002
Johannesburg — UN chief will support government in its fight against HIV/AIDS and poverty
UNITED Nations (UN) SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan said yesterday the UN would stand shoulder to shoulder with Botswana's government in its fight against HIV/AIDS and poverty.
"With the spirit of co-operation and support (between government and business sector) in the fight against AIDS the UN will try through its agencies to improve the living standards of the people of Botswana," he said when opening the Botswana International Trade Fair.
Annan, who arrived yesterday morning from Angola, praised Botswana's economic performance. It was an example to the developing world because of its "prudent economic management, rule of law, democracy and its human rights record", since independence in 1966.
But he said there remained challenges, such as the need to reduce poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation and HIV/AIDS.
"Through the country's success, it shows that Africa can overcome its problems," he said.
The diamond-rich state of 1,6million people has foreign reserves of about $6bn, and per capita income of $6600, one of the highest in Africa. But one in two people is still living below the poverty line.
Annan praised the country for its economic strategies, which he said stood to benefit from the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) and Africa Growth Opportunity Act (Agoa).
Nepad is a peer-review mechanism aimed at improving governance and democracy in Africa in exchange for western aid. Agoa is a US initiative aimed at improving trade with the continent.
He said although Botswana faced a serious AIDS epidemic, it had also taken good strides in providing free anti-AIDS drugs to its people.
"I must applaud Botswana for being the first country south of Sahara to give free anti-AIDS drugs to its people. The UN is doing all its power to fight AIDS and other diseases associated with it."
According to UN agency UNAIDS, almost 40% of the sexually active people in Botswana are HIV-positive or have full-blown AIDS, and life expectancy has fallen from 67 years to 42 years. Botswana is estimated to have 300000 people infected with HIV and 65000 orphans.
Annan, who is the first UN secretary-general to visit Botswana since the establishment of the world body, toured Princess Marina Hospital yesterday, and saw HIV/AIDS patients overcrowding the hospital wards, some sleeping on mattresses on the floor.
"AIDS is also an economic problem because it is taking men and women away, and mostly (those) who are productive," he said. He was to visit Lesotho and later in the week Mozambique before going to SA.
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