Prime Minister Commits $540 Million to Disease Fight

In a speech at UN headquarters Tuesday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper enumerated Canada's contributions in the areas of food aid, child and maternal health, and aid accountability.

His office, meanwhile, announced that Canada will give $540 million (US $523 million) during a three-year period to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. This is in addition to almost $980 million (US $949 million) the nation already has committed to the Global Fund. "Together we must keep our promises and work towards practical, durable solutions," Harper told the world leaders who had gathered to assess progress toward the Millennium Development Goals.

Alex Neve, who leads Amnesty International Canada, said Harper's speech rightly noted Canada's commendable contributions, but he faulted its lack of emphasis on international human rights. "There was not one single word about human rights violations, and the need to protect rights," he said. "If Canada is still seen as an important voice on the world stage, it should speak out about the link between the [MDGs] and human rights."

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.


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