Some 11 million children have been orphaned by AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa

January 9, 2000
Web posted at: 3:03 p.m. EST (2003 GMT)

(CNN) -- Vice President Al Gore on Monday will announce a significant new Clinton administration budget initiative designed to combat AIDS in Africa during an address to the United Nations, U.S. Ambassador to the United Richard Holbrooke told CNN.

Gore will announce the AIDS initiative during what government and campaign aides describe as a major international policy speech to be delivered at the opening session of the United Nations Security Council.

Administration sources were reluctant to provide details of the program, except to say it represents a major new commitment to AIDS education and prevention

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CNN's Wolf Blitzer talks to Richard Holbrooke, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, about Elian Gonzalez, the Israeli-Syrian talks and AIDS in Africa. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

Holbrooke said AIDS kills more people in Africa than the continent's wars.

"Ten times as many people have died from AIDS as have died from the wars." Holbrooke said on Sunday. "Last year, two million people died of AIDS in Africa ... five times as many as all the American deaths from AIDS in 20 years."

Holbrooke said it will the first time a vice president has presided over a Security Council meeting, which is to focus on AIDS in Africa and its impact on peace and security. The meeting will mark the first time the Security Council has taken up a health issue in more than 4,000 meetings going back to 1945.

"Africa matters and the double standard issue ... is frankly, just garbage," Holbrooke said, answering criticism that Africa hasn't received the same attention as other war-torn areas, like Kosovo. "There may be people, but not in this administration, who think Africa doesn't matter. President Clinton cares passionately about it."

Gore's AIDS address is part of a monthlong Security Council focus on Africa. Later in the week, Sadako Ogata, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, will brief the council on the refugee situation in Africa.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela will appear next week to talk about Burundi. Mandela is a mediator for the Burundi peace process.

At the end of January, the seven presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its surrounding region will travel to New York to try to move their own peace process forward with Security Council help.

Senior U.N. Correspondent Richard Roth and White House Correspondent John King contributed to this report.

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