AIDS Becoming Africa’s Top Human Security Issue, UN Warns

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"Visibly, the epidemic is eroding the social fabric of many communities," said DrPeter Plot,
Executive Director ofthe Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). "In its
demographic, social and economic impact, the epidemic has become more devastating than
war, in a continent where war and conflict appear to be endemic."
Theo destabilizing effect of AIDS..in Africa was also driven home in a statement by Mark
Malloch Brown, Administrator of the United Nations Development..Programme (UNDP), who
spoko to the Security Council. "HIV/AIDS is undermining the security of southern Africa
because it eats at social and economic structures as well as taking a huge human toll," he
said. "Richard Hoibrooke is to be congratulated for taking this initiative." Mr Malloch Brown
was referring to US Ambassador Holbrooke, the Security Council's new president, who
pushed.to make long-neglected African issues a theme of his month-long presidency,
in Africa, the impact of the AIDS epidemic is magnified by the fragility andi complexity of
geo-political systems. Eleven of the world's 27 conflicts are in Africa; 15 sub-Saharan
countries face food emergencies; drought in East Africa threatens to exacerbate food
scarcity; a generation of orphans brought up in poverty may give rise to a generation of
disaffected youth. These emergencies pose rea! threats to social and political stability in
Arrica.
AIDS has a disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations such as displaced persons
and refugees - women are six times more likely to get HIV in refugee camps than
populations outside.
The epidemic is also affecting armed forces and the civilians who interact with them, either
through commercial sex or rape asa weapon..of war. The use of rape in war has already
been documented. Soldiers involved in conflicts in the Great Lakes Region of Africa
reportedly raped women of "the enemy side" with the stated intent of infecting them with
HIV.
"In fact, a military and police force, well-trained in HIV prevention and behaviour changes,
can be a tremendous force for prevention if it is made one of their priorities," Dr Piot said.
Despite the magnitude of the emergency, resources remain scarce. "The resources
available to address HIV/AIDS are entirely disproportionate to the size of the problem,"
warned Dr Piot. In 1997, approximately US$165 million were spent on AIDS prevention in
the worst affected countries, compared with the US$1-3 billion now required for effective
prevention programmes across sub-Saharan Africa.
Still, Dr Plot said, we are far from powerless againstAIDS in Africa. "In countries where
strong political leadership, openness about the issues, and broad, cross-cutting responses
come together, the tide is turning and clear success is being demonstrated,"
he said. "Many African leaders have spoken out in unprecedented ways, breaking the
silence and the stigma surrounding the epidemic." In Ugandawhere.the top leadership has
been outspoken about AIDS, new infections among pregnant women in towns has dropped
by more than half from 37% to around 15%.

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