November 28, 2001?On the eve of World AIDS Day on December 1, the World Bank has announced a key appointment in its fight against the global spread of HIV/AIDS, and confirmed that it will consider another US$500 million in no-interest loans to developing countries with strong national HIV/AIDS strategies in place.

Debrework Zewdie, an Ethiopian national and former medical scientist, has been appointed as the World Bank's first Global HIV/AIDS Adviser, with responsibility for intensifying the Bank's work in the field, and representing the Bank in the global movement of governments, communities, private companies, development agencies, and civil society groups determined to throw back an epidemic that World Bank President James Wolfensohn has described as " a catastrophe for development."

"We believe this new position under Debrework Zewdie will help to galvanize our efforts even more to make a difference in developing countries which are struggling with the social and economic ravages of HIV/AIDS, and to raise global awareness and resources to combat and prevent the disease," says Jozef Ritzen, World Bank Vice President for Human Development. "Given her extensive development experience in Africa, and her personal dedication to this issue, I believe Dr. Zewdie will make an immediate impact in her new position."

As Manager of the Bank's AIDS Campaign Team for Africa (ACTafrica), Zewdie was responsible for the Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Program (MAP) for Africa. The MAP program, set up in collaboration with UNAIDS, the International Partnership Against AIDS in Africa, key bilateral donors, and leading NGOs, has launched the first phase of the Multi-country AIDS Program (MAP) for Africa, which over the past year has provided $500 million in new money to help African countries such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, expand effective prevention, care, and treatment measures. In addition, the MAP makes significant resources available to civil society organizations and communities, which have developed some of the world's most innovative HIV/AIDS interventions [for more about Dr. Zewdie, visit http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/wbexperts/zewdie.htm].

The World Bank has been working with partners such as MTV to increase HIV/AIDS awareness in young people. In observance of World AIDS Day, MTV Europe, in association with the Kaiser Family Foundation and in partnership with the World Bank and UNAIDS, is releasing Staying Alive 3?a 30 minute documentary that profiles young people from around the world infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Visit www.staying-alive.org for more information and for MTV viewing times in your area.

"Men and AIDS" has been the general theme for World AIDS Day for two years running. This year, however, "Men and AIDS" will focus on new issues. The UNAIDS campaign slogan this year is "I care. Do you?" The Campaign aims to stress the need for men to care for themselves as well as their partners and children and focuses on the role of men, particularly young men, in the response against AIDS. For more information on the "I care.
Do you?" campaign, visit: http://www.unaids.org/wac/2001/index.html .

As one of eight co-sponsors of UNAIDS, the Bank is playing a role in shaping the global response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. On January 1, 1996, UNAIDS began its expanded, multi-sectoral United Nations response to HIV/AIDS, which has since expanded to a partnership inclusive of governments, NGOs, and the private sectors. The eight co-sponsoring organizations are the World Bank, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

For more information on the Bank's work on HIV/AIDS please visit: http://www.worldbank.org/aids.

Useful Links:

• UNAIDS website
• World Health Organization website
• International AIDS Economics Network
• The Global AIDS Program website.