Annan calls on G8 nations to boost AIDS spending

United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan in a letter sent to the leaders of the G8 countries meeting over the weekend in Evian, France, urged increased contributions to fight poverty and disease, specifically HIV, in Africa. "We must make a concerted effort to confront them all at once through an integrated approach. Otherwise we will not succeed in overcoming any of them," he wrote. Annan called for a "concerted effort" to fight HIV, which he said would be viable only if more resources are made available. He also urged the world leaders to rely on the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as a clearinghouse for international anti-HIV efforts. "Sustained funding for [the fund] is a must," he wrote.