Your daily Selection of IRIN Africa PlusNews reports, 2/13/2004

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U N I T E D N A T I O N S

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CONTENT:

1 - AFRICA: Kigali hosts African first ladies' conference on HIV/AIDS

1 - AFRICA: Kigali hosts African first ladies' conference on HIV/AIDS

KIGALI, 13 February (PLUSNEWS) - A two-day HIV/AIDS conference, convened

by the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS, began on

Friday in the Rwandan capital, Kigali.

" The first ladies will be discussing an issue that threatens to destroy

the social, economic and development gains that the continent is striving

to achieve, " Jeannete Kagame, the Rwandan first lady, said.

During the organisation's first conference, the first ladies are expected

to review and agree upon a five-year strategic plan, which will provide a

framework for implementation in their respective countries and across the

continent.

The first ladies of Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, the Republic of Congo and

Senegal are attending. Those of Ghana, Mali, Mauritania and Uganda sent

representatives.

The organisation was set up in Geneva in July 2002 to reinforce the

capacities of first ladies to respond to the challenges presented by

HIV/AIDS. It aims at advocating increased awareness and to mobilise

resources for the development of leadership, polices, strategies and

actions to fight HIV/AIDS at the national, regional and international

levels.

[ENDS]

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