Health agreement to tackle HIV/AIDS

South Africa and Angola have signed an agreement to co-operate in tackling diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The agreement is in line with a 1999 Southern African Development Community heads of government commitment to humanitarian assistance for war-ravaged Angola. Speaking during the signing ceremony in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said the agreement formalised co-operation that already existed between the two countries' health departments. Tshabalala-Msimang was quoted by the South African Press Association as saying: "As the period of conflict and destabilisation passes, as Africans we are focusing on improving the lives of our people and maintaining stability and development in our continent."