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Few world leaders as AIDS conferences starts

    JOHANNESBURG

    Only one of nine heads of state invited to a closed-door summit planned for the start of the International AIDS Conference underway in Bangkok accepted.

    The invitation was extended to Botswana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, Brazil, Canada, China, India and Russia, but only President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda attended.

    UNAIDS director Peter Piot expressed disappointment that more leaders were not present, noting that experience had shown the importance of a strong national political will in tackling the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

    Although Piot said political leadership regarding HIV/AIDS had improved in recent years, he described it as "still too weak in many parts of the world".

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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