Common AIDS control fund announced

Mozambique and seven major donors this week established a common account and new code of conduct, aimed at improving efforts to control the spread of HIV/AIDS. The country's official news agency, AIM, reported that the new account would reduce funding duplication by having donors give directly to the National AIDS Council, which will manage the account, instead of selecting which projects to support. Donors participating in the new system, including Canada, Sweden and the UK, among others, will be prohibited from imposing their own consultants or priorities on the Mozambican government. The government in turn pledged to adhere to strict accounting procedures in managing the fund, and tackle the issue of graft.