Our nation's successful investment in fighting global AIDS has also been a powerful tool of public diplomacy... Giving people a chance at a healthy and productive life is among the most tangible contributions our nation can make to promote development and build stronger relationships with the U.S.

Thirty years ago this month, the first cases of what was to become known as AIDS were diagnosed. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 25 million persons have died from AIDS. More than 60 million people have been infected, and in southern Africa alone there are 14 million children orphaned because of AIDS.