It undermines regional and global security and stability. A CIA report issued the same month stated that the burden of infectious diseases will add to political instability and slow democratic development in Sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Asia, and the former Soviet Union. That is certainly not good for business. And as AIDS creates more poverty and deepens inequalities, it fuels the growing public backlash against globalisation. This sentiment will only get stronger and more widespread if we do not show ourselves determined to mount a really serious response.
Business is used to acting decisively and quickly.
The same cannot always be said of the community of sovereign States. The first line of action begins in the workplace. Those of you with employees in the developing world can draw up effective AIDS policies in consultation with them. Programmes to educate your work force about HIV can become a corner stone of our global prevention campaign. The rapidly falling price of HIV-related drugs is ushering in a revolution for private sector involvement.