SBY asked to sway world leaders to fight AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis

A prominent international organization dealing with HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis has asked President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to help persuade world leaders to finance efforts to tackle with the diseases.

Executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Michel Kazatchkine, said in Jakarta Wednesday he had asked Yudhoyono to advocate for the resources in his meetings with other countries' leaders during the G20 Summit in Toronto by the end of the week and during the international forum to discuss the millennium development goals in New York in September.

"The world is facing economic and financial crisis, and we need to fight for the resources. I cannot think of a stronger voice in this region than the voice from Indonesia and of the President," Kazatchkine told a press conference after a meeting with Yudhoyono at the presidential office in Jakarta.

"The President's response was very positive, and he was extremely supportive as he is committed to talking to the leaders and talk about the Global Fund in his speeches in the forthcoming meetings."

Kazatchkine said the Global Fund's portfolio in Indonesia alone reached US$630 million.