US foreign aid up for HIV/AIDS, Millennium funds

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) – U.S. foreign aid would rise 10.7 percent
under the proposed White House budget released on Monday, with more
money to fight HIV/AIDS and help countries that reform economically
and politically.

State Department figures showed the U.S. foreign operations budget,
which funds everything from child health care programs and aid to
refugees to foreign military sales and debt relief, would rise to
$22.82 billion from an estimated $19.71 billion.

Rather than being dedicated to specific nations, most of the rise
would go to double funds for the Millennium Challenge Corporation,
which rewards nations that pursue “good governance and sound policies,”
to $3 billion from $1.49 billion.

This is below the $5 billion that U.S. President George W. Bush
initially promised he would seek for the Millennium Challenge
Corporation, an apparent reflection of past congressional reluctance
to fully fund it.

At present, 17 countries are eligible to apply for the corporation
funds: Armenia, Benin, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Georgia, Ghana, Honduras,
Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua,
Senegal, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu.

The other large increase was for the U.S. Global HIV/AIDS Initiative,
whose funds would rise to $1.97 billion from $1.37 billion. The effort
seeks to help the most severely afflicted countries around the world
combat the disease.

02/07/05 19:25 ET

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress