THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Monroe, Michigan)
_______________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release August 15,
2000
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Today I am pleased to name Sandra L. Thurman Presidential Envoy for
AIDS Cooperation - the first U.S. Envoy to deal exclusively with a global
health issue.
AIDS is now the leading cause of death in Africa, and increasingly
threatens Asia and the former Soviet Union. It is reversing hard-won
advances in life expectancy and economic growth, and imperils the stability
and security of nations.
Sandy Thurman has joined the battle against AIDS in every capacity
from community activist, to national policy director, to international
policy advocate.
Since I appointed her Director of the White House Office of National
AIDS Policy -- a position she will retain -- she has traveled repeatedly to
Africa, and met many leaders including former President Mandela of South
Africa, President Museveni of Uganda, and President Obasanjo of Nigeria.
She led the U.S. delegation to the International AIDS conference in Durban,
and co-chaired its session on prevention.
Sandy will be an inspiring envoy. She combines the passion of an
advocate with the skill of a diplomat.
One of her top priorities as AIDS Policy Director was to expand
America?s commitment to fighting global AIDS. Now, Sandy will use America?s
growing efforts as leverage to encourage other countries to expand
financial commitments, to step up prevention efforts, and to increase
access to care and treatment worldwide. Sandy has an extraordinary record
of service on this issue, and I am proud to make her America?s first envoy
in the global fight against AIDS.
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