Addressing Africa's Agony

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Seasoned U.N. diplomats had expected something out of the ordinary when Richard Holbrooke, Washington's media-savvy U.N. ambassador, took over the presidency of the Security Council this month. They were not disappointed. Last week he devoted the council's first session in the new century to an unprecedented discussion of AIDS, normally the domain of lesser U.N. branches. And in a move guaranteed to draw maximum attention, he turned the presidency of the session over to Al Gore, an unusual platform for a U.S. Vice President. It was the first time the Security Council has discussed a health issue, and China and Russia pointedly refused to join in, insisting the council was not the proper forum.

But the grandstanding was intended to make a serious point. Holbrooke argued forcefully that the pandemic, which infects 33.6 million people worldwide, 23.3 million of them in sub-Saharan Africa, constitutes as great a threat to international security as any military conflict. Gore warned that AIDS will probably kill as many people in the next decade as all the wars in the 20th century combined. The outgoing Clinton Administration, he promised, will ask Congress for an additional $100 million, boosting the total U.S. commitment to fighting AIDS worldwide to $325 million. Equally important, Gore confirmed that Washington is relaxing some of its more draconian trade restrictions on AIDS-ravaged countries.

American interest in African AIDS has intensified since a series in the Boston Globe gave the issue new prominence last fall. So Gore's announcement appealed to domestic voters such as the gay-rights groups that attacked him last summer for allegedly supporting U.S. pharmaceutical companies trying to block the manufacture of generic AIDS drugs in South Africa. "He is showing presidential-quality leadership," said Eric Sawyer, a founder of ACT UP New York. "Compared to the other candidates, he is doing all the right things." But some Africans said they were unimpressed by the pledge of only $100 million more to deal with a crisis that experts predict could cost $2.3 billion.

The AIDS debate is only the first act in a busy agenda for council president Holbrooke, who during his month in the post wants to keep the spotlight shining on Africa. He has already held an open discussion on sub-Saharan refugees, has invited Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms to address the council, and is trying to broker a peace in the multicountry Congo war.

Holbrooke's unorthodox approach may have ruffled some feathers, but it also showcased his talent for mixing smart domestic and global politics. Gore scored electoral points as a crusader against AIDS, while Holbrooke strengthened his candidacy to be Secretary of State if Gore is elected President. The high-profile debate also put the U.S. back in the driver's seat at the U.N., after a long period of bickering and lackluster performances. By shifting the focus to Africa, Holbrooke is providing a breather from divisive issues such as Kosovo and Iraq and pushing the Security Council to think more creatively about its role. Notes a seasoned U.N. official: "He has simply expanded the definition of what constitutes a security threat." So far, the strategy seems to be working.

--By William Dowell/New York