Former US president Bill Clinton has branded the world's worsening AIDS crisis a security threat, capable of driving fragile states into turmoil and terrorism.
"No-one can sit on the sidelines," Mr Clinton said in a speech at closing ceremonies at the 14th International AIDS Conference here.
"It is, as has already been said, a threat not simply to our health but to our economic wellbeing and our very security.
"A hundred million AIDS cases means more terror, more mercenaries, more war, destruction and the failure of fragile democracies," he said.
"We cannot lose the war on AIDS and win our battles to reduce poverty, promote stability, advance democracy, and increase peace and prosperity."
According to the UN agency UNAIDS, around 20 million people have died of AIDS and another 40 million people are currently infected by the human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) which causes it.
It estimates that, without urgent help, another 68 million could die prematurely by 2020.
Mr Clinton noted that the United Nations had estimated an additional $10 billion a year were needed from 2005 to help fight AIDS and HIV.
The wealthy nations "should figure out what our share is, and we should pay," he said, to loud applause.
AFP