Germany is to make 2 billion euros (2.65 billion dollars) in aid available to the African continent over the next four years and will make an announcement to that effect at the G8 summit in June, reported dpa. A German government spokesman confirmed that combating AIDS in Africa would form a major focus of the discussions of the Group of Eight leading industrialized countries to be held in the northern German town of Heiligendamm June 6-8. No fixed amount had been fixed, the spokesman said. Speaking to Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa, Development Aid Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul said the German G8 presidency had to send a signal from the Heiligendamm summit that it "takes seriously its international commitment to combat poverty and HIV/AIDS." According to Der Spiegel news magazine, Chancellor Angel Merkel is to make an announcement regarding the increased aid at Heiligendamm, where the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United States meet to discuss world economic issues. The funds are also to be used to improve education, according to Der Spiegel.
