Next week, G8 leaders will hold their annual summit inHokkaido, Japan. Some observers say with climate change, the food crisis andsoaring energy costs, leaders may pay less attention to other issues affectingdeveloping countries.

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Forexample, the World AIDS Campaign is calling on the United States, Britain,Canada, Russia, Italy, France, Germany and Japan not to renege on theircommitments. The campaign represents 200 civil society organizations in morethan 60 countries.

Marcel Van Soest is the executive director of theWorld AIDS Campaign. From the Netherlands, he spoke to VOA English to AfricaService reporter Joe De Capua about why he thinks the G8 may scale back itspromises on HIV/AIDS.

"Especially the draft communiqués that came outlast week that were also leaked to the Financial Times. They had anarticle…referring to what would be in the draft communiqué for the G8. And thatwas abandoning the pledges they had made in Gleneagles (Scotland) in 2005," hesays.

One of those pledges called for near universalaccess to AIDS treatment for all those in need by the year 2010. Van Soestsays, "That's true…. At the beginning of this year we had reached almost threemillion on treatment, which is less than a third that are urgently in need tobe on treatment…. We still have a long way to go. And the progress that is madeis very steady, but it's not enough. It has to be much more exponential growthand scale up of treatment. That was the promise in 2005. It was also clear whatthat would require from all the donor governments. And that would require quitea huge pledge for money…. They talked about it, but never really committed tothat money."

He says that one reason G8 leaders may behesitant on HIV/AIDS treatment funding is the 2010 deadline, which he calls"very tight."

Also, with climate change, energy and food priceson the agenda, some believe HIV /AIDS might receive less attention. Van Soestsays, "It definitely is competing with each other and everybody understandsthat…. On the other hand there have been huge commitments made by all the richdonor countries through the Paris Declaration on AIDS Effectiveness. And thereis this commitment to go to point-seven (percent) of the GDP (Gross DomesticProduct) per country to spend on developing countries."

He says that if all the rich nations did thatthere would be enough money to pay for all the programs. Over 100 ministers andother officials endorsed the Paris Declaration in March 2005, before theGleneagles summit.