I was especially pleased to see that the United States Government is working with you and with your scientists from our National Institutes of Health, and also from a facility that I am very close to, Walter Reed Army Medical Center and its Institute for Research. I am glad that the United States and the American people are working with the people of Mali to see what we can do to stop this dreaded disease.

President Bush, the President of the United States, has made a commitment to do everything that the United States can do to solve the problem of communicable diseases around the world and especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Recently he committed $200 million of additional American money to a trust fund that will help the worldwide fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. We�re going to try to do even more.

I thank you for receiving me so warmly. And the best part of the day is just looking around and seeing all of your smiling, beautiful faces looking at the future of Mali. Study hard, study well. We are all counting on you to take us to a brighter future of wealth, peace and happiness.