Botswana promises anti-Aids drugs to all who need them

In a statement on Saturday, the president said current financial estimates suggested the 2003/04 budget would be a deficit of 1.9 billion pula ($396m) from the previous estimated surplus.

"The country still continues to be devastated by the impact of HIV/Aids. Government has committed an amount of 740 million pula ($150m) for an intervention programme," the statement said.

Botswana has the highest HIV/Aids infection rate in the world, with nearly 40% of the country's adult population suffering from the disease.

Facts and figures on the impact of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa At-a-glance

President Mogae said the government was actively implementing expensive anti-Aids projects aimed at providing anti-retroviral drugs and preventing mother-to child transmission of the disease.

The announcement about the budget crisis coincided with the opening of a major Aids conference in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.