Mozambique seeks money to fight Aids

Officials in Mozambique say the country needs at least $600m in foreign aid for each of the next two years if the government's various development programmes are to succeed.

A government spokesman Pedro Couto said the growth of HIV and Aids posed the greatest threat to the country's development and therefore deserved maximum attention from donors.

The request was made at the start of annual talks between Mozambique and officials from the World Bank in the capital, Maputo.

The meeting is to review progress in the government's development programmes and assess future requirements.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service