In a role he knows well, former South African President Nelson Mandela served as a unifier by urging attendees of the 13th International AIDS Conference to help expand those programs that are known to slow transmission of HIV, instead of focusing only on more expensive efforts such as possible vaccines and other new medicines.

Mandela -- delivering closing remarks for the conference, held in Durban, South Africa -- received an overwhelmingly positive reaction to his call for unity between researchers, policymakers and politicians, the New York Times reports.

"Let us not equivocate: a tragedy of unprecedented proportions is unfolding in Africa...The poor on the continent will again carry a disproportionate part of the scourge," Mandela said. "If anybody cared to ask them their opinion, they would wish that the dispute about the primacy of politics or science be put on the backburner, and that we proceed to address the needs and concerns of those suffering and dying."

Many attendees said Mandela's remarks were a welcome relief from those of current South African President Thabo Mbeki, who sparked massive walkouts during his speech earlier in the conference. Mbeki has gone on record as saying he doesn't believe HIV causes AIDS, and his government has withheld distribution of drugs such as AZT.

While Mandela defended Mbeki's right to speak his mind, the Nobel Peace Prize winner emphasized what can be done immediately to slow the spread of HIV and AIDS in the world's poorest regions.

Two examples were the successes of Senegal and Uganda: Senegal officials have been able to prevent a possible massive AIDS epidemic, while Uganda has seen transmission rates drop dramatically since the early 1990s.

Both nations rely on public health education about how HIV is transmitted, promote both abstinence among young people and the use of condoms in higher-risk groups, and test a wide range of the population.

Mandela also highlighted work done by Thailand, which has launched its own program to distribute condoms, treat other sexually-transmitted diseases and track HIV/AIDS outbreaks.

These programs are generally far less expensive than the drug-distribution systems being proposed by different groups both inside and outside the region, the Times reports.

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