Former president of Botswana, Festus G. Mogae, delivered the keynote address today to over 5,000 nurses. His support of the role of nurses in advancing health was evident in his appointment of a nurse, Shiela Tlou, as minister of health in 2004. "Although appointed in her own right," he said, "her appointment was nevertheless recognition of nurses as leaders . . . [who] can lead their countries in any capacity." He noted that nurses play a particularly important role in caring for the 22 million Africans thought to be living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.