Addis Ababa, Dec. 19(ENA)--Ethiopians residing in Seattle, U.S.A. have raised more than 20,000 US Dollars in support of children in Ethiopia orphaned by AIDS, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.

The Ethiopians held the fund raiser on 14 December in collaboration with Harbor View Medical Center, the press and information department of the ministry said on Thursday in a press release.

U.S. Congressman Jim Mc Dermott told the gathering at the fund raising event that such a cooperation would be meaningful in halting the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Congressman Dermott said in hardest hit countries like Ethiopia, the HIV/AIDS intervention strategy should focus on prevention.

Ethiopian Consul General in the Western U.S.A. Taye Atske-selassie on the occasion said cultural inhibitions were fanning the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

He said HIV/AIDS coupled with poverty was severing the Ethiopian youth population, adding all-out efforts should be deployed to curtail the rapid HIV/AIDS spread.

The Consul General commended the idea generators, Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia for what he described an exemplary humanitarian deed.

Medical Section head with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Dr. Helen Gail said the foundation in addition to its support in the Educational field in Ethiopia was interested to involve in the HIV/AIDS intervention.

Harbor View representatives Dr. Ellie Graham, Dr. Frank Stackhouse, Dr. Troy Jacobs as well as that of the North West Coalition for AIDS Treatment for Africa, Haddis Tadesse, and Seattle University Student Solome Teshome delivered speeched on HIV/AIDS.

The Donation will be sent to the Organization for Social Services on AIDS.

In a related development, diplomats and staff of the Ethiopian Embassy in Austria have donated 17,804 Birr in support of the compatriots affected by the drought affected food shortage, the release quoted the Ethiopian Embassy in Vienna as saying.

Similarly, Ethiopians residing in Ryadh and environs in Saudi Arabia have contributed 590,257 Birr for the same cause.

(END)