Sir Elton John has called on new British PM Gordon Brown to commit to the battle against the AIDS epidemic in Africa.

With a planned G8 meeting due to take place next week (which will see government heads from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States come together), the "Candle In The Wind" songwriter said he hopes Brown will ensure the G8's pledge to make AIDS treatments universally available within three years is maintained.

"I believe Gordon Brown's leadership and vision on this issue is urgently needed," John said. "After all, he played a central role in bringing world leaders to commit to universal access, and he helped found the Global Fund, which has proven itself by saving an estimated 1.8 million lives. If the UK were to provide AU$1632 million over three years, tripling its annual contribution by 2010, it would challenge the rest of the world to follow suit."