What We’re Reading 4/7/09

Apr 7th, 2009 11:37 AM UTC
By Chandler Smith

New York Times: Parsing the G-20’s $1 Trillion Pledge
While there is value in announcing a large sum of money at the end of the G20 Summit, some experts warn that squishy mathematics could come back to haunt the leaders, particularly if the economy does not recover or if some of the major pledges do not come through. About $500 billion of the $1 trillion represents increased direct financing for the International Monetary Fund. But, by Mr. Prasad’s count, less than half of that has so far been committed by Japan, the European Union, Canada and Norway. China is expected to kick in $40 billion, which it may do by buying bonds issued by the fund. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner has committed the United States to $100 billion, but that must be authorized by Congress. Even counting the United States, there is still a shortfall of $145 billion of the $500 billion in donations.

New York Times: Aids Relief: U.S. Initiative Is Found to Reduce Deaths From AIDS, but Not New Cases, in Africa
The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the $15 billion program begun by the Bush administration in 2003, cut the AIDS death toll in its African target countries by more than 10 percent, but did not prevent new cases, according to a new study. Before 2003, the year Pepfar was organized, they found a slightly lower annual increase in AIDS deaths in the 12 Pepfar countries. By 2007, they found it was 10.5 percent lower. But AIDS infections climbed in all countries studied.

Financial Times: G8 warns of hunger threat to stability
The world faces a permanent food crisis and global instability unless countries act now to feed a surging population by doubling agricultural output, a report drafted for ministers of the Group of Eight nations has warned.

Reuters: Responding to HIV/AIDS in an emergency
During a humanitarian emergency, livelihoods are disrupted, families are separated and health risks increase. Risks are particularly acute for those with HIV/AIDS and for those on a treatment program for the disease. In light of this year’s World Health Day theme – the safety of health facilities and the readiness of health workers to respond in emergencies – it’s worth looking at the issues around HIV/AIDS in an emergency situation.

London Times: If it worked in the West, it can work in the developing world as well
The London Times looks at how microfinance could help the poorest people. ANDE – which boasts among its founders some of the largest philanthropic foundations in the world, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Shell Foundation, which hosted the event – aims to help to invest $750 million (£510 million) to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in the developing world.

The Guardian: NGOs should let aid recipients decide how money is spent
NGOs need to spend less time and money telling people how to behave and more on what people actually want, writes the Guardian’s John Vidal.

-Chandler Smith

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