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Zimbabwe still hungry despite increase in crop production
Thanks to good rainfall, Zimbabwe has been able to increase production of maize—the staple crop in the country—by 130% to 1.1 million tons. Despite this increase, however, 2.8 million people will still face food shortages this year, as the UN Food and Agriculture Orgaization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) report. Zimbabwe’s food security situation is still extremely tenuous, with basic necessities out of reach for most households. The report also warned that Zimbabwe could see the lowest-ever wheat harvest this winter due to high seed prices and electricity shortages.
“This year’s improved harvest comes after two consecutive years of poor production,” said the World Food Programme’s Jan Delbaere, who worked on the report, reports AP news agency. “Having depleted their food stocks and sold livestock and other assets to cope with the effects of the recent crises, many rural households are still struggling to survive.”
If you’re curious about the report, you can find it here.
-Beth Adler
President Obama meets with Prime Minister Tsvangirai
Today President Obama hosted Zimbabwe Prime Minister Tsvangirai at the White House to discuss the countries’ affairs. According to Politico magazine, during the meeting Obama pledged $73 million in assistance and said:
There was a time when Zimbabwe was the breadbasket of Africa and continues to have enormous potential. It has gone through a very dark and difficult period politically… President Mugabe—I think I’ve made my views clear—has often times not acted in the best interests of the Zimbabwean people and has been resistant to the kinds of democratic changes that need to take place. We now have a power-sharing agreement that shows promise.
-Chris Scott
What We’re Reading 4/29/2009
The Washington Post writes how diseases, from influenza to tuberculosis to cholera and now swine flu, are spreading ever more quickly in an increasingly globalized world. But so, too, are the tools necessary to combat outbreaks of disease: expertise, medicine, money and information.
Washington Post—Diseases Travel Fast, but So Do Tools to Fight Them
Dr. Eric Goosby, a pioneer in the fight against AIDS, is President Obama’s choice to run the American effort to combat the disease globally, the White House announced this week. “The Pepfar program has already saved millions of lives in sub-Saharan Africa and other hard-hit areas around the world,” Dr. Goosby said in a statement. “But significant challenges relating to the prevention and treatment of H.I.V. remain.”
NY Times—Obama Picks Leader for Global AIDS Effort
Zimbabwe’s leaders this week failed for the fourth time in a fortnight to resolve a series of contentious issues threatening to paralyze the country’s shaky coalition government. The crisis talks remained deadlocked after long hours of intense discussions, signaling a serious political problem besetting the new government. A fierce power struggle is raging behind the scenes as President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai intensify their battle for political control.
Business Day (South Africa) - No Aid for Zimbabwe as Leaders Struggle to Overcome Political Impasse
Growing evidence indicates battle-hardened extremists are filtering out of safe havens along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and into eastern Africa, bringing sophisticated terrorist tactics that include suicide attacks. The alarming shift, according to U.S. military and counterterrorism officials, is fueling concern that Somalia is increasingly on a path to become the next Afghanistan — a sanctuary where al-Qaida-linked groups could train and plan attacks against the West.
Associated Press - Terrorists filter into Africa
-Steve Wilson
A Must-See From Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean political leader, nominee to be Deputy Agriculture Secretary and activist Roy Bennett will be joining political commentator and consultant Joe Trippi for a rare television appearance on the MSNBC show 1600: Penn Ave tonight at 6:00pm.
Bennett has been a leading voice for reform and action to end the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe that has plunged this formerly proud nation into abject poverty. For his efforts, Bennett has faced harassment and arrest on trumped-up charges brought by repressive ruler Robert Mugabe’s supporters. Bennett was just recently released on bail and will be back in court next month, so make sure you’re in front of your TV or have set your TiVo, and tell your friends about this rare chance to hear one of Zimbabwe’s most important voices.
Joe Trippi has been working for weeks to help secure the release of Roy Bennett, rallying people in the United States and Zimbabwe to speak out. You can read more about that work on his blog.
Despite the new unity government that includes Bennett’s MDC party, Mugabe is still harassing and imprisoning political opponents and humanitarian and civil society leaders. An unknown number are still in the prison Bennett was just released from. Until these outrages end, rule of law is established and the unity government is pursued in earnest, it will be impossible for Zimbabwe to rebuild its shattered economy and infrastructure, take on widespread hunger, and end Africa’s worst cholera outbreak in 19 years.
But Zimbabwe can’t do it alone. That’s why we’re asking the African Union – the official guarantor of the unity government deal – to do everything in its power to support the new government when possible and put pressure on those within it who are acting in bad faith. You can add your voice by signing our petition to the AU here and follow our continuing Zimbabwe coverage right here on the ONE blog.
-Aaron Banks
Make it a hundred…thousand for Zimbabwe
Great news, more than 100,000 ONE members have signed our petition to the African Union, asking that important political body to do everything in its power to help Zimbabwe’s new unity government succeed.
After years of misrule, Zimbabwe is mired in a humanitarian crisis that is wreaking misery across this former regional economic powerhouse. What were once some of the best schools and hospitals and most productive farms in Southern Africa are closed and in ruins, victims of the mismanagement, corruption and repression perpetrated by Robert Mugabe’s dictatorial rule. Hunger is widespread and cholera has killed almost 4,000 in Africa’s worst outbreak in 19 years.
Despite all this, there are finally signs of hope. Leaders from the long-oppressed opposition are now part of the government, alongside the still obstinate Mugabe, and they are making slow progress in tackling the enormous challenges facing Zimbabwe. But Zimbabwe won’t stay on the road to recovery for long, unless outside actors like the African Union take a leading role in supporting Zimbabwe wherever possible and sidelining those whose actions are hurting this nation in its most desperate hour.
Keep reading the ONE Blog for the latest news from Zimbabwe, as we’ll be continuing to cover developments there and bring you opportunities to get involved.
-Aaron Banks
Last Chance To Ask The AU
More than 86,000 ONE members have signed our petition to the African Union, calling on them to keep the commitment they made to support Zimbabwe’s new unity government, as it struggles to rebuild in the midst of a humanitarian crisis.
We’ll be delivering those petition signatures in a few weeks and you can help us reach our goal of 100,000 names, making a powerful statement that the world is watching:
http://www.one.org/zimbabweandtheau
Zimbabwe is still in a very precarious situation. As David Lane said in his email to ONE members today:
“This petition won’t be the end of the line for our work on Zimbabwe, there will be much more to do, but it is a critical first step. Zimbabwe is on the verge of being able to function again and with strong AU support, there is a chance that things could get back on track for people who have been through extraordinarily tough times.”
Urgent Action Needed in Zimbabwe
As the situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate, it’s more important than ever for us to come together and encourage positive change in the region. As we’ve written about before, the African Union can play a significant role in ensuring that Zimbabwe’s unity government succeeds.
Today, ONE member and activist Kumi Naidoo sent out an email explaining the work he’s done to bring attention to this issue, and his support of the campaign. Please check it out, and lend your voice to the campaign here.
My name is Kumi Naidoo, a South African founder of the Global Campaign Against Poverty, and a ONE member. I’m writing to ask you to join me in signing ONE’s petition calling on the African Union to do everything in its power to end the human rights violations against Zimbabweans and hostility towards humanitarian groups in Zimbabwe. Only then will Zimbabwe’s unity government be able to take on the rampant hunger and widespread cholera epidemic that is ravaging the people of Zimbabwe.
Petition text:
Please ensure that the African Union executes its role as guarantor of the new Zimbabwe unity government.I recently completed a 21 day fast in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe, many of whom are fasting involuntarily in a country ravaged by want, destitution, fear and terror. During my fast, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in Zimbabwe joined the government, after reaching an agreement with Robert Mugabe’s party, ZANU-PF. This agreement will be overseen by the African Union, acting as guarantor. For this new unity government to have any chance of ending the humanitarian and political crises in Zimbabwe, the African Union and its member nations must take decisive action to ensure that their role as a guarantor is defined and fulfilled.
I have seen with my own eyes what happens when regional powers like the African Union passively allow governments to dismiss the will of a people. Late last year I travelled to Zimbabwe to see for myself what years of corruption, repression and mismanagement had wrought. While there, I met a 10 year-old boy named Sibusiso who had not eaten for 10 days. He told me, “Our country needs to be free – free as a bird – here we are not free. We do not get food to eat.”
We must take action for Sibusiso, for the millions of Zimbabweans who are just as hungry and face the threat of Africa’s worst cholera outbreak in 19 years, which has already killed almost 4,000 people.
Tsvangirai involved in car crash, wife dead
News sources are reporting that Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s wife, Susan, is dead after the two were involved in a head-on collision with a truck. The Prime Minister has reportedly been taken to a hospital with injuries, but details remain murky. You can read more here.
We’ll bring you more details as they arrive.
-Chris Scott
Zimbabwe Updates 2/26/09
Reuters: African Development Bank praises Zimbabwe plan
Zimbabwe has made an impressive start on an economic recovery plan which warrants support from the international community, African Development Bank President Donald Kaberuka said on Thursday.
AFP—UN talks with Mugabe ‘positive’: aid official
A top U.N. aid official said she had held positive talks yesterday with Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe about finding ways to combat a raging cholera epidemic and food shortages. Catherine Bragg, the assistant secretary general for humanitarian affairs, met Monday with Mugabe and new Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, the long-time opposition leader who joined a unity government this month. She said her five-member team was focusing on the cholera epidemic that has so far killed 3,806 people and spilled into neighboring countries.
Reuters—Zimbabwe PM Tsvangirai calls for reconciliation
Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai called for national reconciliation and forgiveness this weekend, saying that the time had come to address poverty and hunger head on in the country. “This nation needs national healing. It has endured so much violence. Let’s forgive those who have transgressed against us,” Tsvangirai said. Zimbabwe’s new government urgently needs to find a solution to the country’s economic meltdown that has led to the world’s highest inflation and a worthless currency.
-Steve Wilson & Chandler Smith
Take Action: Zimbabwe
Today ONE members are taking action to make sure the African Union keeps its promise to put Zimbabwe on the right footing and show the world that it is serious about change. The African Union (AU) will serve as guarantor for the new Zimbabwe “unity government” and it is critical that they take immediate action to ensure Zimbabwe takes steps in the right direction.
In recent weeks, Zimbabwe has attempted to form a “unity government” between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. Show the African Union that the world is watching to make sure it keeps its promise to this new government, by signing our petition to the newly-elected African Union chairman Muammar Gaddafi.
Petition text:
Please ensure that the African Union executes its role as guarantor of the new Zimbabwe unity government.
In the past weeks and months we’ve been keeping you posted on the ONE Blog about the increasingly volatile and dangerous situation taking place in Zimbabwe. After suffering through a botched and violent election last year, Zimbabwe remains a land of devastation. 28 years of increasingly dictatorial rule by President Robert Mugabe have led to hyperinflation, food shortages and a breakdown of basic public services.
Take action now by adding your name to our petition asking the African Union to do its job as guarantor of the unity government, and work to end the political repression that has crippled Zimbabwe.
Thank you for your voice,
-Chris Scott
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The ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, with frequent contributions from volunteers, members and partner organizations.
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TAGS: Agriculture, Eye on Zimbabwe, Policy News, World Food Program, Zimbabwe