Africa Progress Report Released

Earlier today, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan warned that if the G8 does not rapidly increase its development assistance to Africa, it risks breaking its promise to double aid to the continent by 2010. Annan spoke on behalf of the Africa Progress Panel, a group of experts and prominent spokespeople brought together in 2006 by Tony Blair and the Commission for Africa to ensure that promises to the continent are kept and progress is monitored. In its annual report launched in London today, the panel found that despite progress on debt relief and significant increases in assistance by individual countries, Africa faces a $40 billion funding shortfall of the aid it was promised by the G8 in 2005. The report also makes recommendations on how G8 and African governments can address the issues of rising food prices and climate change, and outlines policies that are needed to expand African trade and boost investments in infrastructure.

The launch comes less than a month before the annual G8 summit in Hokkaido, Japan. This year’s summit marks the midpoint to 2010, the target date for the delivery of the G8’s historic promise to double aid to Africa. This Wednesday, ONE is launching its own annual report on the G8’s progress towards meeting its commitments to Africa. The “DATA Report” looks at the collective G8 promise to double aid by 2010 and also examines progress the G8 has made towards fulfilling other commitments, such as providing universal access to HIV treatment, supporting universal primary education and making trade work for Africa. The DATA Report also includes in-depth analyses of how each G8 country is doing in delivering their individual promises to Africa. Stay tuned here for coverage of Wednesday’s launch in Paris and an analysis of the findings and what they mean to the fight against global poverty.

-Nora Coghlan

UN Chief Announcing Plan to Eliminate Malaria!

It’s World Malaria Day!

And! We have news that the head of the U.N. will announce a plan today that would eventually wipe out malaria.

From the AP:

“In a video message for a World Malaria Day event at U.N. headquarters, Ban said the initiative will offer indoor spraying and bed nets treated with long-lasting insecticide “to all people at risk, especially women and children in Africa.” The video was obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

It will also ensure that public health facilities have access to effective malaria treatment and diagnosis, that health workers are trained to deal with the disease, and that research into its eradication is encouraged, Ban said.

Ban said he wants these measures in place in just a few years. “The aim is to put a stop to malaria deaths by ensuring universal coverage by the end of 2010.”

The secretary-general said that several African countries “have made dramatic strides in malaria control, but the most affected nations remain off track to reach the goal of halting and reversing the incidence of the disease.”

“That is why today, together with the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, I am putting forward a bold but achievable vision,” Ban said.”

Many more malaria-related posts to come today.

-Virginia Simmons

Sanitizing Water, Not Facts.

Yesterday, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced 2008 the “Year of Sanitation” and urged the world to increase investment in providing clean water and sanitation throughout the world.

From a Tuesday Reuters article:

“Investing approximately $10 billion per year can halve the proportion of people without basic sanitation by 2015,” [the U.N. statement] said.

The U.N.’s drive for better sanitation will involve regional conferences and public campaigns to raise awareness and implement projects to improve sanitation in developing countries through public and private partnerships.

UK-based charity WaterAid said the absence of clean toilet facilities, access to safe water and efficient sanitation was directly related to the spread of diseases that killed 1.8 million children a year.

It estimated the economic cost of not investing in sanitation and clean water at $38 million a year resulting from infant deaths, lost work days and school absences due to disease.”

Read the full article here.

-Virginia Simmons