After Ten Years of Peace, “Angola’s Future is Dark” – Angola celebrates 10 years of peace on April 4th, yet “experts fear that parliamentary elections later this year could return the country to violence and instability.” Despite economic growth, only a small, elite group of the population has benefited, while two-thirds of Angolans still live on less than two dollars a day. Angola has one of Africa’s fastest growing economies, though there have been countless setbacks in democracy, human rights, and social development in the country over the past ten years. (IPS, Kristin Palitza)
Gates gives $12mn grant to boost yam production – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave a $12 million grant to a “project aimed at boosting yam production and doubling the income of West African farmers of the crop.” The project’s initial focus will be on 200,000 smallholder family farms in Ghana and Nigeria, where yams are the most important source of dietary calories. While most of these farmers currently “cultivate yams mainly for household consumption,” increasing “yields, while also improving marketing conditions,” will provide the farmers with a steady income as well. (AFP)
DRC Braces for Worsening Cholera Outbreak – The number of cholera cases in 2012 in the Democratic Republic of Congo is set to far surpass the total for 2011. Cholera is caused by contaminated food or water, and the DRC “is a country that for many, many years has had a very dysfunctional water and sanitation system in terms of sewage,” draining and access to clean water. The United Nations, the Congolese government and NGOs have teamed up to provide cholera education, prevention and treatment programs. (VOA, Joe DeCapua)
African Union adds to sanctions in Mali – One day after the West African bloc Ecowas imposed travel and economic restrictions on the ruling military junta in Mali, the African Union “further decided to impose their own sanction, with asset freezes and travel bans” towards all those “involved in contributing to the destabilization of Mali.” The impoverished nation now has “no access to the sea and is heavily dependent on foreign aid.” (CNN)
