New alliance to help weather food insecurity in the Horn – At the Intergovernmental Authority on Development conference in Nairobi, Kenya last week, USAID partnered with other development organizations to form The Global Alliance for Action for Drought, Resilience and Growth. The Alliance aims to “reduce food insecurity, build new partnerships with the private sector and spur economic activity in the Horn of Africa.” Donors at the conference pledged over $4 billion to the new initiative. (Devex, Jenny Lei Ravelo)
South Sudan HIV Treatment Hurt by Lack of Money – In South Sudan, “tens of thousands of HIV/AIDS patients are eligible to start anti-retroviral therapy,” but the country’s primary source of funding for the drugs – the Global Fund – suspended its latest round of grants. As a result, South Sudan has been forced to “stop enrolling new patients in anti-retroviral programs.” At present, UNAIDS reports than 49,000 people qualify for anti-retroviral treatment, but less than 4,000 are currently enrolled. (VOA, Andrew Green)
It takes more than a village to fight malaria in Zambia – Zambia has recently served as the main test case for anti-malaria efforts – a focus of funding by the US government, the Gates Foundation, the Global Fund, and the President’s Malaria Initiative. In Zambia, the distribution of bed nets requires “martial scale and organization,” which is further complicated by the fact that “their employment depends on human behavior.” The Anglican Church in Zambia organizes volunteer malaria control agents, who oversee the proper installation and use of nets, an effort which is “only sustainable if local governments take leadership and gradually assume greater burdens.” (Washington Post, Michael Gerson)
Malawi’s New Leader: Joyce Banda Becomes Second Woman President in Africa – Joyce Banda was sworn in Saturday as the new president of Malawi in a peaceful transition of power following the sudden death of President Bingu wa Mutharika on Thursday. Banda, 61, “is a longtime campaigner for women’s rights and better education in Malawi.” She will face a difficult task, as Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, prone to the extreme of drought and flooding, and currently “facing critical fuel shortages and rising food prices.” (ABC, Bazi Kanani)
Grave conditions reported as rebels capture northern Mali – The Tuareg rebels captured northern areas of Mali, which they call Azawad, effectively splitting the West African country in two and uprooting over 200,000 people from their homes. The UN refugee agency reports that aid agencies are unable to access the displaced people and “all the food and medicine stored by major aid agencies has been looted.” (CNN)
