2006 News Archive

SIGN-UP to receive our eBulletin

Latest News

2007 News Archive

---

December 2006

---

>> Report finds violence against aid workers risen slightly (12/06)
A study by the ODI into reports of increases in violence against aid workers has found that the number of incidents has nearly doubled. But incidents have only increased slightly in proportion to a 77% increase in the number of global aid workers

>> New bird flu agency not needed says UN official (12/06)
Coordinator of the UN’s response to a potential influenza pandemic says a new agency to cope with such a crisis is not needed. David Nabarro said that the number of agencies already taking action is sufficient, but improved coordination is needed

>> Over 140 nations meet to stamp out corruption (12/06)
As nations signed up to the UN Convention Against Corruption meet in Jordan to negotiate its implementation, UN anti-crime chief urges nations to take decisive steps in combating corruption 

>> UNICEF study finds women’s empowerment crucial for attacking poverty (12/06)
‘The State of the World’s Children 2007’ study finds that equality between men and women is essential in lowering poverty and improving health in developing countries

>> France making comeback in Africa (12/06)
Following some years in the cold, France is making a comeback in Africa, many former colonies including the Central African Republic and Chad. France is yet another major aid donor to recently increase its presence in the continent 

Corruption and aid debate heats up (11/06)
The issue of corruption in developing countries is becoming a key issue in the debate about Irish aid and the promotion of ‘good governance’ in Africa.

Next month, governments will meet in Jordan to discuss the implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption, at which Ireland will be represented by the Department of Justice, and Irish NGOs.

Most recently, a series of articles have appeared in the Irish media debating whether the Irish Government should continue funding governments in developing countries that have been accused of corruption and the theft of Irish aid money.

A recent report by the OECD did not find evidence that aid channelled through NGOs was any more or less likely to go missing than aid channelled through other means (p. S14).

Further information on governance, aid and corruption.

Archive of media articles on the debate.


WHO publishes the African Health Report 2006 (11/06)
November saw the arrival of ‘The Health of the People’, the WHO’s first report on the health of the 798 million people living in the African region.

The report makes the point that African countries will not develop economically and socially without substantial improvements in the health of their people. The diseases are known and the treatments available, but the challenge is for African countries to deliver them to those that need them through well-functioning healthcare systems.

The report chronicles many successes across the continent in improving the health of African people. In countries such as Uganda, many more people are receiving HIV/AIDS retroviral medicines. The elimination of river-blindness and the near-eradication of leprosy and polio have been achieved while measles has been reduced by 50% since 1999.

But the report draws attention to the major hurdles which the continent faces. Among these are high maternal and newborn mortality and a chronic lack of access to clean water and sanitation (also highlighted in this year’s UNDP Human Development Report).

Read the full report here.

For further information see here.


Violence erupts in Congo over election results following successful presidential elections (11/06)
One-third of the Supreme Court building in Kinshasa caught fire during fighting between armed private guards of Jean-Pierre Bemba, who is disputing last month’s general election against incumbent Joseph Kabila.

For a country still in the throes of instability and regional conflict, international observers praised the Democratic Republic of Congo for successfully holding its first election in 30 years. Just before final votes were counted this month, Kabila and Bemba publicly announced that they would respect the election results and publicly appealed for peace should civil unrest break out.

There is still hope for a peaceful transition to democracy in DRC, which has been embroiled in a regional war that has claimed the lives of over 4 million people.

This comes as some criticise the Western media’s lack of positive coverage of Congo’s first democratic elections in 30 years, instead focusing on negative reporting. 

For more information see here


Ugandan rebel leader’s appearance raises expectations of peace deal (11/06)
Expectations of a peace deal between the Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LDR) in Northern Uganda were diminished again as LDR leader Joseph Koni emerged to meet UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Jan Egeland.

The war between the Ugandan government and the LDR in Northern Uganda has been raging for over 20 years.

The LRA has been accused of committing widespread human rights violations including torture, abduction and rape, but they are most notorious for their well-documented use of child soldiers, most of who are kidnapped by LRA fighters.

The war has resulted in over 12,000 deaths and displaced around 2 million people. Many children in refugee camps – ‘night commuters’ – walk long distances every night to secure camps to protect themselves from LRA abductions.

Peace talks began in May 2006, but negotiations remain sensitive. Last week, Koni again denied committing any atrocities and the use of child soldiers and the Ugandan government has requested the International Criminal Court to suspend indictments against the LRA in an effort to broker a deal, and to win local support in the Northern provinces.

Click here for more


United Nations Development Report 2006 reveals entrenched global inequality and water & sanitation crisis (11/06)
This year’s UN Human Development Report (HDR) focuses on the water and sanitation crisis affecting the world’s poor.

The HDR argues that the water crisis is not a result of scarcity. The underlying problem is poverty and power inequality from local to global levels. The report finds that 1.2 billion people around the world are without access to safe water, and 2.6 billion are without access to sanitation. Clean water and sanitation are the cheapest and most effective treatments against chronic and fatal disease. The report estimates that lack of access reduces developing countries’ annual GDP by 5%, overshadowing total ODA spend annually to tackle poverty.

This year’s Human Development Index (HDI) makes clear a further entrenchment of inequality across the globe as the combined incomes of the world’s 500 richest people exceed the poorest 416 million. Ireland’s ranking improved from 8th to 4th place, but this jump is in part due to deepening poverty in the developing world. The poorest region in the world remains western Africa, which includes Niger and Sierra Leone.

See also the IRIN Special Report on the global water crisis.

Click here to find out more


Irish overseas aid to reach €814 million in 2007 (11/06)
The amount Ireland spends on official development assistance (ODA) will increase by to €814 million in 2007.

This will amount to 0.5% of GNP, and keep Ireland on track to meet the globally agreed UN target of 0.7% of GNP by 2012. In 2003, An Taoiseach committed Ireland to reaching this target by 2007, but although the target was rescheduled, Ireland’s aid contribution continued to rise. The new target means an estimated annual aid expenditure of €1.5 billion from 2012.

The largest spending increases in 2007 will be in humanitarian assistance (€60m - €90m) and contributions to UN and other development agencies (€63 - €87), however further spending will be channelled through other government departments yet to be specified.

Click here for more information


>> Sudan accepts peacekeeping force but violence spreads further into Chad (11/06)
The Khartoum government has permitted the deployment of a ‘hybrid’ UN-AU peacekeeping force, but concerns over the size of such a force remain. Meanwhile, the Chadian government has issued a state of emergency as the conflict spreads further into the country

>> World Conference on Communication for Development asks ‘is free media essential for development?’ (11/06)
The BBC World Trust filmed a fascinating discussion from the WCCD held in Rome October at which a panel of experts discussed the role of the media in development [Windows Media File, 48 mins]

>> Many Zambians wary of Chinese companies bearing gifts (11/06)
Zambians are concerned over labour exploitation by new Chinese firms who pay as little as $25 per month as Beijing buys its way into the country with attractive offers of aid and cheap loans

>> Violence erupts in Congo over election results (11/06)
One-third of the Supreme Court building in Kinshasa caught fire during fighting between armed private guards of Jean-Pierre Bemba, who is disputing last month’s general election against incumbent Joseph Kabila. This comes as some criticise the Western media’s lack of coverage of Congo’s first elections in 30 years

>> Lorenzo Natali Prize for journalism open for entries (11/06)
The Lorenzo Natali Prize organised by the European Commission is now accepting entries from print and online journalists who have focused on human rights and democracy issues. Further information and application forms available here

>> Risk of war in Chad as conflict in Darfur crosses Sudan’s borders (11/06)
With over 68,000 Chadians displaced by fighting that has spread to the country, the Chadian government is considering sending troops to the Central African Republic to battle rebels it believes are supported by the Khartoum government. Meanwhile, Khartoum has in principle accepted an African-led UN peacekeeping force

>> Controversy over Danish art which highlights aid and trade injustice (11/06)
A Danish artist has caused controversy for selling livestock to Ugandan villagers in return for villagers legally adopting Danish surnames. Artist Kristian von Hornsleth sees his ‘pig-for-a-name’ scheme as comment on free trade and aid conditionality, which many aid donors are beginning to promote as ‘aid for trade’

>> WHO to publish first report on health of people of Africa (11/06)
The World Health Organisation is due to publish its first African Regional Health Report next week. It will provide comprehensive analysis of key development-related health issues on the continent

>> UN Conference on Climate Change agrees a plan but no targets set (11/06)
Ministers at the world UN summit on climate change agreed a plan to tackle climate change, but the timetable suggests little will happen until the US elects a new president. Other measures were agreed including a fund for developing countries to adjust to climate change. The conference came shortly after a raft of crucial research papers and policy documents

>> AlertNet media analysis of successful Congo elections (11/06)
The first general elections in over 40 years raised the profile of Democratic Republic of Congo this month, but media analysis highlights continuation of negative reporting. A similar conclusion, in the Irish context, emerged from last week’s annual Irish journalism conference in Belfast

>> Irish overseas aid to reach €814m in 2007 (11/06)
Irish official development assistance will reach a historical high of €814m, bringing Ireland’s commitment to 0.5% of GNP – on-target to reach the UN commitment of 0.7% by 2012

>> Lord’s Resistance Army leader Kony meets UN’s Jan Egeland (11/06)
Leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army has emerged to meet UN Humanitarian Affairs Undersecretary-General Jan Egeland. In a 10 minute meeting, Joseph Kony told Egeland that the LDA, notorious for kidnapping children, did not use child soldiers

>> Norwegian aid agency shuts down Darfur operation (11/06)
In a move that will affect 300,000 refugees, Norway’s relief operation in Darfur has been shut down by the Sudanese government with no explanation amid a worsening security situation across the region

>> 2006 UN Human Development Report reveals West Africa has lowest living standards (11/06)
The latest UN HDR, again, places West Africa at the bottom of the Human Development Index due in large part to lack of access to water and sanitation. The HDI is a measure of ‘human development’ that goes beyond basic income measurements

>> Entrepreneurship in Africa (11/06)
High growth rates in many sub-Saharan African countries are fuelling optimism of a new generation of African entrepreneurs

UN report finds global youth unemployment has risen by 15% (10/06)
A new study by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) into global youth unemployment has found that the number of young adults without jobs rose over the past 10 years from 74 million to 85 million – a 14.8% increase. However, a further 300 million youths survive on less than $2 a day.

400 million extra jobs are therefore needed, but the report states that these must be decent jobs which allow for the full productive potential of the world’s youth.

This report emerges only weeks after the ILO published a report on the plight of child labourers, which reported that the number of children who work has fallen by 11% from 246m to 218m.


The ‘microevangelism’ of microcredit – are its benefits oversold? (10/06)
Having recently won the Nobel Peace Price for starting the Grameen Bank, critical voices are emerging.

One writer claims that ‘microcredit evangelism’ is increasing the gap between ‘reality and propaganda’. The article argues that the focus on microcredit emphasises the privatisation of public services, which in turn undermines the provision of essential social safety nets to protect the poor in developing countries.

The article also expresses concern about the manner in which microcredit institutions can lead to sustainable debt cycles which prevent households from increasing the value of their products and raising incomes. It also points to concerns by the World Bank that the Grameen Bank’s financial performance may be exaggerated due to its accounting practises.

However, microcredit institutions around the world, which work to include the poor in the global economy, still have a role to play in lifting millions out of poverty.


New report assesses impact of the EITI anti-corruption initiative in poor countries’ extractive industries (10/06)
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is an international effort to improve transparency and accountability in the extractive industries sectors in poor countries. Through the EITI, governments agree to publicly disclose all payments and other transactions between governments and private firms. Transparency is a key tool in the fight against corruption. Over 50 developing countries have signed up to the EITI since it was announced four years ago.

A new report by the Publish What You Pay coalition [http://www.publishwhatyoupay.org], an international group of over 300 NGOs which monitor the EITI and campaigns against corruption in extractive industries, has reported on the impact of the EITI.

The report finds that many positive steps have been take by Southern governments in improving accountability between governments and companies in developing countries, but the recent EITI 2006 conference recognises more is to be done.


BBC News: Congo elections praised by observers (10/06)
For a country still in the throes of instability and regional conflict, international observers have already praised the Democratic Republic of Congo for successfully holding presidential election before it has finished.

The election is likely to be won by the incumbent president, Joseph Kabila, but the country is split down the middle. Jean-Pierre Bemba, the challenger, may still overtake Kabila when Sunday’s run-off election tallies are in. But the prospect of violence remains in people’s minds. But both candidates have pledged to respect the results and publicly appeal for peace should civil unrest break out.

It is hoped that a peaceful democratic election will be the beginning of a new era for the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has been embroiled in a regional war that has claimed the lives of 4 million people.


>> IRIN News: DRC – Congo plan to reintegrate 30,000 ex-combatants of former warlord (10/06)
Many former soldiers of warlord Frédéric Bintsangou are handing in their weapons in return for financial backing to find jobs and start up businesses. If successful, the plan should bring stability to the region

>> AlertNet: On-and-Off Coverage of Darfur (10/06)
Former journalist Andrew Stroehlein, now working with the International Crisis Group, considers why coverage of development crises comes in waves – he concludes that a solution is more creative journalism

>> Arms traders ‘dodging embargoes’ (10/06)
‘Arms Without Borders’ report by NGO coalition highlights legal loopholes regulating the global arms trade and urges global community to implement a global arms trade treaty.

>> IRIN & BBC: Zambia election protests (10/06)
Zambia’s fourth multiparty elections ends in violence after contender Michael Sata claims victory over incumbent President Mwanawasa only to come third when counts were complete. As multiparty politics establishes itself in Zambia, violence was probably due to Sata supporters’ disappointment than signs of deeper instability.

>> IRIN News: Global water crisis? (10/06)
The Centre for Strategic and International Studies recently said, “global trends in population … economic development, industrialization … and other areas have pushed water demand to unsustainable levels”. Is a water crisis just downstream? This IRIN special report finds out.

>> EurActiv: WTO talks risk failure amid calls for their revival (10/06)
Calls to restart global trade talks are intensifying, but yet another meeting aimed at reviving the Doha Round looks set to fail

>> Guardian: Kofi Annan’s replacement must manage North Korea crisis (10/06)
Election of new UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reveals political calculus at play among permanent UN Security Council members. With a new crisis in North Korea, speculation has turned to how Ban’s leadership style and diplomatic skills.

>> AlertNet: Somalia – government & Ethiopian forces take pro-Islamist town Buur Hakaba (10/06)
Violence mounts in Somalia as government and Ethiopian forces take pro-Islamist town, Buur Hakaba, but leave hours later. Violence between government forces, Islamist militants and Ethiopia has been building for some time

>> AlertNet: Conflict continues in Sudan despite stronger African Union force (10/06)
The UN confirms that hundreds died in an August attack as conflict continues despite an expanded UN-funded African Union force

>> BBC News: Number of children working around the world falls (10/06)
A new report by the International Labour Organisations finds that child labour has fallen, but in India, many child labourers refused to leave work. The latest World Bank Development Report, ‘Development and the Next Generation’, focuses on the need to include children in development processes

>> Sudan – UN envoy expelled by Sudan government (10/06)
UN special representative to Sudan, Jan Pronk, has been requested to leave by the government for comments made on his personal weblog. He reported government military defeats and accused the government of mobilising Arab militias in Darfur to boost morale. ‘Aidblogging’ has become an important source of information about crises where media access is difficult

>> IHT: stalemate at UN Security Council for final seat (10/06)
A successor for the Latin American seat on the UN Security council still has not been decided between Venezuela and US-backed Guatemala after 30 voting rounds by the UN General Assembly. A two-thirds quota is required to win, and it is likely that a compromise candidate will be proposed.

>> IRIN News: illegal orphanages mushroom in Malawi (10/06)
Illegal orphanages are springing up across Malawi in response to over 1 million children orphaned by poverty and AIDS. Such high levels of need, and a lack of public resources to police orphanages, has led to the government turning a blind eye. Instead, it supports families willing to take in orphans by empowering them to start small businesses.

>> OECD to publish aid anti-corruption policy (10/06)
Building on the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, the OECD Development Assistance Committee is soon to publish a new Policy Paper on Anti-Corruption

>> Concern that potential for violence after DRC elections may fuel financial instability & regional destabilisation (10/06)
Zambia has been used as a safe haven by Congolese traders during times of conflict in their home country, but should the election not solve the DRC’s cycles of violence, the effect, analysts forecast, will be the destabilisation of the sub-continent

>> China doubles aid to Africa – mediating conflict in Darfur (10/06)
As US firms fled Sudan in protest against Darfur, Chinese firms have moved in. Last week’s Africa-China summit has signalled China’s economic and political ambitions in the continent. As UN-Sudanese relations deteriorate, China has stepped in to mediate, but China’s development promises are still questioned

>> Another world is possible? IMF reports high growth and poverty reduction in Latin America (10/06)
High oil prices combined with controlled public expenditure and strong demand by Latin Americans for domestic goods is underpinning poverty reduction in the continent, says the IMF. But much is also driven by US demand for goods south of the border, which idicated vulnerability to economic shocks

>> Corruption Perceptions Index published – Irish Aid programme countries doing well (10/06)
Many Irish Aid programme countries have reduced public corruption according to the 2006 CPI published annually by Transparency International. Both Uganda and Ethiopia have improved while Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia have remained static. Ireland’s score also remains unchanged

>> IRIN News: elections in Congo (10/06)
With the second run-off election between Joseph Kabila and Jean-Pierre Bemba due in weeks, no clear majority has been elected to the legislature, leaving the shape of politics to come open to debate

>> BBC World Trust: Africa needs support for better journalism (10/06)
There is no ‘development journalism’, only good journalism. Support to Southern journalists can contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

>> IRIN News: The Granny Revolution (10/06)
A movement by South African grandmothers in Alexandra township travels to the International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada, to raise awareness about the number of grandmothers who must care for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS.