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July 28, 2005
News from Burkina
* Food Aid
* Malaria
* Railway to Ghana?
* Cotton
Food Aid
I phoned the pastor in Gorom-Gorom (using Skype)the other day to find out what progress is being made with the food aid we are providing. The main problem at the moment is that the rains have washed out the road, which makes transport extremely difficult. We are obviously happy that the rains are good - it offers hope for this year's harvest - but it does cause problems. Options are being examined for other possibilities.
The UN says that half a million people needed food aid in the northern part of the country. "According to an evaluation mission conducted in June in areas of particular concern, 11% of children aged one to five years suffered from moderate malnutrition, while 6% suffered from acute malnutrition." The U.N. appeal for $196 million for 2005 for Mali, Burkina Faso and Mauritania has received just 39 percent of the requested funds so far.
Malaria
A scheme to reduce malaria by subsidising the cost of insecticide-treated bed-nets seems to be having roaring success. The UNDP and the Global Fund have subsidised the nets to one-third of the normal cost, and sales have rocketed. In 2 months, ten times as many have been sold as in the previous year. This will have a major impact on health in Burkina. An excellent example of well-targetted aid.
Railway to Ghana?
Burkina and Ghana are investigating the possibility of a rail link between the two countries. Burkina at present only has one railway, running from the capital, Ouagadougou, through the second city, Bobo-Dioulasso, down to Cote d'Ivoire. The new railway would offer significant possibilites for exports, especially with the difficulties caused by problems in Cote d'Ivoire recently.
Cotton
The managing director of the IMF makes the case for the need to deal with cotton subsidies: "Historically low world cotton prices—in part a result of industrial country cotton subsidies—are squeezing farmers' incomes and lowering economic growth. The well-being of millions of people in Africa is at stake."
Tags: burkina faso gorom-gorom africa aid burkina malaria rail cotton
Posted by Keith at July 28, 2005 11:07 AM
Comments
Of course, so much progress to make. But I see hope in your post. Praise God for blessings (the rain?) even when it looks like bad news. Sometimes I can't tell the good news from the bad until He points it out to me. God bless you.
Posted by: Paula at July 28, 2005 09:41 PM
Keith I have linked this page back to bloggers unite for Africa
Cheers
Garth
Posted by: Garth at August 2, 2005 07:19 AM
