APO News from Africa:
From coast to coast: Africa unites to tackle threat of polio:
More than 190 000 polio vaccinators in 13 countries across west and central Africa will immunize more than 116 million children over the next week, to tackle the last remaining stronghold of polio on the continent.
The synchronized vaccination campaign, one of the largest of its kind ever implemented in Africa, is part of urgent measures to permanently stop polio on the continent. All children under five years of age in the 13 countries – Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Sierra Leone – will be simultaneously immunized in a coordinated effort to raise childhood immunity to polio across the continent. In August 2016, four children were paralysed by the disease in security-compromised areas in Borno state, north-eastern Nigeria, widely considered to be the only place on the continent where the virus maintains its grip.
“Twenty years ago, Nelson Mandela launched the pan-African ‘Kick Polio Out of Africa’ campaign,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “At that time, every single country on the continent was endemic to polio, and every year, more than 75 000 children were paralysed for life by this terrible disease. Thanks to the dedication of governments, communities, parents and health workers, this disease is now beaten back to this final reservoir.”
Dr Moeti cautioned, however, that progress was fragile, given the epidemic-prone nature of the virus. Although confined to a comparatively small region of the continent, experts warned that the virus could easily spread to under-protected areas of neighbouring countries. That is why regional public health ministers from five Lake Chad Basin countries – Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Niger and Nigeria – declared the outbreak a regional public health emergency and have committed to multiple synchronized immunization campaigns.
UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Ms Marie-Pierre Poirier, stated that with the strong commitment of Africa’s leaders, there was confidence that this last remaining polio reservoir could be wiped out, hereby protecting all future generations of African children from the crippling effects of this disease once and for all. “Polio eradication will be an unparalleled victory, which will not only save all future generations of children from the grip of a disease that is entirely preventable – but will show the world what Africa can do when it unites behind a common goal.”
To stop the potentially dangerous spread of the disease as soon as possible, volunteers will deliver bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) to every house across all cities, towns and villages of the 13 countries. To succeed, this army of volunteers and health workers will work up to 12 hours per day, travelling on foot or bicycle, in often stifling humidity and temperatures in excess of 40°C. Each vaccination team will carry the vaccine in special carrier bags, filled with ice packs to ensure the vaccine remains below the required 8°C.
“This extraordinary coordinated response is precisely what is needed to stop this polio outbreak,” said Michael K McGovern, Chair of Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee. “Every aspect of civil society in these African countries is coming together, every community, every parent and every community leader, to achieve one common goal: to protect their children from life-long paralysis caused by this deadly disease.”
The full engagement of political and community leaders at every level – right down to the district – is considered critical to the success of the campaign. It is only through the full participation of this leadership that all sectors of civil society are mobilized to ensure every child is reached.
Distributed by APO on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO).
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
IMF Staff Completes Mission to Madagascar for 2017 Article IV and First ECF Review:
- Madagascar’s recent economic performance has been encouraging, with GDP growth reaching 4.2 percent in 2016
- In the medium-term, the authorities aim to break Madagascar’s pattern of low growth by scaling up priority spending and accelerating structural reform.
- The authorities continue to make progress in strengthening the legal and institutional framework for enhancing governance and fighting corruption
A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Marshall Mills, Mission Chief for Madagascar, visited Antananarivo from March 9–22, 2017 to conduct the 2017 Article IV Consultation and hold discussions on the first review of Madagascar’s economic reform program supported by the IMF’s three-year Extended Credit Facility (ECF). [1] Following conclusion of ongoing discussions, the IMF Executive Board could consider the first ECF review and the 2017 Article IV Consultation in June 2017.
At the end of the mission, Mr. Marshall Mills issued the following statement:
“Madagascar’s recent economic performance has been encouraging, with GDP growth reaching 4.2 percent in 2016. The macroeconomic outlook in the near term is generally positive, aided by growth in public investment, continued strength in export processing zones, and a recovery in mining. This outlook is diminished by a drought in the central plateau and the cyclone that hit the northeast. The full impact is not yet clear, and the Fund is continuing discussions with the authorities and development partners to help identify the scale of the damage and financing to address urgent needs. Growth is currently projected to reach 4.3 percent in 2017, while inflation is expected to remain contained at 7.7 percent. Positive external developments prior to the cyclone enabled the central bank to boost reserves significantly, reaching USD 1.12 billion at end-February 2017.
“The authorities have achieved significant progress under the ECF-supported program, although challenges remain. All quantitative performance criteria for end-December 2016 were met, supported by prudent monetary policy and improving revenue collection that surpassed targets. The government also implemented the measures envisioned in most of the program’s structural benchmarks, although some with a delay.
“Difficulties at state-owned enterprises, especially JIRAMA and Air Madagascar, continue to weigh on the budget and the economy. The difficulties of the public utility JIRAMA, aggravated by drought, will require additional transfers of around 0.5 percent of GDP. However, new management is developing a business plan to restructure operations, which will reduce costs, improve revenue, and contain transfer needs. Air Madagascar is negotiating a strategic partnership, which is expected to involve a substantial, one-off transfer from the government to offset past losses. Staff and the authorities are continuing discussions on recapitalizing Air Madagascar, including obtaining financial assurances, and on restructuring JIRAMA.
“In the medium-term, the authorities aim to break Madagascar’s pattern of low growth by scaling up priority spending and accelerating structural reform. Drawing on substantial pledges of grants and concessional loans at the donor conference of December 2016, the authorities intend to boost investment and social spending steadily from 2017 to 2019, while maintaining a moderate risk of debt distress. To ensure the success of the scaling up and to minimize risks, the authorities are enhancing their investment management and monitoring capacity. Revised frameworks to encourage private investment are also under consideration for mining, petroleum, and special economic zones. Staff stressed the need to incentivize private investment efficiently, without undermining the government’s key objectives of enhancing revenue and containing fiscal risks.
“The authorities continue to make progress in strengthening the legal and institutional framework for enhancing governance and fighting corruption. The government is committed to submitting draft laws on asset recovery, international cooperation, and combating anti-money laundering to the next parliamentary session. It remains important to follow through with implementation.
“The central bank has successfully maintained stable inflation while pursuing reforms to improve monetary policy effectiveness and financial stability. Enhancing the effectiveness of policy instruments, which requires an efficient interbank and repo markets, is a priority. Reforms are being put in place to deepen financial intermediation and inclusion, such as the new law on electronic money. Revisions under preparation to banking and microfinance laws will reinforce stability, as will the ongoing audit of two government-owned non-bank financial institutions.
“The mission met with President Hery Rajaonarimampianina, Speaker of the National Assembly Jean Max Rakotomamonjy, Prime Minister Olivier Solonandrasana, Minister of Finance and Budget Gervais Rakotoarimanana, Minister of Economy and Planning and interim Minister of Energy and Hydrocarbons Herilanto Raveloharison, Central Bank of Madagascar Governor Alain Rasolofondraibe, Commissioner General Léon Rajaobelina, and other members of parliament, senior officials, as well as private sector representatives, civil society and development partners.
“The mission takes this opportunity to thank the Malagasy authorities for their strong cooperation and the constructive discussions that took place.”
[1] The ECF is a lending arrangement that provides sustained program engagement over the medium to long term in case of protracted balance of payments problems. The arrangement for Madagascar in the amount of SDR 220 million (about US$ 304.7 million or 180 percent of quota) was approved by the IMF Executive Board on July 28, 2016 (see Press Release No. 16/370).
Distributed by APO on behalf of International Monetary Fund (IMF).
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
South Africa Committed to Work with Nigeria for a Better Africa in a Better World:
South Africa is committed to work with Nigeria for a better Africa in a better world. This was said by the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria Mr Lulu Louis Mnguni. Mnguni was speaking at a welcoming session for the South African business delegation which arrived in Nigeria on Wednesday, 22 March 2017.
The delegation is in Nigeria to attend the trade and investment mission to that country. The mission started on Monday, 20 March 2017 in Ghana and will kick-off its second leg in Lagos, Nigeria today. The mission is organised by the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti).
According to Mnguni, the two countries do not only focus on servicing the interests of their own citizens, but also to consolidate the African Development Agenda.
He added that both South Africa and Nigeria were the leading forces in Africa and as they move towards the regeneration of the African continent they both could play an important role as the two major countries with leading economies.
Mnguni told the delegates that South Africa with its vast wealth of expertise had an advantage of assisting other African countries to diversify their economies.
“To this end our Department of Mineral Resources has been hard at work, working with Nigeria,” he said.
The mission forms part of the dti’s objective to identify and create export markets for South African value-added products, and services. It will also serve to promote South African products, and service offerings, whilst creating business partnerships between business communities of the respective countries.
Sectors targeted for the mission are agro-processing, electro-technical, infrastructure, mining, services and capital equipment. The programme for the mission will include trade and investment seminars, site visits and business-to-business meetings.
Distributed by APO on behalf of The Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa.
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Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa
