Day: December 23, 2022

WASHINGTON, The World Bank approved an Additional Financing to the Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP-AF) to the tune of $30 million in concessional International Development Association (IDA)* credit to improve productivity and market access for smallholder farmers and agri-enterprises for selected food value chains, especially for rice. This financing, which comes from the Crisis Response Window – Early Response Financing-CRW-ERF of IDA, will ensure that the Liberia Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP) benefits an additional 36,000 households, thereby increasing the total number of beneficiary households by 60%, from 60,000 to 96,000.

 “The recent global food crisis resulting from various global shocks such as the Russia-Ukraine war and climate change has underscored the need for Liberia to address the issue of food security,” said Khwima Nthara, World Bank Country Manager for Liberia. “I am glad that this additional financing will support rice production which is critical to food security in Liberia.”

This additional financing will support a supply response to the severe food crisis facing the country in line with the World Bank’s Crisis Response Framework. It will support increased agricultural productivity and development of selected value chains that are vital to food security and facilitate access to food. It will also strengthen the country’s food crisis prevention and monitoring systems and build community resilience to climate change. The original project covered 11 of Liberia’s 15 counties. With this financing, project activities will be extended to all 15 counties, thereby addressing food security issues nationwide.

 “This additional financing will support expanded food production, focusing on rice but will also improve crisis monitoring, evaluation, coordination, and management. The financing will also cover other value chains such as palm oil and vegetables which are key to improved food and nutrition security – food availability and access, and also offer a high potential for income generation and poverty-reduction,” said Adetunji Oredipe and John Kobina Richardson, Co-Task Team Leaders for the project.

On building resilience to climate change, the additional financing will incorporate the use of climate-resilient seed varieties; investments in climate-resilient infrastructure and the adoption of practices that will prevent soil erosion and retain soil nutrients; improved water management; and efficient methods and technologies to manage pests and diseases.

*The International Development Association (IDA) is the World Bank’s fund for the poorest. Established in 1960, it provides grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 76 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. IDA resources help effect positive change in the lives of the 1.6 billion people living in the countries that are eligible for its assistance. Since its inception, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments are constantly on the rise and have averaged $21 billion over the past three years, with about 61% going to Africa.

Source: World Bank

This is an update on the yellow fever (YF) situation in the WHO African region published in the Event Information Site (EIS) announcement on 8 December 2021 and 26 August 2022 .

In 2022, 12 countries in the WHO African region have reported outbreaks of yellow fever (Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and Uganda). Eight of these countries are experiencing a continuation of transmission from 2021 (Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Ghana, Nigeria, and Republic of the Congo) and four countries are newly reporting confirmed cases (Kenya, Niger, Sierra Leone and Uganda). One country, Gabon, reported cases in 2021, but no further cases were registered in 2022 indicating the end of the outbreak in Gabon.

From 1 January 2021 to 19 December 2022, a total of 203 confirmed and 252 probable cases with 40 deaths (CFR 9%) have been reported to WHO from 13 countries in the WHO African Region, with 49 additional plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) positive samples currently pending classification.

Since 5 August 2022 (data included in the previous EIS), a total of 22 additional confirmed cases have been reported from ten countries: Cameroon (1), CAR (3), Chad (6), Côte d’Ivoire (1), DRC (2), Ghana (1), Niger (4), Nigeria (2), Sierra Leone (1) and Uganda (1)). However, only seven confirmed cases had symptoms onset after 5 August 2022 and those were reported from four countries (CAR (2), Cameroon (1) Nigeria (2) and Niger (2) including one death from Niger. The rest of the cases were retrospectively classified as confirmed (with symptom onset prior to 5 August 2022), based on confirmatory tests performed and details obtained from investigations.

Since 2021, 40 deaths (CFR 9%) have been reported in the total 455 confirmed and probable cases. Of those, 23 deaths have been reported among confirmed cases (CFR 11%) (Table 1). The high global CFR among confirmed cases in 2021 (17 deaths, 11%) continued into 2022 (6 deaths, 12%) with multiple countries reporting CFRs above 1%.

The M:F ratio amongst confirmed cases was similar in 2021 and 2022 (1.3 and 1.6 respectively). The most affected age group amongst confirmed cases in 2021 was 10 years and below; meanwhile, the most affected group in 2022 is 20 to 30 years. Overall, about 71% of confirmed cases are aged 30 years and below and children aged 10 years and below seem particularly affected.

The majority of confirmed cases in the two year period were reported in the last quarter of 2021, with most from Ghana (62 cases, 12 deaths), Cameroon (35 cases, 0 deaths), Chad (30 cases, 5 deaths), Nigeria (24 cases, 0 deaths), and CAR (23 cases, 3 deaths). The other countries that have reported confirmed cases in the two year period are Côte d’Ivoire (8 cases, 0 deaths), DRC (6 cases, 1 death), Congo (4 cases, 0 deaths), Niger (4 cases, 1 death), Kenya (3 cases, 0 deaths), Uganda (2 cases, 0 deaths), Gabon (1 case, 0 death), and more recently Sierra Leone (1 case, 0 death). Countries including Burkina Faso, Senegal and Togo have reported probable cases that were subsequently discarded. One probable case from Benin is currently pending classification.

The M:F ratio amongst confirmed cases was similar in 2021 and 2022 (1.3 and 1.6 respectively). The most affected age group amongst confirmed cases in 2021 was 10 years and below; meanwhile, the most affected group in 2022 is 20 to 30 years. Overall, about 71% of confirmed cases are aged 30 years and below and children aged 10 years and below seem particularly affected. Approximately 48% of confirmed cases were in children and young adults <20 years which is greater than expected burden given that they were born after implementation of YF into routine immunization in many of the affected countries.

Several of the recent confirmations have been from urban areas and/or locations with little or no underlying immunity (e.g. near urban areas in Cameroon and Uganda; areas with no history of YF vaccination as in Isiolo, Kenya). Hard-to-reach and underserved populations have been disproportionately impacted.

Source: World Health Organization

Women and Youth are key to Peacebuilding in West Africa and the Sahel

The consolidation of peace, security and development in West Africa and the Sahel is a breathless task that requires strong conviction and continued commitment from all partners. The challenges facing the people of the subregion are multiple, complex, and pernicious.

The solidarity of the international community and of regional actors and partners is crucial to safeguard the gains of peace and to strengthen development. But ownership of problems and solutions by all West African actors is not only necessary, it is also urgent. It must be a strategic priority for the Governments of the subregion in the implementation of their national plans and programmes through a desire to include all social categories, in particular women and young people.

Indeed, women and youth represent a leading part of the overall population of West African countries and the Sahel. No country or organization can ignore the contribution and importance of the role that women and young people can play in combating the multiple challenges that threaten peace and security in the subregion.

Since its establishment in 2002, UNOWAS has never stopped to sensitize the various State and non-State actors, especially those of civil society, to strengthen their efforts to promote the active participation of women and youth in decision-making processes that stem the negative effects of various challenges and contribute to the construction of prosperous societies. Continuing its commitment in this regard, UNOWAS, in coordination with its various regional, international and United Nations partners, has undertaken a series of activities to promote the role and involvement of women and youth in combating the adverse effects of climate change; promoting gender equality and empowering women in the security sector in West Africa; and the importance of gender in building peace and security in West Africa and the Sahel.

The story shared with us by the former Special Representative and Head of UNOWAS, Saïd Djinnit through his book “Carnet de Maputo ou ma lettre d’amour à la femme Africaine” is a moving statement for African women, but also a call for the mobilization of all so that women, and young people as well, can occupy the place they deserve.

Source: UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel