Tracking the News

By Modern Bweema

Sharm-El-Sheikh - The United Nations (UN) has warned that the current global food crisis, compounded by a hike in fuel prices and climate change, will push more than 100 million people into poverty.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha Rose-Migiro said on Monday at the official opening of the 11th AU Heads of State and Government Summit that this development risked reversing the positive steps made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Dr Migiro, however, noted that many African countries had made tremendous progress towards the achievement of the MDGs.

She said well designed and properly financed programmes had helped reduce child mortality, improve water and sanitation and expanded primary education in some African countries.

"There are numerous other examples that prove that the ambitious MDGs can be achieved.

“The careful plans crafted by African governments need to be backed by adequate and predicable donor financing," Dr Migiro said.

She, however, noted that donors had not yet delivered on their pledges made three years ago at the annual summit of the Group of Eight (G8) most developed nations at Gleneagles, Scotland, to support African countries meet the MDGs.

She said inadequate donor financing and other constraints had made it difficult for African countries to reach some of the MDGs.

Support for Africa was not only a moral imperative but was also critical for global peace and security, she added.

Dr Migiro also urged African leaders to stand by the people of Zimbabwe who were facing an extremely grave crisis.

She said what was happening in Zimbabwe was the single greatest challenge to regional stability in southern Africa not only because of its humanitarian and security consequences but because of the dangerous political precedence it had set.

The climate in which the 27 June run-off presidential elections in Zimbabwe took place was not conducive to credit free and fair elections because of the violence and intimidation that prevailed, she said.

She regretted that the run-off went ahead despite concerns raised by the international community including the UN Security Council.

She urged regional leaders to mobilise support for a negotiated solution because only dialogue between concerned parties in Zimbabwe, supported by the AU and other regional actors, could restore peace and stability in that country. – BuaNews-NNN