The World Bank will support global efforts to overcome food shortages with a new $1.2 billion rapid financing facility to address immediate needs.
This effort includes $200 million in grants targeted at the vulnerable in the world’s poorest countries.
Announcing measures to address immediate to long-term food challenges, World Bank president Robert Zoellick said it would boost its overall support for global agriculture and food to $6 billion next year and launch risk management tools and crop insurance to protect poor countries and smallholders.
“These initiatives will help address the immediate danger of hunger and malnutrition for the two billion people struggling to survive in the face of rising food prices, and contribute to a longer-term solution that must involve many countries and institutions,” he said.
Grants to Djibouti ($5 million), Haiti ($10 million) and Liberia ($10 million) have already been approved, he said.
This month, the Bank will provide grants to Togo, Yemen and Tajikistan.
These countries have been identified as a high priority based on rapid need assessments undertaken in the field by the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
Rapid need assessments have now been completed in more than 25 countries, while 15 more are ongoing.
The $1.2 billion facility is designed to address safety net programmes such as food for work, conditional cash transfers, and school feeding programmes for the most vulnerable.
It provides support for food production by supplying seeds and fertiliser, improving irrigation for small-scale farmers, and providing budget support to offset tariff reductions for food and other unexpected costs.
As part of the new facility, the Bank is also establishing a multidonor trust fund to facilitate policy and operational co-ordination among donors, and leverage financial support for the rapid delivery of seeds and fertiliser to small-scale farmers for the upcoming planting season.
The new rapid response facility stands alongside other efforts by the Bank to address the global food crisis.
The Bank is considering initiatives to provide risk management tools to poor countries faced by drought and other catastrophes.
In addition, the World Bank is also working with its board to deploy index-related hedges and insurance products to protect poor farmers and countries from weather and supply shocks.
Under a proposal being discussed by the board in June, Malawi could be the first of several countries to use the Bank as an intermediary to access weather derivatives.
Should Malawi suffer a drought, then it would be protected against a rise in the price of imported maize.
The International Finance Corporation, the Bank’s arm that promotes private sector investment, is proposing to support crop and livestock insurance for smallholders in developing countries.
Others who have pledged to help mitigate the situation are the African Development Bank, which has pledged $1 billion extra to boost agriculture and Italy, which has offered 3 billion euros ($4.8 billion) through the European Development Fund over the next six years — 200 million euros ($320 million) of which will be spent on rural development programmes.
The UK has pledged £400 million ($560 million) — £33 million ($46.2 million) for emergency food aid and social protection, £7.5 million ($10.5 million) for agricultural research and £38 million ($53.2 million) for road construction in Congo.
The Islamic Development Bank will spend $1.5 billion on agriculture in the poorest countries over a period of five years.
This will come in the form of grants and concessional financing, while France has pledged $1.5 billion to boosting production in Africa over the next five years.
On its part, Australia will provide $8 million to Zimbabwe and $2 million to North Korea, as well as $9 million to Pakistan.
Australia has already committed $30 million to the World Food Programme’s $1.2 billion emergency appeal.
Sunday, 15 June 2008
Have Your Say
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The third round of 2010 World Cup group qualifying fixtures produced some amazing results across Africa.
As 47 teams vied for the five places available at the biggest festival in world football in South Africa in two year's time, many of the favourites endured unexpected upsets.
Who would have predicted that current African champions Egypt would be felled 1-0 by Malawi's Flames?
Ghana's Black Stars continued to stutter - after a side which included Chelsea's Michael Essien lost 2-0 away to Gabon.
Rwanda maintained the form that has been upsetting the odds in Group 8 by thumping Morocco 3-1.
And what a win for Uganda over 2006 World Cup finalists Angola - as the Cranes triumphed 3-1 in Kampala.
Let us know your views on the performance of your team and the results from the weekend's qualifying by clicking here to participate.
We will take a selection of your comments to read out on the BBC World Service sports programme Fast Track on Monday 16 June, at 1600GMT.
The third round of 2010 World Cup group qualifying fixtures produced some amazing results across Africa.
As 47 teams vied for the five places available at the biggest festival in world football in South Africa in two year's time, many of the favourites endured unexpected upsets.
Who would have predicted that current African champions Egypt would be felled 1-0 by Malawi's Flames?
Ghana's Black Stars continued to stutter - after a side which included Chelsea's Michael Essien lost 2-0 away to Gabon.
Rwanda maintained the form that has been upsetting the odds in Group 8 by thumping Morocco 3-1.
And what a win for Uganda over 2006 World Cup finalists Angola - as the Cranes triumphed 3-1 in Kampala.
Let us know your views on the performance of your team and the results from the weekend's qualifying by clicking here to participate.
We will take a selection of your comments to read out on the BBC World Service sports programme Fast Track on Monday 16 June, at 1600GMT.
Upper Shire and Lake Malawi
In Malawi, Diocese of Upper Shire, elections to vacant bishopric – update. Friday, 13th June. A Judge in Chambers has temporarily lifted, on a technicality (due to undated papers of affidavit by the plaintiffs’ Commissioner for Oaths) the injunction against the House of Bishops, brought by members of the clergy to stop the Bishops imposing their own candidate on the diocese.
At the Upper Shire episcopal elections held in February to find a replacement for former Archbishop Bernard Malango, the clerical and lay representatives had voted unanimously against acting Dean Albert Chama’s preferred choice of the Rev’d Alinafe Kalemba, Dean of Leonard Kamunga Theological College, Zomba. Despite intimidation against them by the bishops, clergy of the diocese had brought an injunction to prevent the House of Bishops forcing Kalemba on the diocese.
However, in a nod towards the need to resolve this properly the Judge has given leave for a Supreme Court appeal in Blantyre by the diocesan clergy, that they might continue to press their case that the Bishops are in breach of the canons.
Despite this, it now appears that a brief window of opportunity has emerged in the interim for Bishop Albert Chama to force Alinafe Kalemba on the diocese. Of course, this would be an unwise move as the courts may well later declare the ‘election’ invalid with Chama himself in contempt and in any case Kalemba will find it hard to impose himself on a reluctant diocese. Unfortunately, Albert Chama’s track record of scant regard for procedural niceties does however point in the direction of likely autocratic action on his part. We will update you further as we receive news – in the meantime the people and clergy of the diocese have asked that we issue a call for prayer for a resolution.
Meanwhile in the Diocese of Lake Malawi in a similar case, as reported by us many times in the past, the injunction granted to the House of Laity against the House of Bishops holds good and a Court Hearing is still awaited. This will determine that a Provincial Court should be convened to investigate the way in which the Court of Confirmation (presided over by former Archbishop Bernard Malango) was conducted when it failed to endorse the overwhelming vote for a new bishop almost three years ago. Readers will recall that all parties in any case had synodically agreed to a Provincial Court when Bishop Trevor Mwamba was Dean of the Province, but the Malango/Chama faction later reneged on the decision fearing it would expose them.
The difference remains in Lake Malawi that the diocese still does have a legitimately elected bishop to whom the people have remained loyal despite intense pressure and intimidation from former Bishop Malango and now his successor acting Dean Chama. It is unlikely that they will give up their demands that proper constitutional procedures be followed in order to resolve the matter.
At the Upper Shire episcopal elections held in February to find a replacement for former Archbishop Bernard Malango, the clerical and lay representatives had voted unanimously against acting Dean Albert Chama’s preferred choice of the Rev’d Alinafe Kalemba, Dean of Leonard Kamunga Theological College, Zomba. Despite intimidation against them by the bishops, clergy of the diocese had brought an injunction to prevent the House of Bishops forcing Kalemba on the diocese.
However, in a nod towards the need to resolve this properly the Judge has given leave for a Supreme Court appeal in Blantyre by the diocesan clergy, that they might continue to press their case that the Bishops are in breach of the canons.
Despite this, it now appears that a brief window of opportunity has emerged in the interim for Bishop Albert Chama to force Alinafe Kalemba on the diocese. Of course, this would be an unwise move as the courts may well later declare the ‘election’ invalid with Chama himself in contempt and in any case Kalemba will find it hard to impose himself on a reluctant diocese. Unfortunately, Albert Chama’s track record of scant regard for procedural niceties does however point in the direction of likely autocratic action on his part. We will update you further as we receive news – in the meantime the people and clergy of the diocese have asked that we issue a call for prayer for a resolution.
Meanwhile in the Diocese of Lake Malawi in a similar case, as reported by us many times in the past, the injunction granted to the House of Laity against the House of Bishops holds good and a Court Hearing is still awaited. This will determine that a Provincial Court should be convened to investigate the way in which the Court of Confirmation (presided over by former Archbishop Bernard Malango) was conducted when it failed to endorse the overwhelming vote for a new bishop almost three years ago. Readers will recall that all parties in any case had synodically agreed to a Provincial Court when Bishop Trevor Mwamba was Dean of the Province, but the Malango/Chama faction later reneged on the decision fearing it would expose them.
The difference remains in Lake Malawi that the diocese still does have a legitimately elected bishop to whom the people have remained loyal despite intense pressure and intimidation from former Bishop Malango and now his successor acting Dean Chama. It is unlikely that they will give up their demands that proper constitutional procedures be followed in order to resolve the matter.
shocked but it isn’t over yet!!
yes we lost against malawi but it isn’t the end of the world and we shouldn’t mourn or something because they will come to Cairo stadium and everyone will know his real size. all i hope is that the media doesn’t put it all on hassan shehata and make it his fault, really the conditions doesn’t help.
we entered this match missing all our attackers also we are missing ahmed fathi,mohamed shawky ,sayed mowad and shady mohamed and that is 3/4 of the team who won the african cup; so it was logical that we don’t score or impress, but what shocked me is that we conceded. i am NOT saying this as an excuse but if any team in the world misses this amount of players they won’t certainly be at their top form.
i didn’t watch the match because i was very busy but generally we aren’t this kind of team who play good away from home, remember the african cup qualifiers we equalized in all our away matches. but when these teams come home i don’t need to talk about how they look like; even the biggest in the continent fear cairo stadium ask cameroon and cote d’ivoire.
to put it straight we shouldn’t be upset at all from this result and don’t start worrying about qualification for these reasons:
1- malawi isn’t a big team and not even a football team,they are now on top of the group but wait till the end and as one reader said who laughs last laughs long.
2- ALL big teams stumbled in this round, check the results of cameroon, cote d’ivoire, morocco,angola and ghana, also remember that tunisia lost in their first match at home from burkina faso!!. the question is: can you imagine these teams crashing out of the qualifiers?? i guess no.
3- mallawi won against the reserve team except el hadary and defense line
4- we will win (insha2 Allah) the 3 coming matches including congo in kinchasa because this match will be in September when we restore all our players and show what we can offer.
5- when our players feel danger they shine but as long as they feel things are easy going….. u know!!
6- i am sure that the players will have some hard time from hassan shehata after this loss, if not it will be from the media and everybody will be back to his mind; in some way we needed this win to refresh ourselves.
7- even the biggest teams in the world have difficulties in qualifiers, look at italy in euro 2008 qualifiers or even look at england which didn’t qualify at all!!.
now i have to reply to some comments i read:
1- i wasn’t arrogant or underestimating the opponent when i said malawi isn’t a match for egypt because they really aren’t, check history if u want. in fact, who started it anyway, this coach who said we will burn the Egyptian team!!!!. i dare you to ask anyone in this world where is malawi? if he even recognize it that would be an achievement for you guys!!
2- to prove i wasn’t arrogant, i never mentioned in my post the word champions!!
3- if there are all these malawi fans on the world cup blog, why don’t you start a blog???. oh wait, who cares about malawi anyway!!!!
4- it is natural how everybody hates the champions, see how italy is hated after they won the world cup. but unfortunately haters will continue their hate until 2010!!!!
Last-Gasp Malawi Sink Egypt
Malawi 1-0 Egypt
Reigning African champions Egypt found themselves stunned in Blantyre as the hosts, Malawi, pulled off a late 1-0 win...
The Flames now sit proudly atop Group 12 after their stunning win at the Kamuzu Stadium.
The injury-stricken Pharoahs had the best of the early chances, and appeared to be denied a penalty 20 minutes in, but couldn't convert their opportunities.
The second half saw the Egyptians clearly tire, though, and Malawi took full advantage right at the death after Chiukepo Msowoya seized on a lacklustre clearance from Gomaa to volley home a famous winner.
Home coach Kinnah Phiri was in no mood for modesty after a famous win.
He told the press after the match, "We Flames played some classy football and we should have beaten the Pharaohs be a bigger margin."
Reigning African champions Egypt found themselves stunned in Blantyre as the hosts, Malawi, pulled off a late 1-0 win...
The Flames now sit proudly atop Group 12 after their stunning win at the Kamuzu Stadium.
The injury-stricken Pharoahs had the best of the early chances, and appeared to be denied a penalty 20 minutes in, but couldn't convert their opportunities.
The second half saw the Egyptians clearly tire, though, and Malawi took full advantage right at the death after Chiukepo Msowoya seized on a lacklustre clearance from Gomaa to volley home a famous winner.
Home coach Kinnah Phiri was in no mood for modesty after a famous win.
He told the press after the match, "We Flames played some classy football and we should have beaten the Pharaohs be a bigger margin."
African minnows wreak havoc in World Cup qualifiers
Giants Egypt, Ghana and Morocco were among the shock losers Saturday as minnows wreaked havoc in 2010 World Cup-African Nations Cup qualifiers.
Nations Cup holders Egypt conceded a goal three minutes into stoppage time to lose 1-0 against resurgent Malawi in Blantyre, Ghana were beaten 2-0 by Gabon in Libreville and Morocco slumped 3-1 to Rwanda in Kigali.
Angola, Cameroon and Mali also surrendered 100 percent records in the third round of matches, leaving Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Rwanda and Swaziland the only countries with maximum points.
Uganda overpowered shock 2006 World Cup qualifiers Angola 3-1 in Kampala, Mali fell 3-2 to Sudan in Omdurman and Cameroon were held 0-0 by Tanzania in Dar es Salaam.
Moumouni Dagano scored a hat-trick as Burkina Faso triumphed 3-2 against Seychelles in Victoria while Nigeria and Swaziland will be in action Sunday when a further seven fixtures are scheduled.
Sierra Leone humbled 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa 1-0 in Freetown, Botswana held Ivory Coast 1-1 in Gaborone and there was a rare victory for Chad, who came from behind to edge Congo 2-1 in N'Djamena.
Guinea finally clicked to defeat Namibia 2-1 in Windhoek with playmaker Pascal Feindouno scoring the winner on the stroke of half-time and Gambia claimed their first success by pipping Algeria 1-0 in Banjul.
Kenya secured a second consecutive 2-0 home win with Zimbabwe the latest victims in Nairobi while French coach Michel Dussuyer celebrated his Benin debut via a 2-0 triumph over Niger in Niamey.
The Democratic Republic of Congo overwhelmed Djibouti 6-0 in the tiny Horn of Africa state and Ethiopia captured their first points by beating Mauritania 1-0 in Nouakchott.
Chiukepo Msowoya was the Malawi hero as he snatched the 93rd-minute goal that beat six-time African champions Egypt and continued a revival under new coach Kinnah Phiri.
Malawi top Group 12 on goal difference from DR Congo and Egypt with Djibouti, lowest ranked of the 47 second round competitors, out of their depth having conceded 18 goals in three outings.
Roguy Meye put Gabon ahead three minutes before half-time against Ghana and Stephane Nguema added a second midway through the second half for a team coached by former France midfield star Alain Giresse.
The 'Black Stars' of Ghana still lead Group 5 with six points followed by Gabon and Libya with three each while Lesotho get another chance to secure their first victory when they host the North African 'Greens' Sunday.
Rwanda clinched victory over Morocco through a last-minute goal from Olivier Karekezi after Youssef Safri had scored 11 minutes from full-time to spark a 'Atlas Lions' revival in the top-of-the-table Group 8 clash.
With nine points in the bag and another home fixture to come, the 'Wasps' seem set to make the third and final qualifying phase either as group winners or one of the eight best runners-up from the 12 mini-leagues.
Uganda shrugged off a Group 3 hiding in Benin last weekend with Eugene Sepuya, Andrew Mwesigwa and Dan Wagaluka scoring to establish a commanding lead before Angolan Pedro 'Mantorras' Manuel snatched a consolation goal.
Cameroon, whose five World Cup appearances is an African record, will not be unduly troubled by the stalemate in Tanzania as they remain in control of Group 1, four points clear of the Cape Verde Islands.
Dagano was the individual star, raising his goal tally to five from two matches and becoming the leading scorer in the qualifying competition with one more than Faneva Andriatsima of Madagascar.
Nations Cup holders Egypt conceded a goal three minutes into stoppage time to lose 1-0 against resurgent Malawi in Blantyre, Ghana were beaten 2-0 by Gabon in Libreville and Morocco slumped 3-1 to Rwanda in Kigali.
Angola, Cameroon and Mali also surrendered 100 percent records in the third round of matches, leaving Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Rwanda and Swaziland the only countries with maximum points.
Uganda overpowered shock 2006 World Cup qualifiers Angola 3-1 in Kampala, Mali fell 3-2 to Sudan in Omdurman and Cameroon were held 0-0 by Tanzania in Dar es Salaam.
Moumouni Dagano scored a hat-trick as Burkina Faso triumphed 3-2 against Seychelles in Victoria while Nigeria and Swaziland will be in action Sunday when a further seven fixtures are scheduled.
Sierra Leone humbled 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa 1-0 in Freetown, Botswana held Ivory Coast 1-1 in Gaborone and there was a rare victory for Chad, who came from behind to edge Congo 2-1 in N'Djamena.
Guinea finally clicked to defeat Namibia 2-1 in Windhoek with playmaker Pascal Feindouno scoring the winner on the stroke of half-time and Gambia claimed their first success by pipping Algeria 1-0 in Banjul.
Kenya secured a second consecutive 2-0 home win with Zimbabwe the latest victims in Nairobi while French coach Michel Dussuyer celebrated his Benin debut via a 2-0 triumph over Niger in Niamey.
The Democratic Republic of Congo overwhelmed Djibouti 6-0 in the tiny Horn of Africa state and Ethiopia captured their first points by beating Mauritania 1-0 in Nouakchott.
Chiukepo Msowoya was the Malawi hero as he snatched the 93rd-minute goal that beat six-time African champions Egypt and continued a revival under new coach Kinnah Phiri.
Malawi top Group 12 on goal difference from DR Congo and Egypt with Djibouti, lowest ranked of the 47 second round competitors, out of their depth having conceded 18 goals in three outings.
Roguy Meye put Gabon ahead three minutes before half-time against Ghana and Stephane Nguema added a second midway through the second half for a team coached by former France midfield star Alain Giresse.
The 'Black Stars' of Ghana still lead Group 5 with six points followed by Gabon and Libya with three each while Lesotho get another chance to secure their first victory when they host the North African 'Greens' Sunday.
Rwanda clinched victory over Morocco through a last-minute goal from Olivier Karekezi after Youssef Safri had scored 11 minutes from full-time to spark a 'Atlas Lions' revival in the top-of-the-table Group 8 clash.
With nine points in the bag and another home fixture to come, the 'Wasps' seem set to make the third and final qualifying phase either as group winners or one of the eight best runners-up from the 12 mini-leagues.
Uganda shrugged off a Group 3 hiding in Benin last weekend with Eugene Sepuya, Andrew Mwesigwa and Dan Wagaluka scoring to establish a commanding lead before Angolan Pedro 'Mantorras' Manuel snatched a consolation goal.
Cameroon, whose five World Cup appearances is an African record, will not be unduly troubled by the stalemate in Tanzania as they remain in control of Group 1, four points clear of the Cape Verde Islands.
Dagano was the individual star, raising his goal tally to five from two matches and becoming the leading scorer in the qualifying competition with one more than Faneva Andriatsima of Madagascar.
British International Development Minister to visit Malawi
Blantyre, Malawi - Britain’s International Development Minister responsib le for Africa Gillian Merron will pay a three-day visit to Malawi from Tuesday.
In a press release, the Department for International development (DFID) said the visit would provide Merron with a good understanding of the development challenges facing Malawi and the impact of Britain’s support.
"There will be a strong health focus to this visit," the statement read, adding: "Ms Merron is aware that Malawi has a very strong story to tell on child mortality and its response to HIV and AIDS. But there is still much to be done – particularly around maternal health."
Merron will visit health facilities in the border district of Mchinji where she will talk to community groups in the surrounding villages.
Nick Dyer, the head of DFID in Malawi, said he was very pleased that the minister was coming to Malawi.
"Child mortality has reduced by 42 per cent in the last 12 years," he said, adding: "The number of people receiving ART has increased from 3,000 to 146,000 in five years. These are remarkable achievements. But more needs to be done."
During the visit, Merron will hold talks with President Bingu wa Mutharika as well as other government officials and leaders of the civil society to discuss governance, education and climate change.
In a press release, the Department for International development (DFID) said the visit would provide Merron with a good understanding of the development challenges facing Malawi and the impact of Britain’s support.
"There will be a strong health focus to this visit," the statement read, adding: "Ms Merron is aware that Malawi has a very strong story to tell on child mortality and its response to HIV and AIDS. But there is still much to be done – particularly around maternal health."
Merron will visit health facilities in the border district of Mchinji where she will talk to community groups in the surrounding villages.
Nick Dyer, the head of DFID in Malawi, said he was very pleased that the minister was coming to Malawi.
"Child mortality has reduced by 42 per cent in the last 12 years," he said, adding: "The number of people receiving ART has increased from 3,000 to 146,000 in five years. These are remarkable achievements. But more needs to be done."
During the visit, Merron will hold talks with President Bingu wa Mutharika as well as other government officials and leaders of the civil society to discuss governance, education and climate change.
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