Madrid - Again and again warned of wars over water. Especially in the Middle East is scarce and the water supply correspondingly high, experts say. The Tunisian Habib Ayeb geologist, however, believes there is enough water in the desert. For him, the problem of water scarcity not geological, but political. 'Water superpowers' controlled the water, and lack of international agreement on access for all effectively regulated.
Ayeb, author of numerous publications on the topic and with colleagues in Paris and at the American University of Cairo equipped, supports his thesis, in essence, that the Middle East is part of a desert plateau, though, by the Atlantic Ocean to the Taurus and Zagros mountain ranges in Iran and Iraq will do, but plenty of water from the Nile and the Euphrates and Tigris receives.
Together, these waters carry about 160,000 million cubic meters of water per year - considerably more than the 150 million people of the region really need. The problem lies not with the offer, but in the distribution. Ayeb calculations in Iraq after about 4,000 cubic meters of water per person per year are available in the Gaza Strip but only 200 cubic meters. This imbalance is purely political. He knew "no more political issue than water," says Ayeb.
This also has implications for the central conflict between Israel and Palestine. "Neither Israel nor the Palestinians have enough water, both are dependent on external resources," underlines the un-expert. Israel would ease its problems also in that there are large agricultural areas on the Euphrates and Tigris as acreage quasi 'rent', the new Iraq offers the possibility.
This practice, so Ayeb was known as' virtual water '' water 'bought' by one country on another in the form of agricultural products which are irrigated with the water of the selling country. " Wars over water it holds in the region, however unlikely.
The main reason for this is that no country would be interested in a war of him in the end did not bring more water. This applies to Israel, Turkey and Egypt - the countries that consumed the most water in the region - but also for countries like Palestine, Jordan and Iraq, which has already under-resourced, to tangle with Israel or Turkey .
holds the existing agreements on water rights, the geologist for effect: either they were not universally accepted or unenforceable and open to interpretation. "Take the example of Turkey: They considered neither the Euphrates or the Tigris as international waters, because they are not continuously navigable Therefore, the country feels on. Legal to use them at will and ignore the possibility agreements with Syria and Iraq. "Benefit the Turkey get its economic and military superiority.
A 1987 signed water agreements have not changed this situation is not much." Turkey developed giant "The area between Syria and Iraq are similar disputes over a dam on the Syrian side.
" dams such as the Atatürkdamm, who denies the view of Syria and Iraq to them in 1987 promised amount of water. Water was always an economic and military leverage, " observed Ayeb. give legal means not wait. "This applies to all developing countries. Between . Countries with excess of water and which runs with water shortage was a clear line, and coincides exactly with the boundary between the North and South "- Baher Kamal Already last year, Cuba stood at 2.3 million visitors - an increase of 9.3 percent compared to 2007 - after two years with return legs on the sunny side in the region.
had a report by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) for the years 2007 and 2008, eleven of its 26 members last year to live with declining tourist numbers or stagnation. Particular it was about the Bahamas and Puerto Rico, which typically receive about one million tourists a year, with posting declines of more than two percent from 2008. In the Dominican Republic were the numbers in the last two years the same. Jamaica recorded a growth of 3.9 percent, so that Cuba could not the water-rich. guests from the U.S.
The Caribbean nation awaits new visitors, not least from the U.S.. In March, the U.S. Congress has given the green light for a law that Cubans in the U.S. once a year to visit their family members in the old country permitted. Under the government of former U.S. President George W. Bush sharp travel restrictions since 2004 had led to a drop in Cuba flights from the United States by 75 percent. Cuba estimates that repealing the ban in the first year to bring at least one million Americans to Cuba.
As emphasized economist Armando Nova, tourism creates significant income boost the entire production chain to improve the Cuban economic structure and promoting diversification.
The last 15 years have brought technological advances for the Cuban agriculture and an upturn for individual industries such as elevators and air conditioning contractors, the communications sector and the construction industry and its suppliers. About 68 percent of demand in the tourism sector could be covered by Cuba. Remain problematic falling investment, the integration of the original foliage industry in the entire economic environment and the needed imports.
Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba was economically primarily due to sugar cane and its derivatives. By 1990, the number of foreign visitors: 300,000 a year. Since then, however Havana is looking for alternatives. By 2006 the number of tourists rose to over two million annually, and one-seventh of all investments, benefited the tourism.
play competitive advantages
benefited in the last five years, Cuba still mainly in the export of professionals and service obligations, particularly in the medical field. According to official figures, these exports in 2008 revenue of 8.4 billion U.S. dollars was owed to. This exceeds the income from tourism increased more than threefold.
"The export of know-how and services may not be the economic engine be. It lacks the multiplier effect, which distinguishes the holiday industry warns, "Vidal adds that Cuba has seen tourism vorzuweisen major competitive advantages These included the quality of the beaches, the climate, good hygiene and health conditions, safety and cultural wealth... - Patricia Grogg is seven percent, while the North-South trade accounted for an increase of 9.8 percent. Despite the international economic crisis of the South-South trade in goods from the current six percent of world trade.
These figures Jean-Louis Ekra added by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), on the African Trade and Investment annual conference presents, which took place recently in South Africa's Cape Town. The countries of the South would do well to give the relatively new trade relations with each other a boost, said the President of the multilateral institutions established in Cairo, which financed the trade with African states and promotes.
particularly robust behavior sch growth in trade relations between Africa and the so-called BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China. Between 1985 and 2007 it recorded a growth of 1,170 percent. 2007, this trade has a value of 256.25 billion U.S. dollars and stood for 32.7 percent of total African trade.
Intra-African trade is developing more slowly - in 1985 he reached seven per cent, 2008, ten percent. In eastern and southeastern Asia, however, is the inter-regional trade for over 40 percent of total revenue. 
thrust by India and China
A major weakness of the South-South trade Until recently, the focus on more or less the same raw materials and the resulting competition. A major impetus given the trade relations among the countries of the South by the rapid pace of industrialization in India and China, and so increased demand.
However, the countries of the South, the global crisis will be felt strongly. The World Bank expects a decline in Asian exports this year by over 40 percent compared to 2007/08. Ekra goes for the African countries and especially for the oil and mineral exporters among them from declines of over 50 percent.
Konrad Reuss regional representative of the international rating agency "Standard & Poor's," said many African countries at the conference in Cape Town for this year, a growth of around 3.8 percent previously. In the last five years, the growth rates were on average at between five and six percent. "There is a still positive growth", said Reuss. This could, however, collapse under the pressure of population growth.
suppressed decline of commodity prices, economic growth
Avril Stassen also from the South African Agricultural Investment Initiative 'Agri-Vie' warns that the fall in commodity prices will slow economic growth of African countries. Investments in infrastructure - in roads and railways, dams and the agricultural industry - but put too much more.
"Investors seem even wilder on investment than last year. 2008, foreign direct investment grew di-compared to 2007 increased 17 percent to 62 billion dollars", said Stassen on the African Trade and Investment Conference. Agri-Vie remain optimistic partly because of the Afri-American wealth in natural resources, the continuous influx of capital and the continued urbanization. - Stephanie Nieuwoudt holds the view of the internationally acclaimed micro-credit guru Muhammad Yunus at hand, the important message that this is to roll up completely on greed based economic system.
That the financial crisis currently dominate the media coverage is not hot, that there is no other global challenges, "said the founder of the renowned Grameen Bank, the world's supply of millions of poor with micro-credit, in an exclusive interview to IPS. The Food and oil and climate crises kept their heads lowered and would strike again at the next opportunity. According to the financial expert who helped mainly with his microcredit concept of women out of poverty, have the Crises same roots. "They are all based on structural defects that need to urgently address." Yunus says it is an object of the Group of 20 major industrial and emerging countries (G20), the United Nations, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to eliminate the mess, the world's poor were currently auszubaden.
IPS: Do you see ways to repair a system that is not good for everyone?
Muhammad Yunus: The crisis opens up possibilities. If things go right or mediocre, no one wants to be active. Now that nothing works, all are shocked and concerned. The timing is therefore well chosen, to do things that we thought was untouchable. We need to get involved in this opportunity and focus our energies and thoughts to take this opportunity to good use. We do not want to miss this great historical opportunity of the people.
IPS: How did the crisis in your opinion, begin? 
Muhammad Yunus: This crisis was not created by us. She was kicked off by a small number of people in one country (the U.S.). If only a small group of people, such a disaster can bring about the people, then it is to look carefully and to learn a lesson. You have shaken the fortresses of our system and brought great suffering to many people. Modern capitalism is ill-conceived.
Muhammad Yunus: This crisis was not created by us. She was kicked off by a small number of people in one country (the U.S.). If only a small group of people, such a disaster can bring about the people, then it is to look carefully and to learn a lesson. You have shaken the fortresses of our system and brought great suffering to many people. Modern capitalism is ill-conceived. IPS: What about the rich, who are also affected by the economic crisis?
Muhammad Yunus: Those who will lose billions of U.S. dollars, of course, worried. But when the time comes, they still remain billion dollars, and for the millionaires, there are still millions of dollars are left over. Your lifestyle will not change. The real victims are the three billion people at the bottom who have contributed in any way on the crisis. They will lose their jobs, their income and their food. And it will get worse. You are a victim of a banking system that we need to change urgently.
IPS: Will the financial bailout help?
Muhammad Yunus: We talk of bailouts that keep the economic machine going. But no one talks about the half of humanity at the lower end of the income scale. Is it not possible to invest at least ten percent of economic aid to the victims? About this matter we can not simply ignore. And I repeat: we will not find back to the old and familiar normality. Normal should be called in the future that we take a new direction and start a rescue operation for the victims.
IPS: To what extent the crisis relates to the micro-loans from the Grameen Bank?
Muhammad Yunus: We are not affected by the financial crisis. Major banks have begun to spin, not us. Currently we have eight million borrowers that receive a monthly total of 100 million dollars and we pay back 99 percent of the loans. Our model works everywhere, even in developed countries. In New York City Grameen America will award loans to women.
We are also in talks with China and India. There are in China, many migrant workers who lose their jobs. Beijing has a strong interest in social-business projects, and India is already sitting in the wings.
IPS: How would you change the financial system?
Muhammad Yunus: I propose that the financial system completely . Revamp It worked for large corporations and rich people, but not for two thirds of the world population, were excluded. (...) The tax system should be shut down to zero and do not build castles in the air more economic that have caused the problems. Today's watchword is profit. We are people, not thieves. Currently, the business is based on the selfishness that caused the crisis.
The new system should cover two thirds of the world. Even in the U.S., most people have no access to credit. They must turn to loan sharks to them abverlangen exorbitant rates of 100 to 500 percent. This failure of the current banking system. Each Man should be allowed to borrow. Grameen also encourages beggars when they invest in fruit and candy for resale. - Catherine Makino Newborn babies before the age of their first year have died. In 80 percent of these cases, death occurred in the first 28 days after the birth.
As regards the infant mortality rate, Costa Rica cut regional comparatively well. Sun figures showed the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) that in 2007 was ten per 1,000 live births, while in the same year in El Salvador with 21.5 per 1,000 slammed book. In Honduras and Nicaragua, the infant mortality rate in 2006 was at 23 or 33 per 1,000 live births.
Within Latin America, Cuba and Chile have in the fight against infant mortality, the best results on. There are 1,000 live births to 4.7 and 5.7 deaths. Regional laggards are Bolivia and Haiti, with a mortality of 54 and 57 per 1,000 live births in 2003 and 2006. PAHO staff as Roberto del Águila emphasizes the principle declining infant mortality explained by the improvement of living conditions, nutrition and water supply. These are all factors that play in the implementation of the 2000 United Nations agreed MDGs a role. The objectives
see by 2015 in addition to reducing child mortality, halving poverty and hunger, universal primary education for all, gender equality and empowering women, improving maternal health, combating major diseases such as HIV / AIDS and malaria, ensuring environmental sustainability and the development of a global Development Partnership between the North and South.
be measured success on concrete indicators. On child mortality, new research results will be compared with ancient and checks as the vaccination coverage. The biggest danger for Latin American girls and boys in their first year are infections, diarrhea and malnutrition-tion.
different in the case of the Costa Rica dar. There are inherited diseases of suffocation and pertussis, responsible for the deaths of children are. To completely eradicate child mortality are needed, according to the PAHO Country Representative Carlos Samayoa investment in medical technology and equipment. Samayoa, according to the country has a good health service for pregnant women and mothers. More than 98 percent of Costa Rican children are now born in hospitals, supplies 95 percent of all mothers and children medically.
However, there is a population group that is disadvantaged in comparison to the rest of the population: the indigenous people of the country. Reached the national insurance system average of 90 percent of the population, as in the indigenous areas, only 70 percent. 
Their disadvantage is explained in part from the high mobility. Indigenous farmers go where it is working. Despite these adversities, the infant mortality rate among indigenous people in the past few years, after all, has fallen from 70 to 25 per 1,000 live births. setbacks entered Costa Rica in the field of maternal mortality, which in the past two years increased by 85 percent to 25 deaths per 100,000 live births. With the possible reasons for this regression is currently a Special Committee is concerned. Some studies indicate a connection to-point between the high Mütterersterblichkeit and heart failure. - By Daniel Zueras Karina Boeckmann (TD160309) Social Deveploment Centre '(ISODEC).
"In too many countries, the oil boom fueled corruption and led to underdevelopment, social conflicts and environmental damage," said Ian Gary, Oxfam commodities expert and author of the study 'Ghana's Big Text: Oil's Challenge to Democratic Development ". This development, it is true even before the start of production to counter.
are bad the odds are that Ghana is heading a different way than the straight-discredited requested African oil states. The democratic elections in January, in which Mills won just make Ghana one of the few countries of the continent, in which the Government of responsibility on two occasions by an elected Head of state was passed to the next. However, fighting has
the country with a number of problems. 80 percent of the population live on less than two dollars a day. Moreover, the faltering economy. Predicted that growth will fall this year from 6.2 to 5.9 percent. Also, is spreading a budget deficit. End of 2008 it was 14.9 percent of gross domestic product and should be pressed to the end of 2009 to 9.4 percent.
much promise in this situation, Ghana from the expected oil boom. The production of oil and gas to start in 2010 or 2011, and only the income from the Jubilee field could be assessed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the state by 2030 revenue of 20 billion U.S. dollars annually contribute. As the World Bank warns, is the government spending increase won by just ten percent.
could learn from their own history
One lesson Ghana are also their own history. For 20 years, blooms in Ghana, the mining industry. He has filled the state treasury only slightly, fueled conflicts between communities and companies, however, and pulled displacement and environmental destruction.
is already in trouble for the new oil discoveries. How to Hold the State 'Ghana National Petroleum Corporation' contracts with investors and the development plan for the anniversary-lee-box under lock and key. "There is no clear oil policy," complained ISODEC campaign manager Steve Manteaw.
The new report advises the Ghanaian Government to transparency in revenue and expenditure and the company for voluntary disclosure of contracts and payments. He also urged to open bidding process, the participation of civil society and a moratorium on new licenses. Ghana had to control the rush of foreign investors well. "Bigger rest leads to better contracts," says Gary. - Marina Litvinski for women. Now seems to pay off their lobbying. According to the former UN special envoy Stephen Lewis, it is now a matter of time, is set up such a site in the world organization. "She will come," he says.
Lewis 1984-1988 represented Canada as Ambassador to the United Nations and served the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan from 2001 to 2006 as special envoy for HIV / AIDS in Africa. In 2003 he founded in Toronto named after him ' (SLF), which advocates for women in Africa, AIDS orphans and HIV-positive organizations. So far, the SLF to support the 300 grassroots projects in 15 African States south of the Sahara.
Lewis does have long favored the rights of women also strong at the United Nations and advocates as his supporters for the merger of three existing UN women's bodies. The UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the UN Division for the Advancement of Women to form a new unit and are equipped with a budget of one billion U.S. dollars.
IPS: Where are the discussions on the new UN women's organization?
Stephen Lewis: I hope that the resolution establishing even the end of this year or early 2010 comes through. In the next one to two weeks, governments have a proposal of the General Secretariat on the table and then thrash out.
the current President of the UN General Assembly (Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann) is a strong supporter of women's organization. He gives his position on 14 September far. This could be for the new organization, be too early. But it will come, definitely. Now, we first need the necessary architecture. There is no question that the growing support. It is increasingly clear, as necessary, a UN women's organization.
IPS: How will fail the budget?
SL: It is not yet clear. My organization proposes prior to the beginning is equipped with a billion dollars. This represents a third of the money for the World Children's Fund UNICEF and a quarter of what the UN Development Programme (UNDP) at his disposal. We do not ask anything inappropriate, after all, is about half the world's population.
I have no doubt that several states, among them are the big donors on board when the organization stands for. Moreover, it seems as of now and despite the global economic crisis funding commitments to give.
IPS: Will block the development of countries of the Group of 77 (G77) the project? SL: I do not think so. I respect the concerns of the G77, which initially feared new editions of the West (...) and a threat to their independence. There should be no hidden conditions. (...) We need sincere efforts of the intervention in the interests of all women in the world. A number of leading G77 countries from Latin America, Asia and Africa have indicated their support. That makes me hopeful.
IPS: What brings you men in the boat?
SL: The best way is to strengthen the women in the country. Capacity they need to be able to join fight for their rights and new laws and. Gradually, the men already understand that there is a cultural where change and a shift in the social power structure, and they will join. Dealing with men is not easy, but over time they realize what happened. It is crucial that we empower women in the country. In the abstract we can not fight this battle.
IPS: How is it ordered to equality in the UN?
SL: The so-called gender mainstreaming has failed in every aspect. (...) The truth is that gender mainstreaming establishes the inequality of women - that's the concept. There is a recipe for the Un-equal. As long as women are not taken seriously and treated, they will always fight.
IPS: What do you think of Security Council resolutions for women?
SL: You are regrettable. They provide beautiful words without deeds. For example, the famous resolution was 1325 of October 2000, the integration of women in peace processes requires not implemented. Women never to peace conferences have been sitting at the negotiating table. It is as if there is no resolution, even though we constantly talk about them. (...) We have since last year a resolution on sexual violence.
They certainly feel that the obligation to implement disappears at the moment in which she is writing. (...) The question is whether the conduct of men towards also it would. The answer is no. Inaction, there is only because women are concerned. - Nergui Manalsuren not sufficient to ensure self-sufficiency and also promote the development of the agricultural sector.
At a conference in the second week of February in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, directed representatives of the network to the East African countries, the milk imports, 60 percent tax and to the force in the European Union import tariffs on staple foods such as cereals, meat and milk products of at least 50 percent.
"With the leaves so far in the UEMOA raised import tariffs of more than 25 percent of our re not protect agriculture and the development of regional markets not to think too," explained Bassi Ka Dao, the President of Burkina Faso's farmers' association, the claim of ROPPA. A 2008 study carried out of the network had shown that protection can be life-important regional agricultural products such as cereals, oilseeds and meat with duties of 50 percent over competing imports.
"We need higher import duties on certain goods that undercut our own products in our markets and unfairly restrict our efforts to self-sufficiency, rural development and the preservation of our cultural values," said the consultant ROPPA Babacar Ndao.
The ECOWAS countries Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo-export within the EU, cotton, coffee, pulses, sorghum, and tomatoes. Eight ECOWAS member states - Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo - have joined forces to UEMOA.
development of regional markets rather than opening
According to the regional farmers' associations could be more than 60 percent of food and more than 80 percent of the existing cereal staple food are excluded from free trade with the requirements of their extension of the regional import tariffs. In addition, higher import duties would be more than 60 percent of confectionery, protect coffee and cocoa products and 58 percent of animal products and 77 percent of textile products.
addition to the extension of the regional import duty calls, the network of West African agricultural organizations on a broad more than ten years of adaptation to the degradation of protective taxes within ECOWAS, and actions that engage in economic difficulties.
could establish themselves in this way regional markets for domestic products, said Ousseni Ouédraogo, program coordinator at ROPPA, told IPS. "Without its own markets can not develop agriculture," said the expert. "That's why you need within the Community preferential duty rates, under whose protection may develop agriculture."
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) West Africa annually imported food worth the equivalent of more than four billion U.S. dollars. Of the around 197 million hectares of arable land area of only 54 million hectares ordered. 120 million hectares are pasture. - Brahima Ouédraogo participating in the blockade of the Gaza Strip. It is this collective punishment of the highest authorities in the EU and is scathingly critical of international law under the Geneva Conventions of 1949. received
Between February 2008 and January 2009, Dor Alon, the utility of the Gaza Strip, 97 million euros from the EU Commission. The assistance was paid directly, bypassing any Palestinian's structure and promoted a company that claims to be rationed supplies to the Gaza Strip at the behest of the Israeli government.
affects them is a power plant, which produces 30 percent of the electricity for the 1.5 million people in the Gaza Strip. The depletion of energy and the so- caused power outages acids belonging to the methods by which Israel, the population in Gaza is under pressure there since the radical Hamas after the parliamentary elections of 2006 came into power.
criticism of the way the EU is, among others, the 'Mattin Group', which monitors the West Bank of the relations between the Union and Israel. "The EU must be in its aid policy at the right stop," said Charles Shamas, the founder of the organization. Even well-meaning aid can be misused by the recipient. The EU is not credible when calling on Israel to change behavior, the behavior to be corrected but-equal support. Dor-Alon explains a spokesman: "Dor Alon is a private company, we must stick to what we required by the Department of Defense.." We follow only the orders from above. Dor Alon is one of four major Israeli oil companies and operates only gas stations, but also two supermarket chains and a number of shops in the Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
blockade impossible reconstruction
British MEP Chris Davies was recently in the Gaza Strip. He describes the situation as still dramatic. The blockade hindered the building after the devastating bombing in December as part of the ongoing Israeli military operation 'Operation molten lead' massive.
Gaza need 500 trucks per day with food and supplies to supply the essential supply of goods, but not more than 120 trucks will cross the border. "It is prohibited to paper for the Schools, and even diapers, but also water purification tablets and cement, "said Davies had a normal life in Gaza impossible - David Cronin "The LRA people are quick to kill. It took little time and not speaking a word. They took all of 26 at. I was shocked. I knew all these people. They were my family, my friends, my neighbors," described a 72-year-old eyewitness to the carnage in Batande, a village near Doruma.
From Christmas to January, the LRA killed with machetes, axes and clubs more than 865 civilians. At least 160 children were abducted in northern Congo. The worst violence occurred on 24 orgies and 25 December in 160 kilometers from the regions Doruma, Duru and Faradje in northern Congo Haut-Uele district.
Even LRA massacres conditions were extremely brutal. The Perpetrators waited until the people came together for Christmas dinner or Bantande Faradje in the Christmas concert, massacre to then quickly and without words. In Mabando the residents were lured by loud radio music for its own execution. In most cases the victims were tied up, stripped and beaten, raped women and girls before.
not only in the DRC, and in parts of southern Sudan, the LRA went with the same brutality and the same weapons against civilians. For the authors of the HRW study, the similarities suggest a coordinated action, which was arranged under a single command structure.
Other States LRA-traumatized
The Christmas massacre are part of a long LRA tactics. Before the rebels came in 2006 in the Congo, they already had a trail of blood left behind in Uganda and southern Sudan. Was the Congolese population was initially spared, the LRA was in September 2008 for the first time against certain communities - apparently because they had breakaway LRA fighters helped to escape.
The first wave of violence and the Christmas massacre, according to HRW cost more than 1033 civilians. 476 children were abducted. "You can not imagine what it's like when you take your daughter. It makes me sick when I imagine what they do with it in the bush. I know not know if I see them ever again, or whether she is still alive, "quoted the HRW report, the mother of a 13-year-old, was kidnapped in September by the LRA.
still receive the human rights organization based in New York reports of murders and kidnappings, which terrorized the LRA the population. According to the United Nations have fled since the end of December, 140,000 people out of fear of approaching LRA fighters. 
revenge hits occurring population According to the report of the massacre whenever the LRA has been the target of military operations. For this reason, HRW called on the governments of the DRC, Uganda and southern Sudan, during their military operations of public safety a priority. If necessary, would have troops specifically for the protection of people off.
In addition, the three countries cooperate closely with the UN mission MONUC to ensure the protection of civilians, to free hostages and to encourage LRA LRA fighters to surrender. HWR recommends the establishment of specific meeting places for insurgents wishing to exit and fled conscripted fighters. LRA war criminals such as Joseph Kony rebels would be handed over to the International Criminal Court.
On 22 December, the UN Security Council MONUC's mandate for a further year and an increase in troop strength by 3,000 to 20,000 peacekeepers agreed. But so far, let the promised UN forces in coming. Human Rights Watch therefore calls on governments and regional organizations to provide the missing soldier in order to ensure the protection of the people of Haut-Uele can. - Karina Boeckmann one, and offering a 37 million €: Hundreds of thousands of small cocoa and cashew farmers in sub-Saharan Africa are supported so that they can stop living in hunger and poverty. The two grants, about 18 million euros to the World Cocoa Foundation and nearly 20 million euros to the
German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) GmbH
be enhanced by more than 32 million € of private industry in cash and material donations.
with millions of small farmers in sub-Saharan Africa from the cultivation of cocoa and cashew. However, they operate in their fields largely subsistence economy. The two projects to help farmers to harvest quality and quantity increase. Also give them the Projet reliable buyers of their crops. The grants are part
agricultural development initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which works with a wide range of partners in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The work involves the entire agricultural value chain, from seed and soil to farm management and market access. So shall hunger and poverty to be combated effectively. Financial support and donations from the private sector, NGOs and communities complement the contribution of the Foundation. At training and training of agricultural cooperatives play an important role.
"Noticeable progress in the fight against hunger and poverty in the world starts with small farmers," said Dr. Rajiv Shah, head of agricultural development for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. "Creative partnerships like this knowledge to connect locally active development agencies and governments with the technical know-how and market expertise of private sector companies, such partnerships have the potential of millions of farmers to help increase their yields and incomes -. And thus improve their lives. "
cocoa is West Africa's main agricultural export commodity and accounts for 70 percent of global demand. For about two million West African smallholder farms is the cocoa production is a major source of their income. Under the auspices of the World Cocoa Foundation to work on the cocoa project, a number of NGOs and other partners such as ACDI / VOCA, GTZ, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) / Program for Sustainable Tree Crop Production (STCP), SOCODEVI and TechnoServe.
The project increases the income of cocoa farmers through agricultural education and training and thus higher productivity through improved quality of raw materials, crop rotation and increased supply chain efficiencies. The five-year project reached about 200,000 smallholder cocoa farms in Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria, and helps the farmers to double their income by 2013. The project will complement the broader work of the World Cocoa Foundation, which works with its industry members because the farmers to grow cocoa sustainably operate and derive greater benefit. Financial support and donations for the cocoa project come from the big brands The Hershey Company, Kraft Foods and Mars Incorporated, the cocoa workers Archer Daniels Midland Company, Barry Callebaut, Blommer Chocolate Company and Cargill, supply chain managers and of related industries such as Armajaro, Ecom -Agrocacao, Olam International Ltd. and Starbucks Coffee Company.
"cocoa has the potential to significant improvements in income as well as the prosperity of families and communities in the rural West and Central Africa to bring," said Bill Guyton, President of the World Cocoa Foundation. "True carry on this promise, however, requires ongoing and innovative investment in the education of farmers, diversification of crops they grow, increase their marketing efficiency and the greater involvement of the participating companies. The new partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a major step in these areas and opens the door for a much brighter future for hundreds of thousands of peasant Families, "said Guyton.
Africa supplies about one-third of the world Cashewernte. However, lack of facilities make for further processing of the nuts on the ground by Africans to the economic benefits, provide the jobs in the manufacturing sector could.
The Cashewprojekt enhances the quality of the cultivation and the productivity of farmers. It also creates new connections between the small peasant holdings and the market. The project will build African processing capacity and develop a sustainable global market for African cashews. Around 150,000 small-scale Cashewbetriebe in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire , Ghana and Mozambique can thus increase their income by 2012 to around 50 percent.
"This project will help to build strong groups of cashew farmers, who can work with the private sector with factories in Africa," said Winfred Osei Owusu, Managing Director of West Africa Link Markets in Ghana. "This means jobs are being created on site as well as additional income for the people in our country who need it most."
GTZ will lead the Cashewprojekt with the support of the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), fair match support and TechnoServe. Financial support, donations and other benefits come from the supply chain managers and processors . Global Trading Agency BV (GTA) and Olam International Ltd, and the brand manufacturers Intersnack Group GmbH & Co. KG, Kraft Foods, the retailer Costco Wholesale Corporation, the equipment manufacturer Oltremare and other donors, the DEG - German Investment and Development Company and U.S. American development agency USAID.
About
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life is equally valuable, and sought the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to ensure that all people to help to lead healthy and productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on the health to improve people and give them the opportunity to free themselves from hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people, especially those with the fewest resources, access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. The foundation, based in Seattle is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and co-chair William H. Gates Sr. instruction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett. For more information about the Foundation at www.gatesfoundation.org.
About the World Cocoa Foundation
The World Cocoa Foundation was founded in 2000 and is a leader in promoting economic and social development and environmental stewardship in 15 cocoa-producing countries in the world. With nearly 70 member companies from the Americas, Europe and Asia, the Foundation actively supports a number of programs at the level of peasant farms, sustainable agricultural practices use to improve the lives of millions of small farmers who grow this unique fruit. For more information on the World Cocoa Foundation under www.worldcocoafoundation.org.
About
GTZ 
As an international cooperation enterprise for international cooperation Sustainable development of the German Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) GmbH, the Federal Government in achieving its development objectives. It provides viable solutions to political, economic, ecological and social development in a globalized world and promotes complex reforms and change processes under difficult conditions. Your goal is to improve the living conditions of people internationally. (19/02/2009)
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