In this issue: successful PEPFAR partnerships, strengthening Tanzania’s health sector, a new initiative in Uganda, the final push against guinea worm, and more. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Central Africa
Africa Health News November-December 2008
Search engine company Google announced in October that it awarded grants of more than $14 million to support researchers in Africa and Southeast Asia who are working to prevent the next pandemic. The initiative, known as Predict and Prevent, will be part of a global effort to identify hot spots where diseases may emerge, detect new pathogens circulating in animal and human populations, and respond to outbreaks before they become global crises. Continue reading
Rosa Whitaker Applauds Starbucks’ Investment in Burundian Coffee
Rosa Whitaker praised the Starbucks Coffee Company for including coffee from Burundi’s Kayanza region on the featured menu in stores nationally.
”This is a testament to Burundi’s hard work in bringing peace to their country and to Starbucks’ commitment to African development,” said Ms. Whitaker, who worked with the Embassy of Burundi to facilitate a Starbucks team visit to Burundi in 2007. She called the promotion a “peace dividend” for Burundi, emphasizing the benefits to the country’s economy. “Working with Starbucks will create more jobs, boost the coffee industry and bring about the kind of growth that helps raise living standards for everyone.” Continue reading
Uganda Update Fall 2008
Africa moved one step closer to full economic integration in October when representatives from three regional trade blocs, including six Heads of State, agreed at a summit hosted by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala, to form a new cross-regional free trade bloc and customs union. The new bloc, to be comprised of the 26 member nations of the Common Market of Southern and Eastern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), will create the largest free trade area on the African continent with a market of over 527 million people and a combined GDP of $624 billion.
President Museveni Advances Africa’s Interests During US Visit
President Yoweri Museveni of the Republic of Uganda concluded an official state visit to the United States during which he advanced Africa and, specifically, Uganda’s interests in a myriad of ways. During meetings with President Bush, Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice, United States Trade Representative Susan Schwab, Acting Administrator of USAID Henrietta Holsom Fore, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and the Congressional Black Caucus, Museveni urged US leaders to protect and expand the African Growth and African Opportunity Act (AGOA), President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA). He further urged US leaders to consider launching a US-Africa Summit to build on the partnership with Africa, while according African leaders with an opportunity to officially provide Washington with input on global issues, such as climate change, trade, and terrorism. Continue reading
President Museveni Calls for Public-Private Partnerships in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS
President Museveni of the Republic of Uganda was lauded at a breakfast at the Mayflower Hotel for his achievement in fighting HIV/AIDS by an audience of over 130 representatives of the African Diplomatic Corps, health care industry, NGO’s and global media as well as senior U.S. and Ugandan officials. The breakfast, entitled “The Way Forward on HIV/AIDS and Health Care in Africa: Partnerships and a New Paradigm,” was held at 8:30 am and co-hosted by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA) and a coalition of NGOs including the Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa, Africare, Church World Service, Constituency for Africa as well as The Whitaker Group. In a speech that highlighted success stories from Uganda’s fight against HIV/AIDS, the President emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships between industry, NGOs and government to advance research and innovation around the globe and to improve access to medicine and treatment across Africa. The discussion followed yesterday’s meeting between the President and U.S. President George W. Bush, during which the two leaders discussed efforts to combat HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Continue reading
