HIGHLIGHTS
A mission of the Special Envoy on Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa is scheduled to take place between 14 and 23 June. During his mission, the Special Envoy is expected to visit Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
On 4 May 2004 the government of Zimbabwe recalled its officials that were participating in the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM), thereby effectively cancelling the mission.
The Canadian Government announced that it will contribute CAD $ 100 million over two years for the WHO target of treating three million people living with AIDS by the end of 2005.
Preliminary information from the inter-agency assessment of the flooded areas in the Western and North-Western Provinces of Zambia indicates that as many as 26,000 people are affected in the Western Province.
A nationwide survey analysing the linkages between HIV/AIDS, demographic trends and the effects on livelihoods and food security conducted by the Swaziland VAC concluded that the expected demographic transition trends found in developing countries as a result of a shift from high mortality and fertility levels to low mortality and fertility levels will not be obtained in Swaziland due to HIV/AIDS.
The SADC Heads of State and Government Summit on Agriculture and Food Security of 15 May 2004 noted with concern that the total cereal production in the SADC region has remained stagnant for over a decade remaining at the same level in 2003 as it was in 1990, while the population has grown from 152 million to 212 million.
The proposed starting date of the WFP PRRO 10310, Assistance to Populations in Southern Africa Vulnerable to Food Insecurity and the Impact of AIDS, is being postponed to 1 January 2005.
The Global Fund, World Bank, UNICEF have concluded agreements with the Clinton Foundation that will support countries receiving assistance from these organisations to accelerate treatment at considerably reduced rates negotiated by the Clinton Foundation with five ARV manufacturers and five manufacturers of diagnostic test kits.
A study commissioned by FAO/LHOO and carried out by SEI-Oxford concluded that in southern Africa, the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and its immediate adverse impacts on livelihoods and food security constitute a humanitarian emergency, although there is still reluctance in some quarters to declare it as such.
OCHA and UNAIDS have undertaken to assess the status of implementation of the minimum standards of HIV/AIDS in emergency settings, formulated by the IASC, in 8 countries in the region: Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
REGIONAL AND COUNTRY SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENTS
Special Envoy's Mission
A mission of the Special Envoy on Humanitarian Needs in Southern Africa is scheduled to take place between 12 and 23 June. Following up on the recommendations and findings from his previous missions, the Special Envoy will take stock of the humanitarian situation in the region and examine the coordination and programming arrangements, which are progressively established to implement the recommendations of the High Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP) paper, 'Organising the UN response to the Triple Threat of Food Insecurity, Weakened Capacity for Governance and AIDS'. During his mission, the Special Envoy is expected to visit Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The focus in each country will be on consultations with high-level Government representatives, UN Agencies and NGOs in order to discuss key humanitarian issues and help stimulate actions to implement the new HLCP strategy. The Special Envoy will also meet high-level SADC representatives in Gaborone at the beginning of his mission. He will also address high-level UN Agency representatives during a meeting of the UN Regional Directors in Johannesburg on 22 June.
Zimbabwe cancels CFSAM
On 4 May 2004 the government of Zimbabwe recalled its officials that were participating in the FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM). The CFSAM in Zimbabwe started on 30 April and was supposed to have finished its assessments on 11 May. Since the CFSAM is only conducted with the agreement and participation of the Government, this action effectively cancelled the mission.
The United Nations Humanitarian Co-ordinator in Zimbabwe, Mr. Victor Angelo, has underscored the need for well- researched crop production figures for proper planning of programmes. In normal circumstances a joint FAO/WFP and Government of Zimbabwe Crop and Food Supply Assessment is the basis for estimating the size of the harvest. The CFSAM is only conducted with the agreement and participation of the Government. When the crop and food supply assessment does not take place the UN is placed in a much more difficult position in terms of ensuring an adequate response. Should a food assistance need be identified later in the year, and were the Government to issue an appeal at that time, a very rapid response may not be possible. For more information also see www.zimrelief.info
WHO 3x5 initiative receives substantial funding from Canada
The Canadian Government announced that it will contribute CAD $ 100 million over two years to the WHO target of treating three million people living with AIDS by the end of 2005. "Canada has demonstrated vision and leadership in supporting a new initiative" said Dr LEE Jong-Wook, Director-General of WHO.
WHO's 3x5 needs $200 million, over 2004 and 2005. The goal of the programme is to prolong survival and restore quality of life for individuals with HIV/AIDS by progressively providing universal access to ARV as a human right. The largest ARV treatment gap is in Sub-saharan African countries, with only 2% of people needing ARV currently receiving it. For more information about the 3 by 5 initiative, see www.who.int/3by5
Zambia floods
In Zambia, a multi-sectoral Vulnerability Assessment Committee mission composed of representatives from Government Departments, UN Agencies and NGOs conducted an assessment of the flooded areas in the Western and NorthWestern Provinces. Although a full report is awaited, preliminary information indicates that as many as 26,000 people are affected in the Western Province. In one area, Kalabo, as many as 75% of the population may require food aid. Populations are at risk of higher incidence of malaria and diarrhoeal diseases. Partners also fear the spread of contagious diseases among livestock. The full report is expected by the end of May.
Swaziland Vulnerability Assessment Committee's Study to Determine the Links between HIV/AIDS, Current Demographic Status And Livelihoods in Rural Swaziland
The Swaziland Vulnerability Assessment Committee has recently released the results from a nationwide survey that analysed the linkages between HIV/AIDS, the demographic trends of the country and how livelihoods and food security status may be changing as a result. The survey was carried out in rural areas between May and June 2003 in collaboration with the Central Statistics Office. A total of 18,528 households from different regional, agro-ecological and food economy/livelihood areas were included in the study and questioned on household demography, morbidity and mortality levels as well as food and income sources.
The study used morbidity, mortality and orphan levels as proxy indicators of HIV/AIDS impact. The survey found that the expected demographic transition trends found in developing countries as a result of a shift from high mortality and fertility levels to low mortality and fertility levels will not be obtained in Swaziland due to HIV/AIDS. Previously declining mortality levels have increased markedly since the mid-1990s reversing a positive trend of development. Mortality has increased dramatically among the age group 0-4 and the previously healthy age group between 20 and 50. On the other hand, the long-term decline in fertility levels has continued, primarily as a result of normal development processes and is likely to be entrenched by the HIV epidemic. The decline in fertility and the rise in mortality are the main determinants behind the lessening of the population growth rate in Swaziland. Ever-increasing mortality at younger ages has reduced life expectancy, possibly down to as low as 40 years.
The study also confirms that girls and women are suffering the brunt of the disease with much higher levels of chronic illness and projected mortality. Orphan levels in the country were also found high: overall, 3.2% of rural children under 15 years have lost both parents and there are approximately 19,206 (6%) maternal orphans in the rural areas. An initial analysis of the impact of HIV/AIDS on rural livelihood patterns implies that there is a qualitative shift occurring whereby households affected are changing their income sources to compensate for losses of income from crops sales and remittances. In contrast to income sources, household's ranking of the importance of different food sources does not appear to be related to (proxy) HIV/AIDS status. Further analysis of the current data set is recommended to improve our understanding of the impact of HIV/AIDS on rural food security/livelihoods. The full report is available on the SAHIMS website http://www.sahims.net/
(pdf* format - 159 KB)
