December 2014 www.un.org/africarenewal Improving maternal health in Africa Sustainable Development Goals promise for Africa SPECIAL COVERAGE ON EBOLA: How people’s lives are changing CONTENTS December 2014 | Vol. 28 No. 3 10 SPECIAL FEATURE EBOLA Ebola: A wake-up call for leaders 12 Ebola: Fighting a deadly virus 14 Liberians say ‘no’ to hugs and handshakes to keep Ebola at bay Ebola disruption could spark new food crisis 15 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attends High-Level 16 Ebola Infographic: Facts & Figures meeting on Ebola at the World Bank. UNMEER 17 Ebola threatens economic gains in affected countries 18 Interview: David Nabarro, UN Special Envoy on Ebola ALSO IN THIS IssUE Editor-in-Chief 5 Improving maternal health in Africa Masimba Tafirenyika 6 Financing Africa’s massive projects Managing Editor 8 West Africa: New railway network to boost inter-regional trade Zipporah Musau 22 AGOA: The US–Africa trade dilemma Staff Writers 24 African leaders laud Climate Summit Kingsley Ighobor 26 Sustainable Development Goals: New targets hold promise for Africa Franck Kuwonu Research & Media Liaison DEPARTMENTS Pavithra Rao 3 Watch Design & Production 29 Wired Paddy D. Ilos, II 30 Appointments Administration 31 Books Bo Li Distribution Cover photo: A baby and her mother in Niger. UNICEF/Nyani Quarmyne Atar Markman Intern Africa Renewal is published in English and French organizations. Articles from this magazine may be Ying Zhao-Hiemann by the Strategic Communications Division of the freely reprinted, with attribution to the author and United Nations Department of Public Information. to “United Nations Africa Renewal,” and a copy Its contents do not necessarily reflect the views of of the reproduced article would be appreciated. Africa Renewal is published by the United the United Nations or the publication’s supporting Copyrighted photos may not be reproduced. Nations, New York, on recycled paper. Address correspondence to: Subscribe to Africa Renewal The Editor, Africa Renewal Africa Renewal offers free subscriptions to Room S-1032 individual readers. Please send your request to www.un.org/africarenewal United Nations, NY 10017-2513, USA, Circulation at the address to the left or by e-mail to Tel: (212) 963-6857, Fax: (212) 963-4556 [email protected]. Institutional subscriptions facebook.com/africarenewal are available for thirty-five US dollars, payable by international money order or a cheque in US dollars E-mail: [email protected] drawn on a US bank, to the “United Nations” and twitter.com/africarenewal sent to Circulation at the address to the left. 2 AfricaRenewal December 2014 AfrICA WATCH begin to reach its potential, states the World Bank. Even as it explores new oil sources, the World Bank also advises the Congolese government to invest heavily in infra- structure in order to boost the growth of non-extractive sectors. Overall, the bank believes the country could witness impressive economic growth in the years to come. Stepping up efforts to end violence against women in Africa A gas station in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. Alamy/MJ Photography By Ying M. Zhao-Hiemann per day, which is shipped to China, the he International Day for the Encouraging European Union and the United States, TElimination of Violence against according to the Global Trade Atlas, an Women observed on 25 November marks signs for the online organization that provides informa- an important occasion to reflect on the tion on trade statistics. current state of sexual violence in Africa. Republic of Over-reliance on a single commodity Being one of the most severe forms of has its drawbacks, economists warn. gender-based violence, sexual violence, Congo’s economy Already, there is a decline in Congo’s which includes rape, gang rape and sexual maturing oil fields, which will lead to a slavery, is widespread in times of conflict, By Pavithra Rao decrease in production for the short term. post-conflict and displacement. However, the government is moving fast “From Nigeria to Somalia to Mali, espite a recent of history of ethnic to supplement this decrease by issuing we are seeing a heightening of targeted D and political tensions, including a new onshore and offshore exploitation violence against women, girls and their civil war over its highly-prized natural licences. The U.S. Energy Information communities as extremists take control of resources, the Republic of Congo’s Administration states that 10 onshore and territory,” Ms. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, economy is set for impressive growth, offshore oil blocks are being awarded this Executive Director of UN Women, according to economists. An economic year. The recent drop in the international recently told the UN Security Council. forecast of 7.6% growth over the next price of oil to below $80 per barrel by last In 2014 alone, several such incidents three years will be propelled by abundant November is expected to impact negatively made international headlines. In April, natural resources, including oil, natural on Congo’s oil. 200 school girls from Chibok in northeast gas and diamonds. Congo’s growth is In addition to the volatility in the oil Nigeria were kidnapped by Boko Haram, expected to help dent poverty in the industry, the World Bank says obstacles to a militant Islamist group, and have not country, which the World Bank says Congo’s growth include uneven distribu- been released to date. In November, more is about 70%. tion of resources between infrastructure than 200 women and girls in Tabit, North The Republic of Congo is one of and the social sectors, poor absorptive Darfur in Sudan, were reported to have sub-Saharan Africa’s top five major oil capacity in investment spending and been mass raped, causing a new wave of producers, according to the International a weak expenditure chain. Congo has international concern. The UN Security Monetary Fund. Oil is the country’s also been criticised for earmarking $60 Council called for a thorough investigation dominant income-generating source. In million for the 2015 All Africa Games in into the incident. fact, in 2011, oil accounted for nearly 80% Brazzaville, its capital city, despite its high “It is critical that in the process of of the country’s total revenue. It currently poverty. The country must address these verifying the facts that the safety of produces around 250,000 barrels of crude problems, first and foremost, before it can survivors is of paramount concern,” said AfricaRenewal December 2014 3 QUOTABLES UN Photo/JC McIlwaine Photo/JC UN Women in North Darfur, Sudan, march for “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence”. Countries like Liberia UN Photo/Albert González Farran need long-term investment to build up our health Zainab Hawa Bangura, the UN Special on Human Rights Day (1 December). The systems to prevent [Ebola] Representative on Sexual Violence women were joined by staff members of outbreaks of this scale from in Conflict. the African Union, UNAMID and govern- ever happening again. We During her earlier mission to South ment officials. owe it to the thousands of Sudan, Ms. Bangura was appalled by the Meanwhile, in East Africa, UN citizens and health workers extent of sexual violence in the country, Women and the Kenya Red Cross are who have so far lost their where it is frequently used as a political jointly implementing a livelihood project lives to be prepared. tool and weapon of war. to help displaced Somali women in the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the “What I witnessed in Bentiu is the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya, helping Republic of Liberia worst I have seen in my almost 30 years them to earn a living through agriculture of dealing with this issue,” said Ms. and fend for themselves. In addition, UN Bangura, commenting on an incident Women, the UN agency on gender issues, This is the beginning of during which hundreds of civilians were is also supporting a healing project run the liberation of women in massacred in April 2014 and many more by the Somalia Youth Development Kenya. It has started now were raped. Network to train community leaders to and it will not stop. It must The UN has a series of initiatives to conduct healing forums for former rape be respected. We should not help address incidents of sexual violence victims in the Benadir Region. be humiliated. My dress in conflict, post-conflict and displace- UN Women partners with govern- is my choice. ment situations, by increasing women’s ments, UN agencies, civil society organi- Diana Rose Okello, a key protester in the #MyDressMyChoice protests, held political participation and economic zations and other institutions to advocate to challenge an attack on a woman independence, as well as offering them for ending violence, increase awareness of wearing a miniskirt who was stripped victim counselling services. the causes and consequences of violence naked in downtown Nairobi To address the importance of and build capacity of partners to gender perspectives in peace processes, prevent and respond to violence. [Ebola] underscores how UNAMID organized a Global Open The gender agency also important it is to continue to Day in El Fasher on 20 November 2014. supports expanding access push forward until we stamp The forum brought together more than to quality social services to out this disease entirely in 140 women representatives from the survivors covering safety, that region. Until we do, five Darfur states to discuss the role of shelter, health, justice and there are threats of addi- women in peace, urging all parties “to other essential services. tional outbreaks, and given take special measures to protect women Policy guidance helps to step the nature of international and girls from gender-based violence.” up investments in prevention— travel, everybody has some The women later marched to mark “16 the most cost-effective, measure of risk.” Days of Activism against Gender-Based long-term means Barack Obama, President Violence”, an annual campaign that starts to stop violence of the United States on the International Day to End Violence against of America Against Women (25 November) and ends women.