The State of the “Sub-Saharan Africa” – Growth Outlook
According to the 2008 World Economic Outlook1 released by the International Monetary Fund this past April, the GDP for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) which includes the Great Lakes, Southern Africa, the Horn of Africa, South Africa, the West and Central Africa is projected to be 6.8 per cent for 2008 compared to 3.4 per cent in 2005 2. Some of the countries leading the pact are Angola with 16 per cent, Nigeria 9.1 per cent, the Democratic Republic of Congo 8.8 per cent and Ethiopia 8.4 percent.
The implementation of economic reforms and the strengthening of financial conditions in this region have seen foreign direct investment (FDI), useful indicators of economic health and investments appeal, remaining relatively strong since 20062. In 2007, the rise of investments for Africa accounted more than $37 billions in both FDI and through Mergers and Acquisitions. This inflow of foreign direct investment is geographical and selective, largely concentrated in the petroleum and manufacturing sectors. The global credit market crunch will impact the inflows of FDI to the region for the rest of the year if conditions remain unchanged.
An interesting initiative announced by the World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick known as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Plus Plus (EITI++)3 last April, would help developing countries manage and transform their natural resource wealth into long-term economic growth that spreads the benefits more fairly among their people. With commodity price being at historic highs, many Sub-Saharan Africa nations must consider taking this opportunity to strengthen their balance sheet.
Although the region has seen some stability in its GDP since 20061, political and security risks remain. The insecurity of the Democratic Republic of Congo in its eastern region, or the political mayhem in Kenya could have tremendous impact in the Great Lakes region and could leads to its downfall.
The region outlook is on a positive trend as long as these countries continue to implement and strengthen sound macroeconomic policy framework, take advantages of the many opportunities offered by globalization, continue investing in infrastructures, institutions and human resources, diversify their economy and technology in order to remain on this up trend of growth and competitiveness in this global market.
By and large, Africa has come a long way and many challenges remain ahead. Overcoming them will require persistence, patience and pride of ownership of development.
References used:
1 April 2008 IMF – World Economic Outlook
2 United Nations Conference On Trade and Development - 2007 Economic Development In Africa
3 WorldBank.Org
4 Congo Magazine
Showing posts with label africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label africa. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Ironing.... Cameroon
Geraldine Sirri was only nine years old when her mother started daily massaging her pre-pubescent breasts with a blazing hot stone to keep them flat -- and keep men's eyes and hands off her daughter. One-quarter of all Cameroonian women are said to have been victims of this painful "breast-ironing", as it is known.But ironically, the tradition was a mystery to many in the West African nation until a recent campaign to stop the potentially dangerous practice, aimed at delaying a young girl's natural development.Geraldine, now 19, will never forget those "very painful massages" her worried and otherwise well-intentioned mother administered with a "pestle heated on a fire", she says."After six days of massage with the hot pestle, she'd switch to another instrument, like a coconut shell, which would also be heated over the fire," she says."The practice involves using heated objects to massage the breasts to make them disappear," says Germaine Ngo'o, co-author of a joint Cameroon-German study on the issue.Ariane, who did not give her last name, recalls similar trauma, only that her mother's instrument was a stone dipped into scalding water and then used to "practically crush my breasts"."After that, my breasts would be wrapped with a stretchy fabric called a 'breast-band'. The aim of this practice was to keep my chest flat so I would not attract men," she says.The campaign, like the study, is a joint effort involving the Germany Agency for Technical Cooperation, an international group for sustainable development that works mainly for the German government.
The agency works with the National Network of the Associations of Aunties (Renata), one of what are said to be many home-grown women's support groups in this country of 17,3-million just south of Nigeria.The campaign's pamphlets and posters were designed to warn about the dangers of a questionable practice -- but also exposed what turned out to be a national secret."I couldn't believe that such a practice existed. I never before heard about this 'breast-ironing'," says one university professor."In my tribe, there was never any such phenomenon and even with my girlfriends, it never came up in conversation," says an equally incredulous Georgette, a restaurant manager who gave only her first name."But it nonetheless is a practice that affects one girl in four," says Ngo'o. "Twenty-four percent of all the girls in Cameroon have been subjected to this phenomenon and carry the consequences."Bessem Ebanga, executive secretary of Renata and herself a victim of breast-ironing, said the practice occurs in all the country's 10 provinces, crossing religious and ethnic bounds."Though the top prize goes to Littoral province where it affects 52% of all girls," she says. "The aim of Renata is to prevent young girls from being subjected to what we were."Unlike many African countries, Cameroon enjoys relative political stability and has a highly rated educational system and one of Africa's highest literacy rates. But on the social spectrum, teenage pregnancy is a real problem here, as elsewhere in the region."It's all because breasts are a sign of puberty and that worries parents," says Flavien Ndonko, Ngo'o's co-author. "Our study found that the practice of breast-ironing exists in practically all tribes, using objects as diverse as stones, spatulas, herbs, pestles, or heated banana peels."Beyond the uncertainty of whether it works, "the practice generally traumatises the young girl and creates other problems", says Ndonko, citing a litany of "infections, cysts and even cancer", while other victims later find they are unable to breastfeed their babies."The breast is a sign of growth and it is useless, even dangerous to attack the physical integrity of a young girl," says Ndonko.The campaign's slogan says it all: "Breasts, a gift from God. Let them develop naturally."
-- Sapa-AFP
The agency works with the National Network of the Associations of Aunties (Renata), one of what are said to be many home-grown women's support groups in this country of 17,3-million just south of Nigeria.The campaign's pamphlets and posters were designed to warn about the dangers of a questionable practice -- but also exposed what turned out to be a national secret."I couldn't believe that such a practice existed. I never before heard about this 'breast-ironing'," says one university professor."In my tribe, there was never any such phenomenon and even with my girlfriends, it never came up in conversation," says an equally incredulous Georgette, a restaurant manager who gave only her first name."But it nonetheless is a practice that affects one girl in four," says Ngo'o. "Twenty-four percent of all the girls in Cameroon have been subjected to this phenomenon and carry the consequences."Bessem Ebanga, executive secretary of Renata and herself a victim of breast-ironing, said the practice occurs in all the country's 10 provinces, crossing religious and ethnic bounds."Though the top prize goes to Littoral province where it affects 52% of all girls," she says. "The aim of Renata is to prevent young girls from being subjected to what we were."Unlike many African countries, Cameroon enjoys relative political stability and has a highly rated educational system and one of Africa's highest literacy rates. But on the social spectrum, teenage pregnancy is a real problem here, as elsewhere in the region."It's all because breasts are a sign of puberty and that worries parents," says Flavien Ndonko, Ngo'o's co-author. "Our study found that the practice of breast-ironing exists in practically all tribes, using objects as diverse as stones, spatulas, herbs, pestles, or heated banana peels."Beyond the uncertainty of whether it works, "the practice generally traumatises the young girl and creates other problems", says Ndonko, citing a litany of "infections, cysts and even cancer", while other victims later find they are unable to breastfeed their babies."The breast is a sign of growth and it is useless, even dangerous to attack the physical integrity of a young girl," says Ndonko.The campaign's slogan says it all: "Breasts, a gift from God. Let them develop naturally."
-- Sapa-AFP
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Fistula...
Fistula used to be present in the U.S. and Europe, but was largely eliminated in the latter part of the 19th century and early 20th century with improved obstetric care in general and the use of c-sections in particular to relieve obstructed labor.
The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 2 million women have untreated fistula and that approximately 100,000 women develop fistula each year. Fistula is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
In Ethiopia, alone, there are an estimated 100,000 women suffering with untreated fistula, and another 9,000 women who develop fistula each year.
Less than 6 in 10 women in developing countries give birth with any trained professional, such as a midwife or a doctor. In Ethiopia, only 1 in 10 women have a trained attendant. When complications arise, as they do in approximately 15% of all births, there is no one available to treat the woman, leading to disabling injuries like fistula, and even death.
The root causes of fistula are grinding poverty and the low status of women and girls. In Ethiopia, the poverty and malnutrition in children contributes to the condition of stunting, where the girl skeleton, and therefore pelvis as well, do not fully mature. This stunted condition can contribute to obstructed labor, and therefore fistula.
But, fistula is both preventable and treatable. The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital has treated over 30,000 women over 33 years. Their cure rate is over 90%. Fistula can be prevented if laboring women are provided with adequate emergency obstetric care when complications arise.
Q & A : Fistula
Q:
Can fistula be "cured"?
A:
Yes. An obstetric fistula can be closed with intravaginal surgery. If her surgery is performed by a skilled surgeon, a fistula patient has a good chance of returning to a normal life with full control of her bodily functions. The Fistula Hospital has a 93% success/cure rate.
Q:
How much does it cost to treat a fistula?
A:
At the Hamlin Fistula Hospitals, it costs US$450 to provide one woman with a fistula repair operation, high-quality postoperative care, a new dress, and bus fare home.
Q:
What are the causes of obstetric fistula?
A:
A fistula results from an obstructed labor that is left unrelieved and untreated. It is estimated that 5% of all pregnant women worldwide will experience obstructed labor. In the United States and other affluent countries, emergency obstetric care is readily available. In many developing countries where there are few hospitals, few doctors, and poor transportation systems, and where women are not highly valued, obstructed labor often results in death of the mother. When she survives, there is a great likelihood her child will die and she will develop a fistula. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), there are three delays that contribute to the development of a fistula: delay in seeking medical attention; delay in reaching a medical facility; and delay in receiving medical care once arriving at a health care facility.
Q:
I heard that fistulas are a result of female genital mutilation. Is this true?
A:
While harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) are rightly of concern to the international medical community, they are not major contributors to the development of an obstetric fistula. Some patients at the Hamlin Fistula Hospitals have been victims of FGM, but their fistulas are almost always caused by an obstructed labor resulting from a too-small pelvis or a malpresentation of the baby. FGM does not "cause" a fistula.
Q:
How many women does this problem affect?
A:
Because fistula affects women in the most remote regions of the world, an accurate count is very hard to achieve. The most common estimate is that 100,000 women worldwide develop fistulas every year, though some estimates put the number closer to 500,000. Experts at the Hamlin Fistula Hospitals estimate that there are approximately 9,000 new cases of fistula every year in Ethiopia alone. Because most fistula sufferers are young women—many still in their teens—they are likely to live with their condition for upwards of 25 years. By any estimate, there are at least two million women currently living with fistula throughout the developing world. The world capacity to treat fistula is estimated at 6,500 fistula repair surgeries per year.
Q:
Where is fistula prevalent?
A:
There is a high incidence of fistula in Africa and parts of Asia, but women are susceptible to developing fistulas wherever there are insufficient emergency obstetric care systems.
Q:
Can fistula be prevented?
A:
Any woman who can gain access to emergency obstetric care such as a cesarean section will not develop a fistula. This is why Hamlin Fistula Hospitals are building new small hospitals in five Ethiopian provinces to increase the capacity of regional hospitals to provide fistula repair surgery and quality emergency obstetric care.
The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 2 million women have untreated fistula and that approximately 100,000 women develop fistula each year. Fistula is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
In Ethiopia, alone, there are an estimated 100,000 women suffering with untreated fistula, and another 9,000 women who develop fistula each year.
Less than 6 in 10 women in developing countries give birth with any trained professional, such as a midwife or a doctor. In Ethiopia, only 1 in 10 women have a trained attendant. When complications arise, as they do in approximately 15% of all births, there is no one available to treat the woman, leading to disabling injuries like fistula, and even death.
The root causes of fistula are grinding poverty and the low status of women and girls. In Ethiopia, the poverty and malnutrition in children contributes to the condition of stunting, where the girl skeleton, and therefore pelvis as well, do not fully mature. This stunted condition can contribute to obstructed labor, and therefore fistula.
But, fistula is both preventable and treatable. The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital has treated over 30,000 women over 33 years. Their cure rate is over 90%. Fistula can be prevented if laboring women are provided with adequate emergency obstetric care when complications arise.
Q & A : Fistula
Q:
Can fistula be "cured"?
A:
Yes. An obstetric fistula can be closed with intravaginal surgery. If her surgery is performed by a skilled surgeon, a fistula patient has a good chance of returning to a normal life with full control of her bodily functions. The Fistula Hospital has a 93% success/cure rate.
Q:
How much does it cost to treat a fistula?
A:
At the Hamlin Fistula Hospitals, it costs US$450 to provide one woman with a fistula repair operation, high-quality postoperative care, a new dress, and bus fare home.
Q:
What are the causes of obstetric fistula?
A:
A fistula results from an obstructed labor that is left unrelieved and untreated. It is estimated that 5% of all pregnant women worldwide will experience obstructed labor. In the United States and other affluent countries, emergency obstetric care is readily available. In many developing countries where there are few hospitals, few doctors, and poor transportation systems, and where women are not highly valued, obstructed labor often results in death of the mother. When she survives, there is a great likelihood her child will die and she will develop a fistula. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), there are three delays that contribute to the development of a fistula: delay in seeking medical attention; delay in reaching a medical facility; and delay in receiving medical care once arriving at a health care facility.
Q:
I heard that fistulas are a result of female genital mutilation. Is this true?
A:
While harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) are rightly of concern to the international medical community, they are not major contributors to the development of an obstetric fistula. Some patients at the Hamlin Fistula Hospitals have been victims of FGM, but their fistulas are almost always caused by an obstructed labor resulting from a too-small pelvis or a malpresentation of the baby. FGM does not "cause" a fistula.
Q:
How many women does this problem affect?
A:
Because fistula affects women in the most remote regions of the world, an accurate count is very hard to achieve. The most common estimate is that 100,000 women worldwide develop fistulas every year, though some estimates put the number closer to 500,000. Experts at the Hamlin Fistula Hospitals estimate that there are approximately 9,000 new cases of fistula every year in Ethiopia alone. Because most fistula sufferers are young women—many still in their teens—they are likely to live with their condition for upwards of 25 years. By any estimate, there are at least two million women currently living with fistula throughout the developing world. The world capacity to treat fistula is estimated at 6,500 fistula repair surgeries per year.
Q:
Where is fistula prevalent?
A:
There is a high incidence of fistula in Africa and parts of Asia, but women are susceptible to developing fistulas wherever there are insufficient emergency obstetric care systems.
Q:
Can fistula be prevented?
A:
Any woman who can gain access to emergency obstetric care such as a cesarean section will not develop a fistula. This is why Hamlin Fistula Hospitals are building new small hospitals in five Ethiopian provinces to increase the capacity of regional hospitals to provide fistula repair surgery and quality emergency obstetric care.
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