United Front to Help The Poor

Today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will address the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, Republic of Korea.  A united front from the international community needs to happen if the Millennium Development Goals are to be reached.  The forum will be in process until Thursday to discuss the effectiveness of aid and how it is vital for those who are desperately in need.  The forum will focus on how aid will be delivered, how MGDs will be achieved, and measures to help reduce maternal mortality and severe poverty.  It is known that a worldwide economic crisis is underway, but by no means is it an excuse to hide behind it.  Now is the time to come together and live up to your commitments.  

-Georisa Chang

SOURCES: UN News Center

Food Crisis in East Africa Was Preventable

The drought in East Africa is a very severe humanitarian crisis. However, it highlights the underlying problems that people face in developing countries. Preventive measures are needed.

It was well known that the failing rains would affect farmers and communities. Yet governments did nothing to protect them. As a result, their lives are being devastated along with the well-being of the country.

The plans that were made to protect them, were not good enough. Harvests have failed and the number of livestock has fallen.

This food crisis was not inevitable and solutions exist to ensure that this type of crisis is avoided in the future. It should be a wake up call to other governments.

Governments and other organizations need to plan for the future now. This includes investing in small scale food producers, protecting land rights, and providing farmers with the support they need to cope with the changing climate. Communities need to have a say in these types of decisions, which strongly affect them.

"It is not a coincidence that the worst affected by this crisis are those who have been most neglected. In a world with enough to eat there is no good reason why anyone should go hungry."

-Gabrielle Gurian

SOURCE: OXFAM

The EU Looks At The Effectiveness Of Its Aid

Many believe that the United States is the world's largest provider of Official Development Assistance (ODA), also known as "Overseas Aid." However, The European Union takes the cake, providing over $72 billion in aid overseas, double that of the United States.

At the same time, the aid that is channeled through the EU Commission has been criticized for not being focused enough to effectively alleviate poverty.

On the up side, the Commission is actively seeking to address this issue by looking at ways to increase the impact of its development policy. Early this year the Commission ran a "consultation process" and groups such as NGOs and non-profits were able to submit comments on how the EU should approach and revise their policy.

Two hundred groups made submissions, which the EU consolidated in a report that was released last week. After the report has been debated, the revised policy could have a huge impact on poverty reduction.

Some of the top options put forth by respondents are below:

1. Economic growth is necessary for development but that growth alone may not lead to poverty reduction.

2. NGOs pointed out that redistribution policies and social protection systems are important to monitor whether the poorest are benefitting from growth.

3. Overseas aid should be primarily provided to the least developed countries.

4. There needs to be greater coherence between development and other EU policies such as trade.

5. There needs to be better coordination with recipient countries domestic resources.

6. Increase support for small and medium size enterprises, especially in the agricultural sector.

7. Climate change adaptions should be a priority.

8. Plans to have sustainable agriculture and food security should be a priority for EU assistance.

9. EU development plans should align with recipient countries priorities and be approached as partnerships.

10. ODA should be long term, focused and reliable.

-Gabrielle Gurian

SOURCE: ONE.ORG