Genetically engineered mosquitoes have been released in the tiny East African country of Djibouti to combat a surge in malaria infections caused by an invasive vector. This initiative started on Thursday, comes as Djibouti, one of Africa’s smallest nations with just over a million residents, grapples with a dramatic increase in malaria cases, skyrocketing from just 27 in 2012 to more than 70,000 in recent years, according to the WHO. The health body attributes the spike to the arrival of Anopheles stephensi, an invasive Asian mosquito species that transmit the deadly disease. (Garowe)
UN expresses concern for stranded Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia
The United Nations has voiced renewed concerns about the dire situation facing a large group of Sudanese refugees who fled their camp in a volatile region of northern Ethiopia nearly a month ago and are still living on the side of the road.
Approximately 1,000 individuals left the Awlala refugee settlement in the Amhara region on May 1st due to fears for their safety, prompted by reports of armed robberies, shootings, and alleged abductions in the area. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), some of the displaced refugees have now begun a hunger strike as their precarious situation drags on.
The UN has expressed growing alarm over the plight of these vulnerable Sudanese refugees, who were forced to abandon their camp and are now stranded without proper shelter, food, or access to essential services. Humanitarian agencies are urging the Ethiopian government to intervene and provide assistance to these refugees who find themselves in an increasingly desperate predicament. (UN News)
IMF executive board concludes the first review of the extended credit facility for Somalia
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the first review of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement for Somalia. The Board’s decision enables the immediate disbursement of SDR 7.5 million (about US$ 10 million), which will be channeled for budget support, bringing Somalia’s total disbursement under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) to SDR 37.5 million (about US$ 50 million).
Somalia’s ECF arrangement was originally approved by the Executive Board on December 19, 2023. The program supports the authorities’ reform strategy, after achieving the completion point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, to further strengthen key economic institutions and promote macroeconomic stability and growth. This is in line with Somalia’s national development plan and the government’s long-term vision to maintain economic stability, strengthen revenues and public financial management, promote financial deepening, improve governance, and enhance statistics. (Press Release)
Beyond GDP measurements, carefully designed nature-based solutions could accelerate development and social equity – ECA’s Antonio Pedro
Nature-based solutions present a unique way for Africa to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs and Agenda 2063 while contributing to the conservation of continent’s rich biodiversity, promoting ecological connectivity, and enhancing climate resilience, said Antonio Pedro, Deputy Executive Secretary, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), today at the African Natural Capital Alliance Annual Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Speaking leaders in the financial markets sector, Mr. Pedro said, “With careful design of its development pathway, Africa can harness the value of its natural resources through responsible management practices that recognize planetary boundaries and balance economic growth with environmental conservation and social equity, beyond GDP metrics.”
Referencing a study by the ECA and Dalberg, Mr. Pedro said Africa could mobilize $82 billion per annum if the price of carbon reached $120 per tonne of CO2. However, there is a need to eliminate market fragmentation and invest in building high integrity carbon credit markets. (Press Release)
