Foreword from the Chief Executive Officer

1. Country Profile

The Republic of Sierra Leone is a picturesque country on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean with a population of a little more than six million. Its location historically made Sierra Leone the centre of trade and colonial administration in the region. Sierra Leone became independent in 1961.

Sierra Leone has a tropical climate and a diverse nature ranging from savannah to rainforests. Rich in minerals, the country has relied on mining for its economic base, especially diamonds

By all indications, and from the evidence gathered for this year's Diamonds and Human Security Annual Review, the Kimberley Process (KP), designed to halt and prevent the return of "conflict diamonds", is failing. The cost of a collapse would be disastrous for an industry that benefits so many countries, and for the millions of people in developing countries who depend, directly and indirectly on it. A criminalized diamond economy would re-emerge and conflict diamonds could

West Africa* is arguably the poorest and least stable area on earth. It is also afflicted by a number of transnational trafficking flows, attracted by and aggravating the special vulnerability of this region. This report examines these flows in a similar way, looking at the potential impact on the rule of law, with an eye to facilitating comparison and prioritization.

The flows examined are:

- Cocaine from South America to Europe

- Oil from Nigeria to the world

- Cigarettes from Europe and Asia to West and North Africa

- Counterfeit medicines from Asia to

On World Malaria Day in 2009, just over 600 days remain until 31 December 2010, UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon's deadline for all endemic countries to achieve universal coverage with essential malaria control interventions.(1) Data presented here highlight major signs of progress across Africa toward this goal.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that between 190 and 330 million malaria episodes occurred in 2006, resulting in nearly 1 million deaths. About 90 per cent of all malaria

Les preuves scientifiques s'accumulent qui démontrent qu'en combinant la distribution de moustiquaires avec des campagnes de suivi menées au sein des populations par des volontaires formés, il est possible de réduire de manière significative l'incidence du paludisme. Associer aux programmes de distribution de moustiquaires des activités de soutien et de formation est essentiel pour venir en aide aux groupes les plus vulnérables (notamment les personnes qui vivent dans des endroits reculés, les réfugiés, les personnes victimes d'opprobre et de discrimination)

Part I: Operational Requirements and Shortfalls

Overview of the 2008 Programme of Work

As the second semester of 2008 begins, the World Food Programme continues to focus its attention on the more than 81 million beneficiaries requiring food assistance. The total cost of 2008 activities is just over US$4.78 billion. Considering carry-over stocks and resources mobilized so far in 2008, and considering US$1 billion for prepositioning of food stocks for 2009, the total shortfall at this time of the year is US$2.71 billion.

Malnutrition remains the world's most serious health problem and the single biggest contributor to child mortality. Nearly one-third of children in the developing world are either underweight or stunted, and more than 30 percent of the developing world's population suffers from micronutri-ent deficiencies. Unless policies and priorities are changed, the scale of the problem will prevent many countries from achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) -- especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, where malnutrition is increasing, and in South Asia, where malnutrition