In 2003 the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) was established by the assembly of the African Union (AU) aiming to raise agricultural productivity by at least 6% per year and increasing public investment in agriculture to 10% of national budgets per year. After an initial phase focused primarily on interventions at the national level, there is growing awareness on the need to work more on the regional dimensions of the CAADP.

The paper develops indicators to look at the performance of the irrigation sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, where demand for food is high and irrigation has a proven potential to boost levels of agricultural productivity. By looking at six indicator categories-institutional framework, water resource use, irrigation area, irrigation technology, agricultural productivity, and poverty and food security-we assess the potential for improving performance in the agricultural food security sector through increasing irrigation sector investments. The indicators on water

Introduction
This is an initial report from the Tsunami Evaluation Coalition (TEC). The TEC is a collaborative effort by aid agencies (donor governments’ aid departments, United Nations agencies, non-governmental organisations, and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement) to improve humanitarian systems by learning from the response to the earthquake and tsunamis of 26 December 2004. Another aim of the TEC is to provide some accountability for the humanitarian system to both the giving and receiving publics.

Francisco Rey Marcos

Tras cada gran desastre - y no cabe duda de que el maremoto que ha asolado el sur de Asia ha sido una de las más grandes tragedias de las =FAltimas décadas -, y una vez puestas en marcha las prioritarias tareas de ayuda de emergencia, surgen en las organizaciones humanitaria y de desarrollo las mismas preguntas. =BFHubiera podido evitarse el desastre? =BFHubieran podido, al menos, mitigarse sus efectos? =BFEstamos actuando correctamente en el planteamiento de la rehabilitación y reconstrucción?

Summary
Almost three weeks since the tsunami disaster struck on 26 December 2004, more than one million people living in the Indian Ocean region remain displaced. The appalling death toll could still increase, unless the humanitarian response reaches all those in need with appropriate life-saving assistance.

Beyond the immediate threats to life, the disaster may reduce nearly two million people to poverty, unless the massive reconstruction effort of the next few months and years specifically aims to reduce poverty.

The humanitarian crisis of the tsunami

Consultant and writer Nick Cater warns that undermining U.N. relief coordination efforts will be both costly and shortsighted.

The peak of a massive disaster is no time to deliberately undermine the one body charged with coordinating a global response to such a crisis.

In its warped response to the Asian tsunami catastrophe, the United States is seeking not to support and foster the United Nations but to damage its political credibility and destroy its vital capacities in disaster management.

U.S. President George W. Bush and his