News Release WHO/27

GENEVA/MEXICO CITY/NEW YORK, 31 July 2008 - As the world's leaders and AIDS community gather in Mexico for the biennial global conference on HIV and AIDS, UNITAID, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) today announced an infusion of $50 million aimed at halting mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Over the next two years, UNITAID funding will be used to test some 10 million pregnant women for HIV and treat 285 000 mothers and children in nine target countries: Central African Republic, China, Haiti, Lesotho, Myanmar, Nigeria, Swaziland, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

I. HIGHLIGHTS

- SUSTAINED CALM IN NORTHERN UGANDA PROMPTS UPDF WITHDRAWAL FROM IDP CAMPS

- LOW AND UNPREDICTABLE RAINFALL THREATENS FOOD SECURITY IN TESO

- HEPATITIS E OUTBREAK REMAINS UNCONTAINED, BUT STEADY DECLINE IN NUMBER OF NEW CASES

II. SECURITY AND ACCESS

SECURITY

Due to the prevailing stability in the security situation in northern Uganda, the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) have begun withdrawing troops from camps in northern Uganda and redeploying them to border areas and other strategic locations. Special

Les principales activités du HCR Burundi

1. Le rapatriement et la réintégration des réfugiés burundais.

2. Protection et assistance de 32 545* réfugiés et demandeurs d'asile, dont 20 228 Congolais installés dans les camps de Gihinga (Mwaro), de Gasorwe (Muyinga) et de Musasa (Ngozi), et 232 Rwandais dans le camp de Giharo (Rutana). Le HCR au Burundi assiste sous diverses formes et veille également à la protection de quelque 11 753 réfugiés urbains et demandeurs d'asile, dont 99 % sont originaires de la République Démocratique du Congo (RDC)*.

*Chiffre au 30 juin qui peut changer

Introduction

"Where else in the world have there been 20,000 kidnapped children? Where else in the world have 90 per cent of the population in large districts been displaced? Where else in the world do children make up 80 per cent of the terrorist insurgency movement? (...) For me, the situation is a moral outrage... A much bigger international investment [is needed] - in money, in political engagement, in diplomacy and also more concerted efforts to tell the parties there is no military solution... there is a solution through reconciliation, an end to the killing

LRA "letter" says peace negotiations could collapse if new demands aren't met.

By Rosebell Kagumire in Kampala and Peter Eichstaedt in The Hague (AR No. 180, 30-Jul-08)

The Lord's Resistance Army, LRA, is apparently threatening renewed conflict unless it's given financial and practical assistance.

In a letter purportedly from the LRA to Dr Riek Machar, the vice-president of the South Sudan government, which IWPR has obtained, the rebels said they wanted cash and supplies of food, water and medicine before renewed talks can take place - initially scheduled this week.

AFGHANISTAN: Satellite imagery of northern Afghanistan indicates that the ongoing drought is the most severe since 2000. Coupled with high food prices and ongoing conflict, this has contributed to deteriorating food security. The Afghan government and the United Nations have jointly appealed for USD 400 million to address emergency needs. Funding the food security component of this appeal is essential to prevent a humanitarian crisis.

EAST AFRICA: Below-normal March-May rains, crop failure, and high prices threaten food security in much of

SECOND QUARTER REPORT 2008

Introduction

HIV/AIDS and GBV preventive activities are one of the components of the department of Disaster Management whose objective is to increase knowledge, attitude and practice of HIV/AIDS prevention.

The goal of these activities is to contribute towards meeting priority humanitarian needs of IDPs and to the successful return and recovery needs for the conflict affected communities in North and north eastern Uganda.

This activity report covers the implementation period from April to June of HIV/AIDS and GBV activities in Usuk Sub County

Joseph Malinga

Kumi - A poor harvest in Teso has the region worried that famine will soon strike. Almost all crops have failed due to delayed rains, authorities say.

"We are not going to get the expected harvest because of the long dry spell that hit almost all the plantations. The situation is not the best and it leaves us with nothing but with looming hunger. It is not only us here (Kumi) but the problem seems to cut across the whole of Teso," the Chief Administration Officer, Mr Sulaiman Kasozi, said on Tuesday. Katakwi, Amuria, Soroti and Bukedea are

GULU, 25 July 2008 (IRIN) - Ray Apire fought for the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) for 10 years, rising to the position of major and commander, until he surrendered in 2004. Now struggling to live with the people he once terrorised, 50-year-old Apire spoke to IRIN in the northern town of Gulu:

"I was abducted by LRA rebels in 1993 from my home village of Lamola in Kitgum district with two of my brothers, but my younger brother was killed when he tried to run away.

"We were taken to Southern Sudan for training and after the training we came back to Uganda and continued