DAKAR/NIAMEY, 13 June 2013 (IRIN) - West African and Sahel countries are setting up measures to minimize flood damage as the annual rainy season approaches. The African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) in a seasonal weather outlook says near-average or above-average rainfall is likely over the western Sahel, which stretches across Mauritania, Senegal and western and central Niger.

1) The delayed onset of the March-May rainfall has negatively impacted ground conditions over the Belg-producing areas of northern Ethiopia. Despite an increase in rain since mid-April, the accumulated rainfall has remained below-average. Limited rain is forecast over the area during the next outlook period, likely maintaining rainfall deficits.

N°: 158/2013

7 June 2013 [Lagos-Nigeria]

The ECOWAS Commission has called for strong support for the operationalization of its conflict prevention framework, the ECPF, as a major tool for addressing the proximate and structural causes of violent conflicts and the promotion of human security and peace building in the region.

DAKAR / GENÈVE (10 juin 2013) – Plus de 40 parlementaires, acteurs gouvernementaux, et représentants de la société civile et des institutions nationales pour les droits de l'homme se réuniront les 13 et 14 juin à Dakar afin d'identifier les meilleures pratiques visant à mettre en œuvre concrètement le droit de l'homme à une alimentation adéquate dans la région.

6 JUNE 2013 - From 1 January to 12 May 2013 (epidemiologic week 19), 9 249 suspected cases of meningitis, including 857 deaths, with a case fatality ratio of 9.3 percent, have been reported from 18 of the 19 African countries under enhanced surveillance1 for meningitis. The number of cases reported so far are the lowest recorded during the epidemic season in the last ten years2.

Outbreaks of the meningococcal disease have been confirmed in Guinea and South Sudan, where 404 suspected cases3 (38 deaths) and 196 suspected cases (13 deaths) have respectively been notified.

On the occasion of the 38th Annual Meeting of the IDB Board of Governors held in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan, a number of financing agreements have been signed under which the Bank shall participate in financing new development projects in (10) member countries (in addition to the Republic of Kosovo) for a total amount of USD230.9 million , The details are as follows:

1 . The Republic of Tajikistan

Loan for USD10 million, to participate in phase-3 in the Dangara Valley Irrigation Project with the objective of poverty reduction among the population.

West Africa can be divided into three agro-ecological zones or three different trade basins (West Basin, Central Basin and East Basin). Both important for understandin gmarket behavior and dynamics.

Thirty-day rainfall surpluses continue to grow across western Ethiopia and western South Sudan

1) Poorly distributed and significantly below average seasonal rainfall has resulted in deteriorating ground conditions since January. This has negatively impacted crops and livestock throughout many parts of southern Angola and northern Namibia.

Ottawa, Ontario — The Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of International Cooperation, and the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, recognized today the importance of sport and play in improving the education, health and life skills of disadvantaged young people, and highlighted Canada’s commitment to securing the future of children and youth around the globe.