Millions for bird flu control
A £3,9 million (approximately R54 million) project was launched last week to help poor farmers in developing countries safeguard their livelihoods in the event of future outbreaks of bird flu. The International Food Policy Research Institute and the International Livestock Research Institute are jointly spearheading this research in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Mali and Nigeria, where experts will identify strategies, such as farmer compensation schemes, that can both control the disease and protect poor households from losing critical sources of income. – Staff reporter
Prayers for air crash victims
Kenyans last week Monday observed a national day of prayer and mourning for the victims of the Kenya Airways aircraft that plunged into a swamp in Douala, Cameroon on May 4, killing all 114 people on board. Churches held special prayers on Sunday for the family members of those who perished in the ill-fated plane. In a press statement on Sunday, Kenyan government spokesperson Dr Alfred Mutua said prayers would begin on Monday at 11am in Kenya at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre. (See report on this page.) – Staff reporter
Africa unite, say leaders
On the fringes of the African Union (AU) ministerial retreat in Durban, prominent African leaders have spoken of a stronger, renewed continent following its integration. African ministers of foreign affairs from 52 AU member states have been meeting just outside the continent’s largest port city since Monday, in preparation for the AU heads of state and government summit set for Ghana in July. The hot issue on their agenda has been the so-called grand debate on an AU government, representing a unified, fully integrated continent. Integration, in the form of an African Union government, said AU executive committee chairperson Nana Akufo-Addo, would place Africans “in a position to exploit the great resources both in people and matter that Africa has”. – BuaNews
