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This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
In this section:
Central America Readies for Trade
Trade Hub Opening Lauded
Teams Sent to Mali Yellow Fever Region
Embassy: Early Warning Helps Save Lives
Africa Receives Food Aid
Africa at Risk for Avian Flu, Say Officials
Central America Readies for Trade
MIAMI—USAID has given a $286,000 grant to Florida
International University’s College of Business Administration
to train business executives from the six countries partaking
in the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) so they
could take advantage of it.
CAFTA, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2006, is a trade and
investment agreement between the United States and Costa Rica,
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican
Republic.
All but Costa Rica have ratified the treaty; the U.S. Congress
approved CAFTA in July.
The grant will allow the business college to establish an
export-training program for executives from small and medium
businesses from the six CAFTA countries. The main topics include
how to tackle the U.S. market—from the ins and outs of
dealing with shipping and custom brokers to strategies on
selling to wholesale and retail outlets.
Trade Hub Opening Lauded
DAKAR, Senegal—The latest West Africa trade
hub opened here Nov. 8, to high expectations that it will
promote improvements in Africa’s trade capacity, boost
international exports, and help businesses take advantage
of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
This is the fourth USAID-funded trade hub. The others are
in Botswana, Kenya, and Ghana.
The Dakar hub, located in the Mamelles District, will include
work in the fish and seafood sector, and will begin preparing
West African fish and seafood exporters to exhibit in the
2006 International Boston Seafood Show. It will also look
at identifying other sectors in which it can boost trade.
“The United States continues to demonstrate worldwide
leadership in expanding trade with Africa through the African
Growth and Opportunity Act,” said Assistant Administrator
Lloyd O. Pierson. “The new trade hub in Dakar is a gateway
to the global marketplace, as well as a bridge to jobs and
personal opportunity. With the rebounding of the global economy
and the continued growth of responsible and representative
governments, much of Africa is poised to see more robust economic
growth in the years ahead.”
Under AGOA, eligible countries can export almost any product
to the U.S. duty-free.
In 2005, the West Africa trade hub in Ghana generated more
than $1 million in new exports to the United States, with
another $9 million of exports pending.
Teams Sent to Mali Yellow Fever Region
BAMAKO, Mali—The World Health Organization (WHO)
confirmed a yellow fever epidemic in the Kayes region of western
Mali in mid-November. The Malian government reported 14 suspected
yellow fever deaths and 21 suspected cases recorded between
Oct. 7 and 27.
USAID is responding as well by helping the government improve
its surveillance systems. Technical assistance is being provided
to the Ministry of Health, and a plan is being designed to
respond to the yellow fever outbreak.
WHO, the Malian Ministry of Health, and Doctors Without
Borders have sent investigation and vaccination teams to the
affected region.
Embassy: Early Warning Helps Save Lives
WASHINGTON—A USAID-funded flood and storm early
warning system likely helped save lives on the coastal areas
of Vietnam hit by Typhoon Damrey Sept. 27, according to the
U.S. Embassy there.
The Agency is providing $50,000 to Catholic Relief Services,
which will allow it to provide assistance to typhoon-affected
communities in the country.
Damrey caused 68 deaths in the northern and central regions
of Vietnam. The International Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies reports that the typhoon damaged or
destroyed more than 100,000 homes, 300,000 hectares of rice
and cash crops, and 22,000 shrimp and fish ponds.
According to the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam’s news
agency has reported approximately $209 million in damages.
USAID has invested $2.4 million in early warning systems
in Vietnam since 2000.
Before the typhoon, government officials in Vietnam were
able to evacuate 600,000 people from the coastline, reinforce
sea dikes, and recall 40,000 fishing vessels.
The early warning systems were implemented by the government
of Vietnam, in collaboration with the U.N. Development Program.
Africa Receives Food Aid
WASHINGTON—USAID will provide an additional 85,000
metric tons of food assistance to southern Africa through
the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). The U.S. contribution
of bulgur wheat, cornmeal, sorghum, vegetable oil, and beans
will sustain more than 6 million people for one month and
is valued at $49.4 million.
This donation—stemming from USAID’s Food for Peace
program—brings total U.S. food assistance to southern
Africa since June 2005 to just more than 300,000 metric tons
valued at approximately $200 million.
Prolonged drought and poor harvests have exacerbated the
region’s insecurity, leaving more than 10.8 million people
in need of food assistance over the coming months. Accordingly,
the U.S. expects to ship more food in the coming months to
address the urgent and growing humanitarian needs.
USAID has been actively involved in responding to the food
security situation in southern Africa since early 2002. To
date, the United States has provided approximately 70 percent
of the total resources pledged to the WFP Southern Africa
Protracted Relief and Rehabilitation Operation, in addition
to food provided through a consortium of international private
voluntary organizations known as C-SAFE, which is strengthening
food security and resilience throughout Malawi, Zambia, and
Zimbabwe.
Africa at Risk for Avian Flu, Say Officials
WASHINGTON—Senior officials of USAID’s Bureau
for Africa met with members of the African diplomatic corps
Oct. 30 to discuss how to prepare African countries for a
potential disease outbreak. Since December 2003, there have
been 122 human cases of avian flu worldwide, with 62 resulting
in death.
Although the virus still primarily affects wild birds and
poultry, there is fear it could mutate and rapidly expand
into a global pandemic.
Africa is at high risk, officials said. There is concern
that migratory birds that spread the disease in Southeast
Asia and, most recently, in Turkey and Romania will fly across
North Africa and down the east coast of Africa in coming weeks.
U.S. ambassadors and the diplomatic corps will be advising
respective governments on how best to address surveillance,
rapid response, containment, and communications.
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