Top stories from DAWNS Digest.
New Clashes in DRC Stretch Humanitarian Resources Thin
Fighting between Congolese armed forces and General Bosco Ntaganda loyalists is displacing thousands of residents the DRC. “Clashes erupted after Congolese President Joseph Kabila announced last month he would try to arrest Ntaganda, wanted by the ICC for recruiting child soldiers to fight in northeastern Congo’s ethnic conflict. Kabila had previously said Ntaganda was a lynchpin in the fragile peace deal that integrated his fighters. The region remains plagued by myriad rebel groups after a 1998-2003 war. About 7,000 refugees had arrived at Nkamira camp by Wednesday. The United Nations says the camp is overstretched, with around 500 refugees arriving every day, and is working to expand it. ‘We have gone beyond the capacity of this camp. We are trying to construct more shelters. We are expanding the water and sanitation facilities,’ said Richard Ndaula, the U.N. emergency team leader in Nkamira.’” (Reuters http://bit.ly/J0gqmX)
Global Fund’s Funding Outlook is a Bit More Optimistic
$1.6 billion more optimistic, in fact. “The money includes funds from new donors, from traditional donors who are advancing their payments or increasing contributions and from some donors, such as China, that have offered to support projects in their own country to free up cash for more pressing needs elsewhere, Jaramillo said. ‘It’s the traditional donors that have made the difference. It is about recuperating trust and them being confident that they can satisfy their taxpayers that we are taking care with their money in these difficult times as well as we can.’ Last November a lack of donor funds prompted the Global Fund to scrap new grants until 2014, triggering a crisis for agencies working to tackle AIDS around the world.Donor governments were strapped for cash after the financial crisis, but some also balked at reports that funds were being misused in four countries that received grants from the Global Fund and temporarily suspended their contributions.” (AlertNet http://bit.ly/JhhSRL)