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America All Set To Reduce Military Aid To African Nations

A San (Bushman) who gave us an exhibition of t...

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America is contemplating a reduction in military aid to its African allies. In fact, the proposal covers allies all over the world in a bid to reduce the military budget of the country. However, this move has come in for criticism considering the fact that American aid of more than a billion dollars to Egypt for the past thirty years also has helped get a play an important role in the peaceful settlement of the Egyptian crisis.

The Egyptian military stayed out of the crisis and retained the respect of the masses. America stayed in contact with Egyptian military and participated in behind the scene talks to bring an end to the crisis.

In such a scenario, the reduction in debt is only going to reduce the leveraging capacity of the American government. It is also going to affect the ability of the African nations to combat internal security issues and narcotics trade.

Another factor that will affect the decision is the growing influence of China in the continent. Africa is set to become the next big global market and China has been investing a lot of money in the Sub Saharan region. Its economic contribution is also helping made maintain political clout.

Considering this, it is only expected that American aid to the military will reduce. The aid to governments for development will continue. A reduction in the total contribution is only going to increase the influence of China in the continent. Unlike America, China does not allow democratic ideals to affect its operations in foreign countries. This is going to make it difficult for peaceful revolutions in other African countries to occur.

 

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Filed Under: Government, International Affiars Tagged With: , ,

Help to End Malaria in Africa

Rick Reilly 

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In 2006, Sports Illustrated reporter Rick Reilly wrote a column describing the devastation that malaria brings to Africa—and just how simple it is to curb malaria’s influence. Specifically, Reilly reports that nearly 3,000 children die per day of malaria in Africa. While malaria remains the deadliest disease on the African continent, it’s also one of the easiest to prevent. Malaria deaths could be reduced by a staggering 60 percent through the aid of inexpensive mosquito nets. These nets are coated with insecticide and prevent children from being bitten by mosquitoes in their sleep. They cost about $10 to purchase, ship and install.

Reilly’s article opened people’s eyes and spurred a movement. From his words, the grassroots Nothing But Nets campaign. The campaign simply asks donors to contribute $10 to provide a child with a mosquito net. The funds covers the money for the net, and distributors help to educate communities on the use of the net. In 2009, three years after the campaign had been started, Nothing But Nets had raised $30 million and had distributed three million nets. The campaign is well on the way to achieving its primary goal of ending malaria deaths by 2015.

You don’t have to stop simply by making a donation. You can also sign up as a NET-Raiser to recruit friends, family members and co-workers to donate money, or you could spread the great things the campaign does on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

While it’s difficult with some non-profits to know exactly where your donation is going, Nothing But Nets assures donors that they’re money will go directly to a net for a child so that they can rest a bit easier.

 

Filed Under: Government, International Affiars Tagged With: , ,

How USAID is Helping Africa

Everyday, USAID works to provide assistance in dozens of African countries. The organization, which also provides assistance in Latin America, Asia and the Middle East, aims to help African countries through regional missions, each with a goal to build sustained states that can respond to the need of their people and reduce widespread poverty. USAID works with African governments and institutions to develop strategies to improve health, the environment, economic growth, agriculture and education.

USAID is involved with many different initiatives on the African continent. One such initiative is the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The largest facet of the United States’ Global Health Initiative, PEPFAR‘s goal is to transition AIDS relief from an emergency response to a sustainable program that governments can have in place to prevent the spread of the disease. PEPFAR also aims to expand the prevention and treatment of AIDS and integrate HIV/AIDS programs into more schools and institutions in Africa to foster a better awareness of the illnesses among children and young adults.

Another USAID initiative is the Congo Basin Forest Partnership. The Congo Basin covers six countries and 700,000 square miles, making it the second largest contiguous tropical forest in the world. While the forest is largely intact, it still faces a variety of threats, including unsustainable timber and mineral extraction and land clearing for agriculture. On top of that, there is not a strong government system in place to protect the forest. The Congo Basin Forest Partnership is working to improve forest governance and to create financial mechanisms to support the forest preservation.

 

Filed Under: Government, International Affiars Tagged With: , ,

Ways to Travel into Africa for Adventure and a Lasting Experience

Many people spend their lives dreaming of going to Africa, but don’t realize the number of options that they have. You can take a safari through some of the continent’s most beautiful preserves, take the hunt of a lifetime or immerse yourself in the culture of the various countries within its borders.

Safaris are on of the first things that come to your mind when you consider African travel, and there are numerous opportunities for you to explore. For those who love the thrill of adventure, you can take a tour into some of the less traveled areas of the continent. You can go to such places as Mount Kilimanjaro, Namibia or through Uganda’s rainforests. Africa has a broad range of climates and weather that you can experience. You will get to see lions at their natural best or watch gorillas romping through the rainforest.

Another way to enjoy this continent is by train, where you can travel in comfort while taking in wild regions out your passenger windows. Along the way, you can stop in various areas, exploring cities and cultural life of the various peoples along your route. You can often work with a travel agency to plan a specialized tour with stops of your preference. You also have the option to travel alone or as part of a small group.

When choosing the type of trip that you want to go on, make sure that you are considering the weather, time of year and your own personal health. Some of the more alternative tours that go out into less traveled areas require you to be more physically fit. You may also want to consider get traveler’s insurance, which can cover medical expenses and related costs. If you are ready to take the adventure of a lifetime, consider traveling through the gorgeous and exciting continent of Africa. It is an experience that you will long remember.

Filed Under: Culture, International Affiars Tagged With: , ,