'A VITAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE'
Libreville, 7 August 2009 - More than 120 countries celebrated the 18th annual World Breastfeeding Week to encourage breastfeeding as a life saving intervention for infants before and during emergencies this year. Complex challenges prevent many mothers from safely feeding their children in Africa, particularly in emergency situations. Educating African mothers, health professionals, governments, aid agencies, donors and the media is the key to overcoming these challenges. Rebecca JAMES reports
“West Africa is at risk of becoming an epicentre
For drug trafficking and the crime associated with it”
Bissau (Guinea), 26 June 2009_ Tons of cocaine from the Andean countries are transiting the region every year, heading north where they are worth billions of dollars on the streets of European cities. A United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report released in October of 2008 estimated at least 50 tons of cocaine from Latin America was entering West Africa every year, en route to Europe where the drug sells for almost $2 billion. Executive Director of UNODC, Antonio Maria Costa, warned that “West Africa is at risk of becoming an epicentre for drug trafficking and the crime associated with it”.