The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the African Development Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the German development finance institution DEG announced that they have created a new private equity fund that will invest in Africa’s health sector. The Health in Africa Fund will invest in small- and medium-sized companies in sub-Saharan Africa, such as health clinics and diagnostic centers, with the goal of helping low-income Africans gain access to affordable, high-quality health services. The fund will help implement key recommendations of IFC’s report, ‘The Business of Health in Africa: Partnering with the Private Sector to Improve People’s Lives,’ which found that the private sector already delivers about half of all health-related goods and services in Africa, and that greater investment in private health companies could have major health and economic benefits for low-income Africans.

The World Bank’s Environmental Department is seeking civil society representatives to serve as observers on two Climate Investment Fund (CIF) Trust Fund Committees. The Bank has contracted a leading public policy dispute resolution organization, RESOLVE, to manage this self-selection process. The CIFs, which are managed by the World Bank and implemented jointly with the Regional Development Banks, were established through an inclusive and consultative process in support of the Bali Action Plan and approved by the World Bank Board in July 2008. Application forms, criteria, and instructions for the observer seats are available on the RESOLVE website (www.resolv.org/cif). Application instructions and criteria will be posted in Arabic, Bengali, Cambodian/Khmer, French, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tajik, and Turkish during the week of June 15. Completed applications are due by Wednesday, July 2. CSO Observers Sought for Climate Investment Funds (CIF)
The Bank’s Environmental Department is seeking civil society representatives to serve as observers on two Climate Investment Fund (CIF) Trust Fund Committees. The Bank has contracted a leading public policy dispute resolution organization, RESOLVE, to manage this self-selection process. The CIFs, which are managed by the World Bank and implemented jointly with the Regional Development Banks, were established through an inclusive and consultative process in support of the Bali Action Plan and approved by the World Bank Board in July 2008. Application forms, criteria, and instructions for the observer seats are available on the RESOLVE website (www.resolv.org/cif). Application instructions and criteria will be posted in Arabic, Bengali, Cambodian/Khmer, French, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tajik, and Turkish during the week of June 15. Completed applications are due by Wednesday, July 15.

Visit the website: www.resolv.org/cif for more details

The Presidency is satisfied with the conception and implementation of the Seven-point Agenda of the Administration and therefore has no plans to either prune or adjust it.

Presidential spokesman, Mr Olusegun Adeniyi said that the agenda was crucial to the survival of the Nigerian economy and the pivot on which Vision 20-2020 was anchored.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity was reacting to the suggestion put forward by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Sanusi Lamido Sanusi during his confirmation hearing on the floor of the senate.

Mr. Adeniyi noted that since the Seven-point agenda is not an ad-hoc measure, any attempt to prune it would amount to economic suicide and urged Nigerians to see the views expressed by Governor Sanusi as “a suggestion with the best of intention and not an attack on the government focal policy.

The 7 Point Agenda are:

1. Critical Infrastructure
2. Niger Delta
3. Food Security
4. Human Capital
5. Land Tenure Changes & Home Ownership
6. National Security & Intelligence
7. Wealth Creation

Having painstakingly laid the foundations of economic development, as articulated in the Seven-point Agenda and Vision 20:2020, there is a visible resurgence in Nigeria’s international economic relations under President Umaru Musa Yar’adua’s administration. There is a new impetus, a fresh dynamism as well as growing momentum to open up Nigeria and make it ready for solid and sustainable investments. It is not just a case of doing more of the same old drive for foreign direct investments.

Though the concept of using Investment Forums/Fairs to interact with investors is not new, the style of the current investment drive is novel. The current exercise is not just a series of talk-shops or seminars. The campaign involves networking sessions, investment dialogue forums, informal and interactive engagement sessions as well as road shows and rallies as each particular occasion demands.

This time around, there are conscious efforts to diversify Nigeria’s economic diplomacy away from restriction to traditional partners in order to engage new and more development partners in the international arena. Through diplomatic contacts and hosting or making official visits, the current administration has concretized Nigeria’s economic relations with Asian tigers such as India, Japan, China and South Korea. It has also forged links with Brazil, South American and Caribbean countries. Of course, the traditional partnership with United States of America, United Kingdom, France, and continental Europe as well as with North America continues to be strengthened.

It is no longer about telling investors fairy tales about Nigeria, rather it is about letting them know the immense potentialities as well as the daunting challenges while encouraging them to come on-board. The government is also going beyond offering incentives and palliatives to creatively engage investors in fixing and improving the critical infrastructures in order to reduce the cost of doing business in Nigeria.

Moreover, the investment drive is not just about wooing big companies, conglomerates and trans-national corporations; it is more to do with encouraging partnership between Nigeria’s small and medium enterprises and their foreign counterparts. It is about encouraging information exchange, technology transfer and personnel exchange/training collaborative schemes in a way that will integrate Nigeria into the global economy matrix.

It is within this context that the present administration has enlarged and re-energized the Honorary International Investors Council (HIIC), which it inherited from President Olusegun Obasanjo’s civilian regime. The HIIC has been enlarged to become more representative of different economic sectors as well as the various geographical locations and investing populations of the world. Beyond the two six-monthly meetings held annually, Council Members scattered around the globe are now more practically engaged to organize investment meetings and dialogues in their different geographical regions as occasions demand.

From a high-brow technocratic talk-shop on investments, the HIIC is gradually becoming an interventionist and activist agency for attracting investors to Nigeria’s rich but challenging economy. HIIC has become more pro-active, pragmatic and sector-specific in its drive to too investors into the Nigerian market.

This administration is not just urging investors to come to Nigeria; it is also making the investing environment more conducive to investors and fertile for their investments. Definite steps are being taken to reduce corporate taxes, eliminate double taxation and end the rash of illegal levies on manufacturing companies. Following the advice and at the instance of members of the HIIC, the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has instructed Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs ministry to make issuance of visas in our embassies abroad more investor-friendly. In the same vein, the Vice President said our immigration laws must be more investment-oriented and tourist-friendly.

According to him, “It is in the overall national economic interests of our country to issue long-term visas and make procurement of visas easier for investors and tourists. We must also make our airports and ports less cumbersome and more people-friendly if we are serious about getting foreigners to partner with us in our development efforts.” With the effectiveness of Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission’s (NIPC) one-stop-investment-centre (OSIC), where foreigners can access information and register new business without delay, a brand new deal is being forged for investors in Nigeria.

A lot has changed as far as Nigeria’s investing environment is concerned. Yet, the world out there is still stuck with the old stereotype of Nigeria as the tottering sleeping giant. Not much is known is about the positively altered macroeconomic situation or more favourable policy environment.

It is against this backdrop of changed circumstances in Nigeria vis-à-vis global ignorance -- at a time when the country is in dire need of international resources and support -- that this administration has been organizing or facilitating a series of investment forums in key development centres across the globe.

The first in the series of investment forums was a two-legged conference on Stating the Case for Investing in Nigeria scheduled to take place in Dubai and London, which was jointly facilitated by African Matters Limited and Developing Markets Associates. While the Dubai Forum was postponed for logistic reasons, the London Forum was successfully held at IET Savoy Place on April 22, 2009 with about 200 participants comprising government officials, prospective investors, business tycoons, development activists, non-governmental organizations, diplomats and representatives of the international community.

At the London Event, the Ministers of National Planning, Commerce and Industry, Finance, Mines and Steel Development, Agriculture and Water Resources as well as the Governors of Kano State, Rivers State and Ondo State (represented by the Secretary to Government) were on hand to showcase Nigeria’s immense investment potentialities vis-à-vis the country’s agenda for development. Aside from fielding questions after each session of paper presentations, the Nigerian investment delegation used coffee breaks and networking moments to engage and interact with would-be investors and fact-finding tourists who had many posers about Nigeria’s social climate and economic environment.

The tone of the London Forum was set by H. E. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who spoke passionately and analytically about Nigeria’s largely untapped investment potentials amidst some daunting development challenges. He said that Nigeria remains the preferred investment destination because of its abundant natural endowment and immense manpower resources as well as because of infrastructural gaps and deficiencies that are being fixed. The investment forums, he explained, are veritable avenues to get willing and genuine development partners and investors to collaborate with Nigeria to develop, upgrade or upscale the infrastructures in order to make the country the ideal and fertile investment ground. He said we cannot wait to fix all our infrastructural deficiencies, logistics problems and legal hurdles before calling on development partners who may actually be needed to accelerate the process of getting the ideal investment climate in the first place.

Expectedly, the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, Engr. Mustafa Bello was around to restate and recall all the steps that Nigeria has taken and is taking to transform Nigeria to an investor’s paradise. He spoke about the myriads of incentives, tax holidays and all sorts of sweeteners and palliatives designed to woo investors into the manufacturing sector of Nigeria’s economy. He said the One-Stop-Investment-Centre (OSIC) has removed most of the logistics challenges and bureaucratic hurdles that new investors face in a developing economy like Nigeria.

Representatives of the organized private sector in Nigeria like the Dangote Group and Total Oil were readily available to give the needed endorsement to Nigeria’s investment climate. The Chief Executive of Dangote Cement Group, Tony Hadley said “Nigeria’s improved investment climate is making it easier to do business, to source external finance and secure foreign technical partners.” He explained that investors and foreign finance institutions have more confidence in Nigeria’s economy.

Following on the resounding success of the London Forum, Nigeria’s ambassador to Sweden, Dr. Godknows Bolade Igali (who was present at the London Forum) successfully organized a Nordic Forum on Nigeria-Nordic Economic Partnership that will take the Vice President’s delegation to Finland, Sweden and Denmark between May 10 and 17, 2009. This is a bold initiative to concretize and expand Nigeria’s international economic relations with Scandinavian countries with a view to benefiting from their high technologies and other comparative economic advantages.

The first of two HIIC meetings held annually will hold from June 25 to 26 in London this year to take stock of the gains and challenges of Nigeria’s investment drive in the light of the current global economic melt-down. The second Council meeting slated for November should ordinarily take place in Abuja but may be moved to the United States to tap into the business connections and investment potential of some American members on the Council. There is also the possibility of another Nigeria Investment Forum in Germany in the first quarter of next year to engage with investors in Germany, Austria, Czechs and Slovenia.

The global meltdown or economic downturn is not a reason for Nigeria to slow down its drive for foreign investment rather it is a good reason to intensify it. For one, investors have become more wary and discriminatory in their choice of investment destinations, making it necessary for countries to deliberately publicize their investment opportunities and comparative advantages. Secondly, the fact that several investors and banks had their fingers burnt in hitherto favoured investment destinations has made emerging markets like Nigeria to become objects of favourable consideration for new equities. It is therefore the right time for Nigeria to press her comparative advantage as a preferred investment destination.

In any case, as explained by the Vice President, to achieve Nigeria’s Vision 2020-20, there is no way Nigeria can shy away from partnership with the international community by way of international trade and utilization of foreign investment. The current drive is for solid strategic investments that can deepen and diversify the country’s economy and promote sustainable development. Such investments would lead to genuine value-addition through improving and increasing local content of Nigeria’s products. Moreover, the investments would not only build personnel and institutional capacity but also create more jobs and employment opportunities for Nigeria’s huge and resourceful population

Therefore, while Nigeria continues to take concrete actions to improve her infrastructure and improve the regulatory environment, it must continue to state and reassert its credentials as a desirable emerging market in order to continue to attract and retain foreign investments.

Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, GCFR is the President, and the Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was born in the ancient city of Katsina, Katsina State on August 16, 1951 to the famous Musa Yar’Adua family that has become synonymous with politics and public service in Nigeria.

He started his primary education at Rafukka Primary School, Katsina in 1958. He moved to Dutsinma Senior Boarding Primary School in 1962 where he completed his primary education in 1964.

Between 1965 and 1969, Yar’Adua was a student at the Government College, Keffi, in the present day Nasarawa State for his secondary education, from where he moved to the famous Barewa College, Zaria for his Higher School Certificate between 1970 and 1971.

He gained admission into the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 1972 and obtained a B.Sc Education degree with specialization in Chemistry in 1975. He returned to the same University in 1978, earning a Master’s degree in Analytical Chemistry in 1980. Yar’Adua taught Chemistry at the Katsina Polytechnic before venturing into private business and eventually into politics.

In the political arena, Yar’Adua opted for a socialist leaning contrary to the traditional conservative posture of his renowned family. During the Second Republic, the late Malam Aminu Kano, leader of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP)and acclaimed ‘champion of the masses’, was his political mentor when most members of his family were with the more establishment-inclined National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He also associated very closely with the late Ahmadu Bello University 'radical' lecturer, Dr. Bala Usman, among others as a member of the Think-Tank.

Yar’Adua was a member of the 1989 Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) which prepared the groundwork for the return to civil democratic governance in the aborted Third Republic. In 1990, he became the Secretary of both the defunct Peoples Front (PFN) and was later elected the State Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Katsina State. A year later, he emerged the SDP gubernatorial candidate in the state. In 1999, he contested and won the governorship of Katsina State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – a positioned he retained for eight years following his re-election in 2003.

For Yar’Adua, politics has always been viewed as a vehicle for transforming the society for the general well-being of the citizens. This is evident from his commitment to the ideals of accountability, transparency and prudent management of state resources. It is on record that as Governor of Katsina State, Yar’Adua was not only able to massively change the infrastructural landscape of the state, he also radically transformed the educational sector.

His commitment to engendering qualitative education in the State has manifested in the trebling of primary school enrolment in the State from 460,000 pupils in 1999 to over one million in 2007; and the reduction of the number of pupils per class in primary schools from 250 to 40 pupils throughout the State. He also established a N1.5 billion Scholarship Trust Fund.

More remarkable is the fact that even with these laudable accomplishments, Yar’Adua was able to leave behind well over six billion naira (N6b) in the Katsina State treasury at the end of his outstanding stewardship. This, surely, is an enduring testimony to prudent management of public resources.

Given these exceptional antecedents, it is no surprise that the PDP decided to field him as its presidential candidate during the 2007 presidential election. He contested and won the election convincingly.

Today, Nigerians are beginning to see that his declaration at his inauguration of himself as a Servant-Leader was made with the highest sense of responsibility and clear vision of the legacy he wishes to leave behind for posterity.

His self-effacing style, disarming humility, transparently honest devotion to the supremacy of the rule of law, focused leadership and uncommon commitment to Nigeria’s restoration combine to evoke a new hope and abounding faith in the eventual realization of the great potentials with which Nigeria is endowed.

Yar’Adua, who holds the traditional title of the “Mutawallen Katsina”, is married to Hajia Turai and the couple is blessed with many children.

The Federal Government of Nigeria on Thursday June 11 signed a N74billion contract for the dualisation of the East-West highway running through the states in the Niger Delta.

The contract was signed in Abuja on behalf of government by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Ufot Ekaette while the chief executive of the construction firm, Setraco, signed on behalf of his company.

The contract which was first signed three years ago was then awarded to Julius Berger Plc but the company pulled out citing militant activities in the area.

The new contract is to cover Port Harcourt-Eleme Junction to Ahoada-Kiaima.

Speaking during the occasion, the minister said the present administration was irrevocably committed to improving the lives of the people in the Niger Delta.

He warned contractors handling jobs for the ministry to work in accordance with certified standards and to deliver on schedule.

The minister expressed optimism that peace will reign in the Niger Delta region.

“We believe once the details of the amnesty are worked out the people will reciprocate and imbibe the spirit of peace which the government has been preaching. Once this happens, once peace is restored in the Niger Delta, we go in and develop the area”.

“Developments in the nation’s Niger Delta region over the past few weeks have necessitated the Federal Government’s decisive action against armed criminal elements.

“The criminals have hijacked genuine agitations in the region and constituted themselves into very real threats to Nigeria’s national security and economic survival”.
The President stated that his administration’s agenda for resolving the lingering developmental challenges in the Niger Delta remained on course.

JOIN NOW..! - Mano River Union Youth Community
.........................................................................

Dear Colleaques, Youths and Members of
the MRU Basin,

Please..., I am glad to welcome you to The MRUYouthplatform online community; a private networking and content sharing site powered by (but not only) young people, around the theme of youth-led development in the Mano River Union Countries .

The site will allow you to participate actively in enhancing the development of the sub-region; you will exchange and present your visions, recommendations and point of views to other youth in your country, and countries of the Mano River Union, as well as hold discussions with your peers and governments officials on pressing issues affecting youth in the sub-region. Finally, you can provide and receive peer-to-peer support in your area of expertise.

All of these above, some great preparations already underway by the host organization for Liberia, the Youth Crime Watch of Liberia.

This is your chance to Particip@te, Xchange, Support! Join us NOW!!

JOIN HERE: http://mruyouthplatform.org/participate-xchange-support/sign-up/

Welcome always,


Thomas J. Barlue
Programs Director
African Child Peace Initiative-Liberia
National Coordinator - YoungPeopleWeCare Inc

Cell: +231-6605658 / 77969319
http://profiles.takingitglobal.org/Teeman
http://teeman.tigblog.org/
WWW.ypwc.org

Dear Colleaques, Youths and Members of the MRU Basin,

Please..., I am glad to welcome you to The MRUYouthplatform online community; a private networking and content sharing site powered by (but not only) young people, around the theme of youth-led development in the Mano River Union Countries .

The site will allow you to participate actively in enhancing the development of the sub-region; you will exchange and present your visions, recommendations and point of views to other youth in your country, and countries of the Mano River Union, as well as hold discussions with your peers and governments officials on pressing issues affecting youth in the sub-region. Finally, you can provide and receive peer-to-peer support in your area of expertise.

All of these above, some great preparations already underway by the host organization for Liberia, the Youth Crime Watch of Liberia.

This is your chance to Particip@te, Xchange, Support! Join us NOW!!

JOIN HERE: http://mruyouthplatform.org/participate-xchange-support/sign-up/

Welcome always,


Thomas J. Barlue
Programs Director
African Child Peace Initiative-Liberia
National Coordinator - YoungPeopleWeCare Inc

Cell: +231-6605658 / 77969319
http://profiles.takingitglobal.org/Teeman
http://teeman.tigblog.org/
WWW.ypwc.org

Program Overview

The Mano River Union (MRU) countries (Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire) present the greatest challenge in terms of the necessity for creating jobs for youth. Nearly three in four people living there, or 71.3 per cent, are under the age of 30 and youth unemployment rates run high around 70 per cent in the subregion, and as high as 88% in Liberia. Female youth require particular attention as they account for half of all youth but are regularly overlooked. When young people do find a job, it is often in the informal economy, in low-paid, low-skilled and unprotected jobs.

Without access to employment and income opportunities and without means to fulfill their aspi¬rations, youth in the sub-region can represent a potential threat to regional stability. That is why ILO, UNDP and UNIDO have made a pledge to “deliver as one” on the issue of youth employ¬ment in the Mano River Union countries . The “Multi-stakeholder Programme for Productive and Decent Work for Youth in MRU countries” comes as a response to increas¬ing calls for harnessing the capacities of youth as a potential social and economic resource for peace building and stability.

This programme aims to facilitate the creation of employment opportunities for youth in the MRU countries and contribute to social and political stability, and economic growth in the region.

Beneficiaries of the Programme

The choice of the target beneficiaries is based on the following core assumptions: a) disad¬vantaged poor youth are the largest population group in the region; b) there are different youth groups with different economic and social roles; c) the majority of poor youth are self-employed in the informal sector; d) establishing trust with youth is critical to the success of an outreach de¬velopment programme. Youth should be active, participatory partners in youth employment pro¬grammes, rather than being treated as passive beneficiaries. Even if economic growth reaches a reasonable rate, the rate of job creation will not be commensurate with the need to create opportunity for large populations of unemployed youth.

The programme will thus benefit different target groups;

Marginalized, disadvantage urban and rural youth;

Youth who wish to start up a business or to become employed or improve community productivity;

Youth who already own a business and wish to expand;

Development Objective

Creating opportunities for decent and productive work for under- and unemployed youth in the MRU countries, thereby contributing to social, political and economic stability in the sub-region. Provide communication means to promote dialogue, knowledge and information sharing, peer-to-peer support, and youth direct participation to development.

More details and JOIN Here:
http://mruyouthplatform.org/about/

Dear colleagues,

As a community coordinator for the International Candle Light Event, I’d like to give you an update on ongoing activities owards the International Candle Light Memorial in Liberia and to invite you and your organization to take action as well.

Today marks 2 weeks towards the International Candle Light Memorial date which my organization, ACPI Inc, the stop Aids Liberia, LIWEN, Lutheran, SOS, LIGHT Ass. And other prominent organizations concerned about the HIV pandemic have been working tirelessly to organize a national activity towards the celebration of the Global AIDS Week of Action and the Candle Light Day 2009 Event in Liberia.

I encourage those of you who’s organizations are aware of this day and have activities planned, to please sign up to the Candle Light website and be registered with the National Campaign: internationalaidscandlelight.org.

In 2008, according to the national figures, about 2,000-35, 000 is estimated number of AIDS cases while 53,000-140,000 estimated case of HIV cases, of which approximately 20% do have access to ARVs. Recently, with scale-up of VTC to most part of the country, the situation is significantly better but the number of people living with HIV and AIDS on treatment is very low.

For the people living with HIV/AIDS, access to treatment is definitely a major point, but it is not sufficient help to them in their daily life when paying for opportunistic infections treatment remains a challenge. Indeed, social and psychological issues are also significant: social problem such as food insecurity, stigmatization/discrimination, violation of rights and self exclusion from social network, etc., could come from lack of commitment from decision-makers to analyze the gains, fulfill policies, programs and implementation mechanisms, and the big loses and new promises to contain the epidemic.

The aim of the National Global AIDS Week of Action is to campaign with focus on the right to ARVs and opportunistic treatment, especially women and children during the Global AIDS Week of Action and the Candle Light Day 2009 through (state activities), which advocate within local, national and international levels to provide policy recommendations to government, non-government actor, donor agencies and civil society groups for greater accountability and more effective approaches to adopt policies, program, implementation and accountability mechanisms of Universal Access 2010.

This is why it is important for you to joined GAWA- Liberia now, to engaged in this collaborative process with different kinds of initiatives and promote a space that amplifies people’s voices, to address the weaknesses observed both at local and national levels.

About the CANDLE LIGHT MEMORIAL

The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, a program of the Global Health Council, is one of the oldest and largest grassroots mobilization campaigns for HIV/AIDS awareness in the world. Started in 1983, the Candlelight Memorial takes place every third Sunday in May and is led by a coalition of some 1,200 community organizations in 115 countries hosting local memorials that honor the lost and raise social consciousness about the disease. The Candlelight is also much more than just a memorial. It provides opportunities for leadership development, policy advocacy, partnerships, and improvement of community mobilization skills. With 33 million people living with HIV today, the Candlelight continues to serve as an important intervention for global solidarity, breaking down barriers, and giving hope to new generations.
More here: internationalaidscandlelight.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND HOW THE GET YOUR ORGANIZATION INVOLVE IN THE NATIONAL GLOBAL WEEK OF ACTION AND ACTIVITY…..YOU MAY KINDLY CONTACT ME WITH CONTACT DETAILS BELOW:

Welcome always,

Thomas J. Barlue
Programs Director
African Child Peace Initiative-Liberia
National Coordinator – YoungPeopleWeCare Inc

Cell: +231-6605658 / 77969319
profiles.takingitglobal.org/Teeman
teeman.tigblog.org
WWW.ypwc.org

Declaration of Solidarity
26th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial
Sunday, May 17th, 2009

The following statement is the official declaration of solidarity for communities participating in the 26th
International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, the world’s oldest community movement against HIV and
AIDS. The Declaration was created by the International Advisory Board of the Candlelight Memorial
program, which represents every world region, in collaboration with the Global Health Council.

AIDS is one of the world’s greatest challenges. Over the last quarter century, the disease has
impacted our communities, families, economies, and millions of lives. And yet, communities
worldwide are hopeful that a solution can be found. The theme for the 26th International AIDS
Candlelight Memorial is “Together, We Are the Solution.” The theme represents the challenges
that remain and our unwavering belief that a solution is possible. The role of civil society is
critical to ending HIV and AIDS, but we cannot work alone and hope is not enough. We need
action, and communities and governments must work together.

On behalf of the over one thousand communities in over a hundred countries participating
today in the Candlelight Memorial, we declare our solidarity in the response to AIDS and
recommit ourselves to the cause. We call on global leaders to hear our voices, honor pledges to
give resources for HIV and AIDS, and increase access to prevention, treatment, and care. We
call on national and community leaders to serve as examples and include people living with
HIV and AIDS in the process of forming national programs. We call on businesses to invest in
their communities and we ask institutions of faith to be more inclusive. And we call on the
media to report the truth about HIV and AIDS, and help us share stories about what works.
Policy must be equitable and based on evidence. Treatment must be balanced with prevention.
Human rights, particularly of children, must be upheld and education must be a priority. The
link between AIDS and TB, malaria, and other conditions should be promptly addressed with
appropriate actions and resources, and the issue of AIDS must be addressed as part of a broader
problem of poverty and development, gender inequity and sexuality, and health system reform.
We must move beyond fear and ignorance, and embrace people living with HIV and AIDS by
replacing stigma and discrimination with understanding and support. All of us can be a part of
the solution. Learn about AIDS. Get tested. Become an advocate. Join a club or volunteer.
As we gather around the world today to remember those we have lost, we stand committed to
finding a solution by working together to end HIV and AIDS.

Signed by the International Advisory Board of the

Candlelight Memorial program & the Global Health Council

Dear Colleaques

I am pleased to present to you the declaration of the just ended International Youth Forum on “The Role of Youth on Poverty and Migration Eradication” held from 13-15 April 2009 in Tripoli, Libya.

I hope these important recommendations that can assist national youth councils, governments and the global communities at large to enable youth effectively to participate and reduce the devastating consequences of poverty and migration.

Please Read Below…!
…………………………………………………………….

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FORUM

“The Role of Youth on Poverty and Migration Eradication” 13-15 April 2009

Tourism Village Janzoor, Tripoli, Libya

DECLARATION

1 PREAMBLE

1.1 We, the participants of the International Youth Forum (IYF) convened in Tripoli from 13-15 April 2009 for its first program organized by the World Assembly of Youth and National Ogranisation of Libyan Youth which bring together the young people and youth leaders from around the world to discuss pertinent and topical youth issues.

1.2 The theme selected for IYF 2009 is “The Role of Youth on Poverty and Migration Eradication”. This theme was selected in the realization of the need to educate, increase awareness, to prevent or reduce the rates of poverty and migration amongst youth. All countries and all sectors of the society are affected by the devastating dilemma of poverty and migration.

1.3 However, with this selected theme the young people, youth leaders, government and organization officers gathered here to call for action in areas such as: Reduction of youth poverty and migration; Assessing the problems; Tackling the problems; Forging partnerships; Focusing on special needs; Sending the right messages; and Building experiences.

1.4 After thorough deliberations
through plenary sessions, workshops and other events, we the participants have put together this document with the following recommendations that we strongly feel ought to be implemented to empower youth effectively to participate and reduce the rates of poverty and migration amongst the youth.

The guiding principles for this declaration were based on the following objectives:
• To achieve a behavior modification among youth;
• To bring awareness about how poverty and migration affects youth and the extent to which youth are affected;
• To increase youth awareness to their responsibilities regarding poverty and migration reduction;
• To improve the national and international policies that deal with poverty and migration and its effects on the society;
• To recommend improvements to the current systems of education for youth worldwide on poverty and migration;
• To heighten international awareness in order to resolve and tackle the poverty and migration challenges;
• To improve cooperation between governments, civil societies and private sectors to address the issue of poverty and migration;
• To have a stronger, more effective national youth councils with leading roles in the fight against poverty and migration.

2 RECOMMENDATIONS

2.1 Government

2.1.1 Develop action plans that help in the reduction, prevention and monitoring of poverty and migration.

2.1.2 Develop and implement government legislation to deal and work for the reduction of poverty and migration within the country.

2.1.3 Provide financial support to NGOs and bodies that deal and work with youth on issues of poverty and migration.

2.1.4 Establish Training Centers, Mentoring Programmes and Mediation for individuals affected by poverty and migration.

2.1.5 Create agreements among neighbouring nations in order to establish a better understanding in areas of poverty and migration.

2.1.6 Strengthen government mechanisms that ensure good governance leading to the reduction of poverty and migration.

2.1.7 Facilitate the basic essential rights of individuals within the country in order to reduce poverty and decrease illegal migration.

2.1.8 Educate and provide opportunities for young people to establish themselves in order to contribute in the development of their country.

2.1.9 Each government needs a youth council for economic crimes, in order to minimize mismanagement of finances and therefore ensure the implementation of projects geared towards the fight against poverty and migration.

2.2 International, Regional and National NGOs

2.2.1 Organize events and programmes to empower young people.

2.2.2 Equip young people with the ability and skills that is required for them to help reduce the poverty and migration.

2.2.3 Establish local, regional and international exchange of resource centers to build a strong foundation within the country: in areas such as logistics, institutions and personnel.

2.2.4 Reinforce the exchange of information on poverty and migration.

2.2.5 Encourage young people to become ambassadors and proactive in order to spread awareness towards the reduction of poverty and migration.

2.2.6 Create policies to promote the eradication of youth issues: such as poverty and migration.

2.2.7 The youth and NGOs should work together and actively participate in peace process as the outbreak of conflicts as the cause of poverty in most countries especially in Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine…etc

2.3 Education

2.3.1 Incorporate poverty and migration issues in existing curriculum for primary, secondary and higher education.

2.3.2 Design civic education to empower the populace on the consequences of poverty and migration.

2.3.3 Capacitate parents on how to identify the trends, threats, signs and symptoms of poverty and migration among the youth.

2.3.4 Encourage development and implementation of peer education programs i.e. survival and life skills.

2.4 Media

2.4.1 Maximizing usage of technology to inform and educate communities on the consequences of poverty and migration.

2.4.2 Intensify greater social responsibility towards the young people in areas of poverty and migration.

2.4.3 Utilise all forms of media to impart positive thoughts, ideas, awareness, opportunities, messages and attitudes to the young people.

2.4.4 Provide information, resources and services to the youth in order to educate them on the impact of poverty and migration.

2.4.5 Publish materials that will enable youth to participate on the current issues that they are facing in the areas of poverty and migration.

2.4.6 Promote awareness programmes to encourage young people to play their role on society on the matters of poverty and migration.

2.5 Private sector

2.5.1 Establish an annual grant to equip the young people with the skill knowledge and positive reinforcement to resist the consequences of poverty and need for migration.

2.5.2 Intensify corporate and social responsibilities to help ease the stress of poverty among the young people and the necessity to migrate.

2.5.3 Tap on the available resources within the country to eliminate the stress of poverty and illegal migration among the young people.

2.5.4 Lobby and advocate for greater involvement by the private sector, in the fight against poverty and the desire to migrate.

3 GENERAL COMMENTS

3.1 Raise up youth leaders among organizations to help combat the issue of poverty and migration.

3.2 Motivate and encourage youth participation in the decision making process towards the elimination of poverty and illegal migration.

3.3 Provide positive role models to influence behavioral change and alleviate the misperception among youth in reference to poverty and migration.

3.4 Generate opportunities that would allow the youth to participate, create, develop and stand against the pressure of poverty and migration.

3.5 Strengthen partnership between the private sectors, societies, governments and NGOs.

4 CONCLUSION

4.1 We, the participants of IYF do realize and recognize the major impacts of poverty and migration upon the lives of young people, thus the need to create awareness and stand up to relieve the cause and effect among the youth worldwide.

Thanks,

Thomas J. Barlue
Deputy Director
African Child Peace Initiative-Liberia
National Coordinator – YoungPeopleWeCare Inc

Cell: +231-6605658 / 77969319
profiles.takingitglobal.org/Teeman
teeman.tigblog.org
WWW.ypwc.org

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Please see below and don't fail to forward widely to all Africans on your networks.
.........................................................

Individuals from all African countries are invited to apply for admission to study for the Master’s Degree (LLM) in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

The LLM in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa is a regional co-operation initiative presented in partnership by the Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, and the faculties of law at:

* Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia)
* American University in Cairo (Egypt)
* Catholic University of Central Africa (Cameroon)
* Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (Mozambique)
* University of Ghana
* Makerere University (Uganda)
* University of the Western Cape (South Africa)

This premier course, the only one if its kind, focuses specifically on human rights as seen from the African perspective. The course is presented full time over one academic year (two semesters) that runs from the end of January to early December and comprises eight modules. The first semester is spent at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, studying the following modules:

* Module 1: Methodology of human rights research, education and advocacy
* Module 2: Democratisation in Africa
* Module 3: International and comparative human rights
* Module 4: Human rights in Africa
* Module 5: Introduction to the South African legal system and Bill of Rights
* Module 6: Human rights in the field (Field trip)

At the end of the first semester, the class is divided into seven groups, each of which spends the next five months at one of the partner universities where they complete the following two modules and/or internships:

* Module 7: Accredited courses
* Module 8: Dissertation

Instruction is by way of formal lectures and practical exercises. The lecturers are some of the most prominent human rights experts in the world. Emphasis is placed on classroom participation and there is ample opportunity for informal interaction between the students and lecturers. Students can make use of extensive library facilities and have 24-hour access to computers.

A substantial part of the course is dedicated to the use of the Internet in research on human rights law. The medium of instruction is English, of which students must have a good working knowledge in order to follow lectures and participate fully in class discussions and practical exercises. Students who did undertake their studies in Englsih are required to write the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Upon admission to the programme advanced English is provided for students from non-English speaking countries and French is taught to students from English speaking countries. Students who are fluent in both English and French study Portuguese. Admission is on a competitive basis and bursaries are available.



HOW TO APPLY

Applicants must be in possession of a first degree in Law (LL.B, licence en droit or licenciatura em direito) and should submit the following documentation by post (no electronic applications will be accepted):

* 1. Letter of motivation (a one-page letter stating why you would like to do the course)
* 2. CV (a two-page curriculum vitae (including your full particulars: name, address, telephone, fax and e-mail)
* 3. Transcript (detailed academic record showing subjects taken and marks obtained)
* 4. Degree certificates (certified copies of all degree certificates)
* 5. Letters of recommendation (two academic and/or professional letters of recommendation/support)
* 6. Financial application (a one-page letter detailing your financial position and indicating why you would need assistance)
* 7. English proficiency (if undergraduate studies were not in English proof of your proficiency)
* 8. Photo (a recent colour passport photograph)

ONLY THE INFORMATION REQUESTED ABOVE IS REQUIRED. THERE ARE NO APPLICATION FORMS TO BE COMPLETED

Please note:

* All documents must be typewritten
* Please ensure that all documents are submitted together
* There are no application forms to be completed

Deadline for receipt of applications for the 2010 class is 31 July 2009.

Applications should be directed to:

The Coordinator, LLM (Human Rights & Democratisation)
Centre for Human Rights
Faculty of Law
University of Pretoria
PRETORIA 0002
Republic of South Africa

For further enquiries:

Tel: +27 (12) 420 4754
Fax: +27 (12) 362 5125
Fax: +27 866 887 666
E-mail: martin.nsibirwa(at)up.ac.za

http://www.chr.up.ac.za/academic_pro/llm1/introduction.html

Good Luck..!!


Thomas J. Barlue
Programs Director
African Child Peace Initiative-Liberia
National Coordinator - YoungPeopleWeCare Inc
Cell: +231-6605658 / 77969319
http://profiles.takingitglobal.org/Teeman
http://teeman.tigblog.org/
WWW.ypwc.org

Dear Colleagues,

The World Youth Congress series is a leading international youth gathering championing youth-led development efforts among governments, development agencies and young people. The Congress is a unique space for young activists to meet and engage with their peers, exchange knowledge and experiences and create an opportunity for collaboration and partnerships.

In its current 5th edition, the next World Youth Congress will happen in Istanbul from 31st July to 12th August 2010 and will welcome 1000 young people from around the world. And in the run for its preparation Peace Child International, e-genclik association and the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Turkiye decided to open a call for young people who would like to join forces with our team in the planning of the event.

For that, a Youth Advisory Board is being established for this edition and will comprise a diverse gender balanced group with of 15 young people from different regions. The group will work from May 2009 until July 2010 together with Peace Child and e-genclik to guide the planning of the 5th World Youth Congress 2010 in Istanbul.

The Youth Advisory Board’s primary responsibilities will include amongst others: the drafting of selection criteria for potential delegates, guiding the structure of the programme for the event, contributing to the development of themes, and identifying potential speakers and facilitators. The Youth Advisory Board will also be invited to recommend nominees for the Champions of Youth awards in the event.

Applications for places on the Advisory Board are welcome from both individuals who have attended previous WYCs, as well as individuals who have had no prior involvement in the series but feel they could add significant value to the event.
The Youth Advisory Board will be managed by Peace Child International and will function primarily through email and online communication, so it is essential that all applicants have easy and reliable access to IT facilities, and a good working knowledge of basic email/internet and word processing. All applicants must be willing to commit roughly 8-10 hours of work and input each month. It’s important to remember that participation in the Youth Advisory Board does not guarantee your participation in the Congress in any case, and you would have to apply for the congress through the normal application process.

To apply: Please submit a short CV (indicating clearly your nationality, age and current contact details) and a onepage letter of motivation detailing your interest in a position on the Youth Advisory Board, prior experiences, skills and suitability for integrating the board. Applications will be accepted in English only, since this is the official working language for the board!

All applications, and requests for further information, should be directed to the Youth Advisory Board faciliator, Joao Scarpelini, at joao@peacechild.org

The deadline for applications is Friday, May 1st 2009.

Good Luck..!,

Thomas J. Barlue Programs Director African Child Peace Initiative-Liberia National Coordinator – YoungPeopleWeCare Inc
Cell: +231-6605658 / 77969319 profiles.takingitglobal.org/Teeman teeman.tigblog.org WWW.ypwc.org