Global companies, US launch partnership for an HIV-Free generation

In a new partnership coordinated by the U.S. Government through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), leaders from the private sector are joining forces with the public sector and non-governmental organizations to revolutionize HIV prevention for youth through the Partnership for an HIV-Free Generation (HIV-Free Generation).
“A key challenge in the fight against global AIDS is the ongoing need for innovation in HIV prevention. Over 7,000 people a day are newly infected with HIV worldwide,” said Ambassador Mark Dybul, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator.
“The Partnership for an HIV-Free Generation brings together an unprecedented coalition to address HIV prevention for youth. Initially in Kenya, this alliance combines PEPFAR’s technical and programmatic capacity with the expertise of the private sector in messaging, branding, new technologies, and real-time market research to promote and maintain behavior change.”
PEPFAR has engaged with the following industry leaders from the private sector and well-established non-governmental organizations to comprehensively address youth prevention: Accenture, The Africa Media Broadcast Partnerships Against HIV/AIDS/ Global Media AIDS Initiative, APCO Worldwide, The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, The Draper Richards Foundation, Girl Scouts of the USA, Grassroot Soccer, The Global Business Coalition, Hasbro, Intel, Junior Achievement, AmericaShare/Micato Safaris, Microsoft, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP, The MTV Staying Alive Foundation, Nike Foundation, Rotarians for Fighting AIDS, TechnoServe, and Warner Bros.
Advanced Media Services Inc. Youth are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection because they lack information, education, and skills; generally have a low perception of risk; and lack access to, and utilization of, health care services.
Young women and girls are extremely vulnerable to infection due to biological and social vulnerabilities, such as having older partners, the inability to negotiate condom use, sexual violence, and other psychosocial and cultural factors.
HIV-Free Generation will combine current evidence-based HIV prevention approaches with the private sector’s 21st century capabilities to promote and maintain healthy behaviors among 10-24 year old youth.

S.Africa must fight climate change, poverty

POZNAN, Poland (Reuters) - South Africa needs millions of dollars in aid to tackle environmental degradation, since it must also deal with problems ranging from poverty to AIDS, an environment ministry official said on Thursday.
Among developing countries, South Africa is one of the most active in fighting climate change, and the United Nations, sponsoring climate talks in Poland, often commends it for its efforts.
But South Africa says it needs international assistance to invest in environmentally friendly technology, such as solar power plants to replace coal-fuelled generators that supply 90 percent of electricity.

SA sets up task team to drive future nuclear development

The South African government has established a nuclear task team to develop a framework for procuring a nuclear technology partner to support both the nuclear power station build programme, and the associated industrialisation process.“This will probably take about a year,” Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) DG Portia Molefe told journalists in Pretoria on Friday.This came after Eskom announced that it would not award the tender for the nuclear power station that was originally proposed to come into service in 2017. A consortium led by Areva of France, and another consortium led by US-based Westinghouse were the two preferred bidders for the contract, and negotiations had been taking place for about a year.The core change was that instead of just procuring only one power station, the task team would be looking for a partner that would co-develop the nuclear industry in South Africa, and assist in the introduction of broadening of the nuclear base, which currently consists of only the Koeberg power station.

Barrick considering pulling out

The giant mining firm Barrick Gold Tanzania has said it is considering halting its operations in the country. Barrick Vice President, Africa Region, Gareth Taylor told this paper in an interview yesterday, shortly after he attended a workshop to launch the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) held in Dar es Salaam, a global mining `watchdog`. During the interview with selected media, Taylor said the mining firm had for several years recorded declining profits. He did not give figures, only stating: ``We are now thinking about our future operations in the country. This is due to the fact that the company has for several years not recorded profits. As a business company, this is a critical position where we are required to think about our future,`` he said. He said the widely exaggerated criticism that the mining firm was enriching itself through exploiting the mineral wealth of the country at the expense of its poor people was not true as the company paid all levies and taxes and that it operated in an open and transparent manner. ``All criticisms being levelled at us are not true. They are just unfounded claims which intend to tarnish the good image of our company. We are operating under rules and regulations stipulated in the mining laws and not otherwise,`` said Taylor.

EU money to help Southern scientists compete for funding

Research institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific have three months to apply for a €33 million fund to boost their ability to compete for international research funding.
The grant programme — the ACP Science and Technology Programme — is funded by the European Union (EU) and coordinated by the secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States. Its call for funding was announced last week (27 November).

World Economic Forum announces 34 technology pioneers 2009

The World Economic Forum announced 34 visionary companies selected as Technology Pioneers 2009 for their accomplishments as innovators of the highest calibre, and whose technologies will have a deep impact on business and society.
The selection of these companies is the result of a vigorous selection process, for which the Forum received more than 320 applications from around the world that were evaluated by 44 global technology experts. The Technology Pioneers 2009 are active in fields such as in-body computing platforms for personalized healthcare; utility-scale solar power projects; mobile phone authentication methods to assure drug safety in developing nations; miniaturized 3rd generation mobile networks; traceability and assurance over food quality; and electric motors with unprecedented levels of energy efficiency and smart grid solutions.
The entire list of Technology Pioneers, with their profiles and interviews with the executives of the selected companies, can be found at: http://www.weforum.org/techpioneers. This year’s class is one of the most geographically diverse ever: besides the traditional technology strongholds of North America and Europe, Technology Pioneers from the People’s Republic of China, Africa (Ghana and Nigeria) and Chile were selected for the first time ever, confirming the growing globalization of science and technology. All in all, the class of 2009 includes companies from 15 countries, with Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, India, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the USA completing the list.

Namibian President And Other Leaders In Violation Of The Constitution

NEXT year, Namibia will hold its fifth democratic elections, the fourth after political independence in March 1990.
This time around, they will be held under the most volatile conditions thus far, accompanied by the spread of fear, intimidation and political violence.
The spectre of political arrogance on the part of the ruling party and intolerance sweeping across the land is one of the most frightening of our time.
The three elections that Namibia held previously were characterised by relative peace, and to his credit, Founding President Sam Nujoma remained relatively above the fray characterised by insults and intolerance that seems to have invaded the political leadership of the ruling party today.

Condoleezza Rice: Southern Africa must pressure Mugabe to quit

The US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, said today that it was "well past time" for Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, to step down.
Rice called on other southern African nations to take the lead on pressuring him to quit.
Rice was in Copenhagen as part of a European farewell tour before George Bush leaves the White House on January 20.

South African Rand Declines in Week on Global Recession Concern

By Vernon Wessels
Dec. 6 (Bloomberg) -- South Africa’s rand fell against the dollar this past week as the stock market declined with those around the world on concern the global economy is headed toward a recession.
The rand weakened as the country’s benchmark index of equities fell in the week by the most since October on concern slumping economies in the U.S. and euro region will erode demand for higher-yielding emerging-market assets. South Africa’s currency also slipped after reports showed manufacturing shrank at the fastest pace in at least nine years in November.