Jul 5, 2011  South Africa: Taking Leadership in AIDS Fight http://www.africafocus.org/docs11/hiv1107.php
    South Africa's 5th AIDS conference, held from June 7-10 this year, marked a remarkable turnaround in the country's efforts against the AIDS pandemic. Achievements noted included bringing 400,000 additional AIDS patients into antiretroviral treatment within the last year, raising the total to 1.4 million; cutting the cost of antiretroviral therapy in half over six months; and extending treatment using trained nurses to more than 1,600 health facilities. Most important of all has been a strong spirit of collaboration among the government, medical specialists, and activists.

Jun 14, 2011  Guinea-Bissau: Drug Trade in Broader Context http://www.africafocus.org/docs11/gb1106.php
    "In Guinea-Bissau, drug trafficking ... is a consequence of the pre-existing lack of stability that allows smugglers to establish their networks in the region and operate to and from there. Ignoring the structural causes of the problem (endemic poverty, corruption, impunity) will have an even deeper impact on the local population than the illegal drug trade, and will leave unaddressed the very conditions that continue to foster trafficking opportunities in the future." - February 2011 report from Norwegian Peacebuilding Center

Jun 14, 2011  Africa: "War on Drugs" Blowback Effects http://www.africafocus.org/docs11/wod1106.php
    "Vast expenditures on criminalization and repressive measures directed at producers, traffickers and consumers of illegal drugs have clearly failed to effectively curtail supply or consumption. [at the same time] the implementation of the war on drugs has generated widespread negative consequences for societies in producer, transit and consumer countries, [including] the growth of a 'huge criminal black market', financed by the risk-escalated profits of supplying international demand for illicit drugs." - Global Commission on Drug Policy

May 16, 2011  Africa: AIDS Research "Game Changer" http://www.africafocus.org/docs11/hiv1105.php
    A new randomized study of AIDS treatment as prevention, beginning early treatment of infected heterosexual people who are living in partnership with an uninfected person, has shown a 96% reduction in risk of infection. ... Instead of taking this as the game changer it is, notes AIDS activist Brook Baker, U.S. officials are still taking a "We're too broke to think" response. And the United States and other donor countries are opposing firm AIDS treatment targets at the UN meeting on the issue next month.

Apr 27, 2011  Senegal: Music to Fight Malaria http://www.africafocus.org/docs11/mal1104.php
    Music may seem an unlikely way to fight malaria. But Senegal's highly successful program has relied not only on medical expertise but also on the star power of Youssou N'Dour and a national song competition called "Xeex Sibbiru" (Let's Beat Malaria). Support from prominent figures in the society, including religious leaders as well as music stars, has helped to dramatically increase prevention and treatment coverage.

Feb 7, 2011  Africa: Penalizing Transparency http://www.africafocus.org/docs11/gf1102.php
    "When any entity gives multi-million dollar grants, there will always be corruption. The key issue is what is being done to unearth the corruption and minimise losses. The Global Fund is far better at investigating allegations of corruption and at recovering stolen monies than most or all other major aid donors. ... Another thing that distinguishes the Global Fund from other donors is its willingness to publish the details of the corruption that it has unearthed." - Global Fund Observer, January 27, 2011