Global recession SADC prepares

SOUTHERN AFRICA is taking steps to ensure that national economies are better prepared to withstand the potential impact of shocks from a global recession amid warnings of a worsening economic outlook for Europe and America, which are yet to fully recover from the financial crisis of four years ago.Not leaving anything to chance after the 2008/09 financial crisis inflicted serious damage to the regional economy four years ago, and SADC is moving to cushion its Member States from the vagaries of the present unstable global economy. Global economic activity is expected to stall in 2012 and the medium-term in the face of intensified downward risks.

Among the main downward risks are chronic fiscal imbalances and failure to redress excessive debt obligations to the European Union, and extreme volatility in energy and agriculture prices. The Eurozone economy is expected to go into a mild recession in 2012 as most economies in the region report contractions in output and suffer from the effects of additional fiscal consolidation.Growth in emerging and developing economies such as China, Brazil and Russia is also expected to slow due to the weakening external environment and reduced internal demand.

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wa Mutharika’s death a blow to Africa’s integration agenda

THE DEATH of President Bingu wa Mutharika early this month has not only robbed Malawi of its leader but also deprived Africa of a fearless campaigner for deeper regional integration and agrarian revolution. Mutharika, who died on 5 April due to a heart failure, played an instrumental role in southern Africa’s efforts to transform the region from a food-deficit area to one producing surplus grain. Doubling as Malawi’s Agriculture Minister, Mutharika introduced a grain subsidy programme in 2005 to increase the provision of maize seed and fertilizer to smallholder farmers by more than 75 percent.

As a result, Malawi’s maize production trebled from about 1.2 million metric tonnes in the 2004/5 agricultural season to 3.4 million metric tonnes in 2007/08. In addition, the average farmer’s yield increased to two metric tonnes per hectare from 0.8 metric tonnes in 2005 as government provided vouchers to farmers to buy appropriate inputs.

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New power generation projects to add 1,770 Mw in 2012

SOUTHERN AFRICA expects to commission new power projects between 2012 and 2016 that will add 14,300MW of electricity to the regional grid, allowing the region to match supply and demand, according to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP). Part of this capacity will be initiated in 2012 through commissioning new and rehabilitated energy generation projects that will add about 1,770 megawatts (MW) of electricity, The power will come from Botswana, which is expected to commission 600MW this year, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa, contributing a total of 430MW and 300MW respectively.

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A NEW gender law in Mauritius that requires one-third of candidates in local elections to be women represents another step towards parity in decision-making. The gender quota is contained in the new Local Government Act that entered into force on 1 January 2012 and compels all political parties to field more women to contest in local elections due by April this year.

Under Mauritian law, the town and village councillors are elected every five years and their main role is to ensure the smooth running of five towns and 108 villages, overseeing the provision of services such as garbage collection and road maintenance. They are also tasked with taking care of the environment and organizing cultural,leisure and sporting activities.Just 6.4 percent of all village and town councillors are women at present.

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