On July 20, 2011, I got a call from Dina Esposito, USAID's Director of the Office of Food for Peace, alerting me of the official declaration of famine in Somalia. That moment, more than a year ago, is still deeply, vividly and painfully with me.

Famines are entirely man-made and have become increasingly rare. In my confirmation hearing, I quoted Amartya Sen's famous words that famines don't happen in democracies. So as the worst drought in 60 years gripped the Horn of Africa last year, it was only in Somalia, racked by 20 years of conflict and instability, and with limited access for humanitarian action, that famine was declared. The United States' commitment and long-term work with Ethiopia, Kenya, and many of their neighbors have reduced... more »

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The M23 rebellion took control of Rutshuru town for the second time in three weeks yesterday, sending Congolese soldiers running. While the army ran out of supplies, allegations immediately also began trickling in of Rwandan - and even Ugandan - support to the rebels, which had allowed them to break through the MONUSCO and army defenses after a morning of heavy fighting.

Which begs the question: What has happened after on the international stage since the publication of the UN Group of Experts report, implicating Rwanda in support to the M23?

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The BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - represent over forty percent of the world's population and "nearly a quarter of its economic output." At the same time, as noted by Dr. Motsoaledi, the BRICS contain one-third of the world's HIV+ individuals. Over the past decades, each nation grappled with national HIV/AIDS epidemics

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For the past decade, the youth movement has been an integral component of the International AIDS Conferences, and this year is no different, rather the youth are more outspoken this year than ever before. For AIDS2012, IAS organizers saw a 34% increase in youth-centered proposals for the Global Village than in previous years. Perhaps spurred by this year's theme: "Turning the Tide Together" or maybe because they're tired of only having a token seat at the table, this year's youth theme is all about having the equal opportunity to make a lasting impact.

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Come celebrate the kick off of the London 2012 Paralympic Games with the legacy organization of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games! Fun and festivities for all ages.

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A new generation of Congressional leaders is dedicated to ensuring continued bipartisan support for HIV/AIDS funding both globally and domestically. At an AIDS 2012 session Wednesday July 25, prominent lawmakers from both parties expressed appreciation for the collaborative history of PEPFAR and said the program is a priority for them.

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If you've opened a magazine or newspaper in the past couple of decades, there's a decent chance you've seen the work of Getachew Admase. The 71-year-old Ethiopian photo journalist has photographed portraits of many people, both famous and unknown - royalty, authors, artists, actors, and leading businessmen as well as "ordinary people" in a series [...]

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If you've opened a magazine or newspaper in the past couple of decades, there's a decent chance you've seen the work of Getachew Admase. The 71-year-old Ethiopian photo journalist has photographed portraits of many people, both famous and unknown - royalty, authors, artists, actors, and leading businessmen as well as "ordinary people" in a series [...]

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It's normal to think that food assistance is simply about keeping stomachs full. But, in fact, it's far more complex than that. It's also about empowering and enabling people to support themselves and their communities on a sustainable basis. A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to Zimbabwe and Mozambique to visit development projects supported by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with local authorities. It was there that I saw what a difference agricultural development efforts can make in people's lives.

Women Take the Lead

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After a month of negotiations, the U.N. conference failed to agree to an Arms Trade Treaty.

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The M23 rebellion took control of Rutshuru town for the second time in three weeks yesterday, sending Congolese soldiers running. While the army ran out of supplies, allegations immediately also began trickling in of Rwandan - and even Ugandan - support to the rebels, which had allowed them to break through the MONUSCO and army defenses after a morning of heavy fighting.

Which begs the question: What has happened after on the international stage since the publication of the UN Group of Experts report, implicating Rwanda in support to the M23?

[view whole blog post ]