African and non-regional donors announced on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, a contribution of $ 17 million to replenish the Africa Solidarity Trust Fund. This initiative aims to ensure food security and eliminate rural poverty on the continent.

Subscriptions for these donations were made during a high-level round table convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea. margin of AfDB Annual Meetings held in Malabo, Guinea.

Guinea among the donors

The meeting raised $ 17 million, including $ 10 million from Angola, $ 2.6 million from China, $ 2 million from France, $ 2 million from Equatorial Guinea and $ 100,000 from Zimbabwe.

The President of Equatorial Guinea, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, recalled that the Fund illustrated a turning point in the fight against food insecurity. He said his tiny, oil-rich country had generously donated its oil revenues to show solidarity with African countries. Indeed, the Fund received its initial contribution of $ 30 million from Equatorial Guinea, the host country for this year’s meetings.

His projects have been praised for bringing innovative solutions to African agriculture and food systems.

Break the addiction

For the African Development Bank (AfDB), Africa faces challenges in the areas of agriculture and food production, and these are heavily dependent on food imports.

« It’s so important that this fund shows that African countries are contributing to Africa. This is very closely related to what we do. The Bank is committed to providing farmers with the technologies they need to improve their yields », said Jennifer Blanke, Vice President of the Bank for Agriculture, Human and Social Development.

Results obtained in figures

In her timely words, FAO Assistant Director-General Maria Helena Semedo, who represented FAO Chief José Graziano da Silva, commended the Fund for its achievements.

Indeed, the Fund has enabled the successful implementation of 18 projects that have benefited 41 countries and hundreds and thousands of beneficiaries, including 160 vulnerable households in Niger that have undergone a transformation and grants that have allowed a response. populations affected by the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014.

« We celebrate the success of the fund … The excellent results of the fund over the past five years bear witness to this. It is a flagship initiative and one of FAO’s most successful funding initiatives », said Semedo.

All in all, she insisted, the generosity of the donors is a unique proof of the strong solidarity between African countries.

The presidents of Mauritania, Guinea Bissau, Eswatini’s prime minister and several senior diplomats, ministers and development institutions and banks attended the conference.

Eric TSHIKUMA