As the world food summit wraps up in Rome, civil society organisations call on policy makers to investigate the role of “commodity speculators in causing the current food price crisis and stop them profiting from hunger”. Speculative investment in commodity futures has “made prices more volatile and divorced prices from what is actually being produced on the ground”. In fact, the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) recently concluded a workshop to “identify food price induced needs and propose practical solutions to the crisis”. Under the framework of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme the workshop aimed to strengthen coordinated African agriculture and a food and nutrition security response. The AU and Nepad urged states “to honour their commitment to the Maputo Declaration of allocating 10% of their national budgets to agricultural and rural development”. The workshop also proposed concrete short and long-term responses to the food crisis and follow up actions for various stakeholders, which the AU is charged with monitoring. In addition, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has underlined the threat posed by the rise in food prices on Africa’s economic growth rate. With increases in prices of basic food and fertilisers, the AfDB is implementing measures, such as the African Fertiliser Financing Scheme, to ensure agricultural productivity. AfDB has also proposed that Africa entice and support private financing of agriculture, strengthen ministries of agriculture and implement policies that favour women.

Similarly, at a Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting of Ministers of Agriculture, Trade and Finance, it was agreed that the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development will provide 100 million dollars annually to support agricultural productivity in the region and invest four billion dollars over two years to boost agricultural productivity, mostly in the form of input support for small family farms. “The ministers said the elimination of existing obstacles to intra-regional movement of persons and goods would also contribute towards easing the prevailing spiralling cost of foodstuffs by ensuring easier access of Community citizens to commodities produced in the region”. This sentiment echoed that of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, meeting earlier in the week, which called on states to effectively implement the Protocol relating to the Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Establishment.

Also in West Africa, a pay dispute within the Guinean army escalated into violence, claiming at least three lives. The AU Commission (AUC) called on Guinean military personnel to “refrain from the use of arms” and urged state institutions to immediately initiate dialogue and consultation with all the stakeholders, while President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, the Chairman of ECOWAS, held consultations on the situation on the margins of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). “The meeting expressed great concern about reported unrest by elements of the Armed Forces of Guinea which put at risk the safety and security of the civilian population and poses a grave threat to the fragile peace in the entire Mano River Union area.”

As African leaders return from the TICAD this week, the Group of African Ambassadors in Russia called for more development oriented policies during a series of high level meetings with Russian government officials and suggested that Moscow hold an international conference to discuss ways of enhancing economic partnership and cooperation. Regarding this global courting of Africa, Ken Kamoche recognizes Africa’s strategic global position, but notes that despite the fact that “Africa is more powerful than it realises” “it lacks vision and political instability remains a stumbling block” to effectively use this position for its own benefit. Further noting that the lack of unity in Africa has created a situation where, despite Africa’s potential political power, African leaders are opening their economies for promises of aid that recreate a disempowering asymmetry between the continent and the rest of the world. Muthoni Wanyeki adds “I almost no longer care about the G8’s side of the bargain — to address historical and structural problems with development financing for Africa not just through ODA, but also through debt, investment and trade. What I do care about, however, is our own side of the bargain — to address our governance problems.” Taking examples from Kenya, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and others, she notes that the recent gains in civil and political rights are fraying as African leaders attempt to compensate for limitations on basic freedoms with increased economic growth – a situation Pheroze Nowrojee has described as Africans being primed for fascism.

Finally, the United Nations special representative on the human rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs) commended the AU this week for the draft convention for the protection and assistance of IDPs. While the xenophobic violence that has engulfed South Africa prompt Gwen Lister to question the viability of a union government which she claims “would be meaningless unless Africans are able to treat one another with the respect and dignity they deserve, especially when it comes to refugee communities”.