By December 31, this year’s death toll from hunger in southern and eastern Africa will reach more than 300,000. Next year could see even more deaths. At least 30 million Africans are threatened by food shortages. Within the next year, this food emergency threatens to dwarf the famine in 1984-85, which killed more than one million Africans and captured global attention. Read more...

Secretary of State Colin Powell called on every nation of the world to provide leadership in fighting the AIDS epidemic at an unprecedented meeting on December 4. For the first time, Powell invited diplomats from 164 countries to Washington for World AIDS Day. Regrettably, only 86 countries – just more than half of those invited – sent representatives to the event. Read more...

In the past 60 years, Africa has been home to nearly 50 wars resulting in the deaths of millions of civilians. These wars have been characterized by substantial civilian deaths, the conscription of child soldiers and the spread of the AIDS virus. Yet, across the continent, dim rays of hope continue to brighten. Read more...