What's New

According to a new report released by FEWS, crisis-level food insecurity across West Africa has improved or stabilized in the past month, particularly from Mauritania to Chad and the eastern Sahel. Despite the improvement in food security, however, food aid will still be needed in the region through the fall to compensate for high prices and low household food stocks.

FEWS NET has released its Food Price Watch for June, citing steadily increasing staple food prices in East Africa. Rising prices in the region are being caused by a combination of dwindling supplies from previous harvests and market interruptions due to conflict; many areas of the region were already seeing alarmingly high food prices.

FEWS NET has released the latest Monthly Price Watch for May 2012. The report cites slight fluctuations in the international grains markets, with wheat increasing in many markets and maize export prices continuing to decrease. In both East and West Africa, staple food prices (particularly cereals prices) increased in April. These increases were due to diminishing stocks from previous harvests (East Africa) and a rapid increase in demand that is still unmatched by supply (West Africa, particularly the Sahel).

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Read the annex

May 25 marks Africa Day, the annual commemoration of the founding of the Organization of African Unity (now recognized as the Africa Union) in 1963. The annual celebration honors ongoing efforts to address inequality, poverty, and conflict in the region. The theme of Africa Day 2012 is "Towards the Realisation of a United and Integrated Africa and Its Diaspora," calling for unity among all Africans in working for greater political and economic development. The next AU Summit will be held in Malawi in July, at which time the AU Chairperson will be elected.

FEWS NET has released its April Food Price Watch, citing stable prices throughout much of Africa and Central America. The Sahel region saw relatively stable cereals prices due to food assistance interventions and successful transport from surplus areas. In East Africa, staple prices remained generally stable, though high; some areas in this region saw seasonal increases.

Read the full report.
Read the Annex.