On Ebola & WHO's Failures, Chan Tells UNSC of "High Gear" Reforms, Power Questions

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 13 -- Amid widespread criticism of the World Health Organization's response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, WHO's Margaret Chan on August 13 told the Security Council, "I am personally overseeing reforms in WHO that include the establishment of a global health emergency workforce, an operational platform that can shift into high gear quickly, performance benchmarks that show exactly what we mean by 'high gear,' and the funding needed to make this happen."

 But what will it come to?

 On August 13 in the Security Council, US Ambassador Samantha Power asked why and how information from the field got "lost" further up the chain. This echoes UN Peacekeeping in New York - Ladsous - ignoring and allowing rapes in the field, then letting a field commander be the scapegoat, staying on vacation. This is today's UN system.

 Back on May 9 when the UN's High Level Panel on Global Response to Health Crises held a press conference on May 8, Inner City Press asked the panel about criticism by Doctors Without Borders MSF and others of the UN's and World Health Organization's initial response to Ebola.Video here.

 Former Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa replied about the need for clear chains of command; Brazil's Celso Amorim spoke movingly about disparities like $9 per person for health care in Liberia versus $8000 per person in some European Union countries.
 
  Inner City Press asked the High Level Panel's chair, Tanzanian President Kikwete, if he would speak about Burundi and his role there.Video here.

 Kikwete told Inner City Press to ask him about Burundi after the press conference. Inner City Press did, specifically if the EAC will be opining on if a third term would violate the Arusha Agreements or pose regional threats.

  "Be patient," was Kikwete's response, saying that the foreign ministers who visited Burundi will report back on May 13. We will cover that at that time.

  During the press conference, Kikwete dealt with aplomb when UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq called him the "former president" of Tanzania. There were a number of "formers" (and "futures") on the panel, but Kikwete is current.

   Moments after Kikwete's and the panel's press conference, the UN Security Council issued "elements to the press" which "called upon all parties to refrain from violence and to prioritize Burundi’s peace and stability through the current political dialogue and also to achieve their needs through legal and peaceful means. They stressed the need to hold a credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful electoral process."

 Inner City Press asked the Security Council's president for May  Raimonda Murmokaite of Lithuania how the third term was discussed in the Council's closed meeting. She replied that individual members did express their views on the third term but it was not really the essence of the discussion.  We'll have more on this.

  Inner City Press has asked the UN about Burundi, most recently on May 4 and 5 and now May 6, below. Now it's said the UN's Said Djinnit will belatedly brief the Security Council on May 7 - we'll be there.

  On May 6, Inner City Press asked the UN, " I don't know if you have an update on Burundi?"

  Moments later, beyond an if-asked, a statement was handed to UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, who answered Inner City Press with this:

"Regarding Burundi, after a plenary session yesterday, Burundian stakeholders continued the political dialogue.  Our Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Said Djinnit, is facilitating work in smaller committees.  The objective of the dialogue remains to seek common grounds for creating conditions for the holding of peaceful, inclusive, and credible elections in Burundi.  Meanwhile, we welcome the arrival in Bujumbura of the foreign ministers of the East African community, and we look forward to working closely with the region on this."

  The UN is relentlessly upbeat - and marginalized. Watch this site.

 On May 4, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: On Burundi, I want to know if you have any statement on the violence in the capital in which at least two people have been killed today protesting the third-term run of the President?

Spokesman Dujurric:  Sure, we continue to follow the events in Burundi with great concern and deplore the loss of lives and injuries as well as the destruction of property that we've seen.  We reiterate our calls to all the parties to reject violence, exercise maximum restraint, and avoid using inflammatory language, as well as to take the necessary appeasement measures to create conditions for dialogue.  In this regard, the UN mission on the ground, MENUB, has been encouraging all stakeholders to seize the opportunities of the dialogue that is organized by the Ministry of Interior with the support of the UN on 5 and 6 May.  That is tomorrow and Wednesday.  And we trust that stakeholders will see and build on this dialogue as an opportunity to defuse tensions and seek common grounds for creating conditions for the holding of peaceful, inclusive, and credible elections in Burundi.

 Later on May 4, Ban Ki-moon met with Uganda's Yoweri Museveni, but no UN read-out was issued. On May 5, Inner City Press asked for this, and about the judge who fled the country amid death threats. Video here.

   

Amid Ebola Pledges, Inner City Press Asks UNDP's Helen Clark Who Ensures Payments Are Actually Made

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 10 -- On the eve of the UN's all-day Ebola pledging event, Inner City Press asked the UN Development Program's Coordinator of Ebola Response Sunil Saigal what steps UNDP would take to ensure that those who announced pledges actually pay them. In response, he acknowledges that non-payment is a problem, but added that “it's not for us to say.” Video here.

   On July 10 while the presidents of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea -- and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe -- spoke inside the UN's Trusteeship Council Chamber, out on First Avenue there were protests about not only Alpha Conde of Guinea but also “Koroma, where is the Ebola money?”Photo here.

  In the afternoon a self-described representative of the Sierra Leone diaspora spoke inside the UN, for the “private sector;” it was not clear why the diaspora protesting outside was not allowed in the UN.

   A question and answer stakeout that was scheduled for 5 pm took place closer to 6 pm. Inner City Press askedUNDP's Helen Clark what steps are being taken to ensure that the announced pledges are in fact paid. Inner City Press cited a study by Oxfam of under-payment of pledges on Haiti, Gaza and Lebanon - the radical underpayment in Yemen has yet to be studied -- and Helen Clark said she read it. She said UNDP will be contacting the pledgers. But will they go public with the non-payers?

  There were pledges which were limited to only some of the three countries - the UN position on this wasn't clear, and the question wasn't taken. Still, Helen Clark took and answered a press question inside the UN in New York, as the Free UN Coalition for Access has been asking for some time. So, onward and upward. Watch this site.
   

On Ebola & WHO's Failures, Natalegawa Tells Inner City Press He Wants Clarity, Amorim More Justice

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 9, with video -- When the UN's High Level Panel on Global Response to Health Crises held a press conference on May 8, Inner City Press asked the panel about criticism by Doctors Without Borders MSF and others of the UN's and World Health Organization's initial response to Ebola. Video here.

 Former Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa replied about the need for clear chains of command; Brazil's Celso Amorim spoke movingly about disparities like $9 per person for health care in Liberia versus $8000 per person in some European Union countries.
 
  Inner City Press asked the High Level Panel's chair, Tanzanian President Kikwete, if he would speak about Burundi and his role there.Video here.

 Kikwete told Inner City Press to ask him about Burundi after the press conference. Inner City Press did, specifically if the EAC will be opining on if a third term would violate the Arusha Agreements or pose regional threats.

  "Be patient," was Kikwete's response, saying that the foreign ministers who visited Burundi will report back on May 13. We will cover that at that time.

  During the press conference, Kikwete dealt with aplomb when UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq called him the "former president" of Tanzania. There were a number of "formers" (and "futures") on the panel, but Kikwete is current.

   Moments after Kikwete's and the panel's press conference, the UN Security Council issued "elements to the press" which "called upon all parties to refrain from violence and to prioritize Burundi’s peace and stability through the current political dialogue and also to achieve their needs through legal and peaceful means. They stressed the need to hold a credible, transparent, inclusive and peaceful electoral process."

 Inner City Press asked the Security Council's president for May  Raimonda Murmokaite of Lithuania how the third term was discussed in the Council's closed meeting. She replied that individual members did express their views on the third term but it was not really the essence of the discussion.  We'll have more on this.

  Inner City Press has asked the UN about Burundi, most recently on May 4 and 5 and now May 6, below. Now it's said the UN's Said Djinnit will belatedly brief the Security Council on May 7 - we'll be there.

  On May 6, Inner City Press asked the UN, " I don't know if you have an update on Burundi?"

  Moments later, beyond an if-asked, a statement was handed to UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, who answered Inner City Press with this:

"Regarding Burundi, after a plenary session yesterday, Burundian stakeholders continued the political dialogue.  Our Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Said Djinnit, is facilitating work in smaller committees.  The objective of the dialogue remains to seek common grounds for creating conditions for the holding of peaceful, inclusive, and credible elections in Burundi.  Meanwhile, we welcome the arrival in Bujumbura of the foreign ministers of the East African community, and we look forward to working closely with the region on this."

  The UN is relentlessly upbeat - and marginalized. Watch this site.

 On May 4, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: On Burundi, I want to know if you have any statement on the violence in the capital in which at least two people have been killed today protesting the third-term run of the President?

Spokesman Dujurric:  Sure, we continue to follow the events in Burundi with great concern and deplore the loss of lives and injuries as well as the destruction of property that we've seen.  We reiterate our calls to all the parties to reject violence, exercise maximum restraint, and avoid using inflammatory language, as well as to take the necessary appeasement measures to create conditions for dialogue.  In this regard, the UN mission on the ground, MENUB, has been encouraging all stakeholders to seize the opportunities of the dialogue that is organized by the Ministry of Interior with the support of the UN on 5 and 6 May.  That is tomorrow and Wednesday.  And we trust that stakeholders will see and build on this dialogue as an opportunity to defuse tensions and seek common grounds for creating conditions for the holding of peaceful, inclusive, and credible elections in Burundi.

 Later on May 4, Ban Ki-moon met with Uganda's Yoweri Museveni, but no UN read-out was issued. On May 5, Inner City Press asked for this, and about the judge who fled the country amid death threats. Video here.

   

On UN Budget, Questions of Risk Premiums and Pension Probe, Cafeteria to Close, Staff Union Elections?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 6 -- When UN Under Secretary General for Management Yukio Takasu came for his semi-annual press conference on May 6, Inner City Press asked him about the UN's shift of hundreds of 4 by 4's from Darfur to West Africa, about not paying Troop Contributing Countries a risk premium for deployment in the Central African Republic, about the Staff Union, Pension Fund and even the impending closure of the UN Cafeteria. Video here.

  Takasu said that some APC - armored personnel carrier - were moved to the UN's Ebola mission UNMEER, but would be returned. Inner City Press repeated the question, about unarmored 4 by 4 vehicles withdrawn from Darfur, and Takasu said he would check, as he did on the CAR risk premium.

  On the Staff Union, Takasu said the goal was new election. But as Inner City Press asked, the old (44th) team was allowed to speak at the recent Town Hall meeting about irregularities in the Pension Fund, and the newer, elected (45th) team was not. On the Pension Fund, Takasu said that the Office of Internal Oversight Services is looking into it to decide how to proceed.

  On the cafeteria, Takasu confirmed Inner City Press' scoop, that it is slated to close due to concerns about vehicle bombs on the FDR Drive off-ramp, which New York City has been unwilling to close. Takasu acknowledged that the planned replacement space on the fourth floor is much smaller. And so it goes.

   

UN Stop Ebola Concert Has Marley Covers, Missing Celebs, Distorted Priorities

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, March 2 -- A concert at the UN to Stop Ebola would seem to be a no-brainer, easy to promote, a feel-good event. But when the February 27 press conference for the March 2 concert was held, there were at first no journalists there. 

  A photographer member of the Free UN Coalition for Access went down to cover it, mostly to be polite. Later a louder UN Correspondents Association (a/k/a UN's Censorship Alliance) board member went, saying “on behalf of UNCA” would Derek Jeter and Jackie Chan actually attend?

  Well, no. And when the event itself happened, there were whispers, “Nick Cannon isn't here.”

   But Ban Ki-moon was there, as was Samantha Power, back from her appearance at AIPAC in Washington.  

Italian Ambassador Sebastiano Cardi spoke, saying that Italy is not an African country but is close to them. Libya will be considered by the Security Council later in the week.

  Inner City Press took and tweeted some photographs, and as other trashed the event as not even including the promised Salt n' Peppa, praised it for the late Bob Marley cover as kids bobbed in UN General Assembly seats marked “ACABQ” - the Advisory Committee on Budgetary Questions, of course. 

  The budget of UNMEER, of course, has yet to be finalized. Ban Ki-moon asked for contribution to “his” trust fund; an adviser to the NYC Police Commissioner said “I'm from the 'hood.” An on-air personality for NY1 called up one speaker after another. It seems many UN staff weren't even told of the event.
 
  A former UN event organizer Gordan Tapper was in charge; the UN Department of Public Information declined to sponsor it, several participants noted.

    But this is the UN; singing in the UN General Assembly is irresistible. And here's hoping that the last mile on Ebola is actually accomplished and not fumbled like so much else. Watch this site.

   

On Ebola, IMF Announces $100M Now, $160M Soon; Answers to Inner City Press on Mongolia & Ghana Next

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 5 -- The IMF's biweekly embargoed briefing began Thursday with drama and a guest: Christine Lagarde on Ebola, in English and French, taking two questions then out.

The IMF said, "subject to Board approval of requests from the individual countries, it is expected that the CCR trust would provide grants-for-debt relief of close to $100 million for the three countries affected by Ebola in West Africa –Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. These funds would come in addition to the $130 million of assistance provided in September 2014 and to
a second round of new concessional loans amounting to about $160 million to be considered soon by the Executive Board."

 Lagarde said that one country, which she left unnamed, has made a commitment that they will be announcing. She cited non-Paris club members, naming only Russia as a creditor of Guinea. She said there'll be more at the G20 in Istanbul. 

  After that, there were seven questions to Lagarde's spokesperson Gerry Rice about Greece -- he declined to comment on the ECB further squeezing Greece -- then two on Ukraine, where the IMF is said to be in line for only $6 billion of the $15 billion now requested. US John Kerry is in Kiev today, including on IMF.

  Inner City Press, before and during the briefing, submitted three questions:

In Ghana, President Mahama on Feb 3 said, “Ghana is committed to securing an IMF programme and we are confident that we will reach agreement with the IMF by the end of this quarter.” What is the process / status at the IMF?

On Mongolia, what is the process forward on their request for an IMF stand-by arrangement? When will a visit to the country take place?

In Sri Lanka on bank consolidation, new Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran has said “I have also asked the IMF to send some technical experts to look at these issues from an international perspective and they have agreed to do so.” Can you confirm that? Would it be in connection with IMF visit at the end of February?

 The first two were answered, and will be reported in separate stories. On Sri Lanka, which was not answered during the IMF briefing, the new government is cutting off payments to Lagarde's predecessor Dominique Strauss Kahn, who once out through the revolving door (of a Manhattan hotel) sold his services to the Rajapaksas. Any comment, or future safeguards, on that? 

On Sri Lanka after the briefing and expiration of the embargo there was this answer by Gerry Rice of the IMF: "“We have been discussing with the authorities a multi-faceted technical assistance mission on financial sector issues. Looking at financial system stability and supervision in the context of the ongoing consolidation process is one element. We are currently putting together a team to send to Colombo, but will discuss with the CBSL specific needs in the next week so that we can select the best experts and structure the mission. It will likely take place after the staff visit in February, as this is a separate, technical assistance exercise.”

  On Ebola back on November 13 Inner City Press asked about Ebola, including World Bank estimates of budget shortfalls in Liberia.

 Inner City Press on November 13 asked, "On Ebola, what is the IMF's response to the US call for debt forgiveness for three countries? The World Bank has indicated that Liberia's revised 2014-15 budget has an unmet financing gap of more than half of the budget deficit projected at over $300 million. What can or will the IMF do about this?"

  IMF Deputy Spokesperson William Murray replied that given the flare up of Ebola cases in unexpected areas. "The IMF staff's previously projections were assuming the epidemic would be brought under control in the first quarter of 2015. However it now appears that it could be well into the second half of 2015 before the Ebola epidemic is brought under control in these three countries."

   Three hours later at the end of a UN General Assembly session on Ebola, Inner City Press asked a panel of UNGA President Sam Kutesa and UN Ebola envoys Anthony Banbury and David Navarro about the IMF's new projection: is it consonant with the UN's?

  It was Tony Banbury who answered, saying that the UN is aiming at 70% safe burials for example by December 1 and to turn the Ebola epidemic around.

  Is that the same thing as getting the epidemic "under control," the definition under which the IMF now projects the second half of 2015?  The work goes on. Watch this site.

  The day before at the UN on November 12 when the UN Security Council met, Liberia's Ambassador Marjon Kamara spoke not of the IMF but of the World Bank, saying "the World Bank recently gave a gloomy depiction of the economic effects of the disease on the three most affected countries - Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone."

     Per Thoresson, Deputy Ambassador of Sweden which chairs the UN Peacebuilding configuration on Liberia, specified that “according to the World Bank, the two-year regional financial impact could reach $32.6 billion by the end of 2015. The World Bank also indicated that Liberia's revised 2014-15 budget has an unmet financing gap of more than half of the budget deficit projected at over $300 million.”

  So where's the money going to come from? Back on October 30, Inner City Press asked the International Monetary Fund about its stated $130 million commitment to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

   Inner City Press asked IMF spokesperson Gerry Rice for an update at the IMF's embargoed briefing on October 30.

  Rice said the outlook has worsened, with region-wide fall offs in travel and tourism. As to the three countries most impacted, there are "large financing needs likely for 2015."

  At the Annual Meetings earlier this month, the IMF met with the three countries' authorities, Rice said. "2015 is going to be a challenging year." If the outbreak spreads, it would have larger spillovers. The IMF, Rice said, is ready. We'll see.

  In the UN Security Council on November 12, the head of UN Peacekeeping Herve Ladsous recited that Justice Minister Christiana Tah resigned and five soldiers have been demoted for disciplinary offenses while enforcing a quarantine of an Ebola-affected community in Monrovia.

  Under Ladsous, it must be noted, UN Peackeeping has covered up attacks on civilians in Darfur and the Central African Republic. Ladsous himself refused repeatedly to answer Press questions about rapes by his partners in the DR Congo Army. Video compilation here. Most recently, Ladsous tried to block the Press' camera, Vine here. Thus is the UN UNdercut.

  Also during the October 30 embargoed IMF briefing,Inner City Press submitted this question: "On Ghana, does the IMF have any comment on the October 28 launch of the “Civil Society Organization Platform on the IMF Bailout to Ghana”? Will the IMF meet with the group?")

 On Ebola back on August 28 Rice told Inner City Press that the IMF was working on the ebola crisis with the government of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.  Later came the $130 million commitment.

  While most questions on August 28 concerned IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde being under investigation -- she will brief the IMF Board “very soon,” Rice said, calling it “highly unlikely” it would be on August 29 along with the Board's meeting on Ukraine -- Inner City Press also asked about Yemen, Ghana, Pakistan -- and ebola, IMF transcript here:

“Has the IMF produced any estimates of the impact of the ebola crisis? Any IMF responses to it?”

  Rice read out the question, then said that ebola's "acute impacts" are “macro-economic” and social, hitting three “already fragile” countries (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone). He said "growth is likely to slow sharply in all three cases" and significant financial needs will rise: "increased poverty and food insecurity" and impacts on employment in the key agricultural sector.

  Rice concluded, "We are actively working with all three countries to prepare... additional financing that may be required."

Watch this site. 
   

US Budget Proposal Mixes UN Missions in Afghanistan & Libya, On Ebola, Inner City Press Asked State Department Why

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 2 --When the US proposed budget for its State Department was released on February 2, it included a $10 million increase in proposed funding for the UN regular budget. Under this, three UN missions -- for Afghanistan, Libya and Ebola response -- were combined together for a request of $42 million. Documenthere, at Page 43.

    On a background call, Inner City Press asked about this, including if the estimate for the UN Support Mission in Libya is impacted by that Mission hardly being present on the ground in the country anymore.

   A Senior State Department Official replied, focusing on Afghanistan, telling Inner City Press that, “we believe that the funding level is probably doing to stay constant over the FY 2016 period. The funding levels that we've got for the political missions are for six months assessment for Afghanistan. We believe that that funding level then will catch up the the second six money will catch up. So that you'll be seeing a lag on the overall payment there.”

   UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has made a range of claims about his budgets, the consistency with the US request we are still evaluating. For now, here is the State Department transcript:

OPERATOR: Thank you. That’s Matthew Russell Lee from Inner City Press. Please go ahead.

INNER CITY PRESS: Sure, thanks a lot. I was looking at the UN section of it – I think it’s around page 43 – and I just – I noticed that for the mission – special political missions in Afghanistan and Libya and also the mission on Ebola, they’re all kind of lumped together at $42 million. I mean, it may have something to do with the way the UN has funded them, but can you – is there any breakout of that, and particularly this – given that the UN mission in Libya is actually no longer present on the ground in the country, is that – do you expect that number to go up or go down?

SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: So we believe that that funding level is probably going to stay constant over the FY 2016 period. The funding levels that we’ve got for the political missions are for a six-month assessment for Afghanistan. And we believe that that funding level then will catch up the second six months, so you’ll be seeing a lag on the overall payment there.

  Other questioners on the embargoed call asked about the Green Climate Fund, Moldova and Georgia, migration and the so-called Cromnibus or Continuing Resolution / Omnibus, which has provisions impacting funding to the UN based on protecting whistleblowers (dubious) andcombating sexual exploitation and abuse (same), as well as on funding to the Palestinian Authority. We are digging into each of these. Watch this site.

    

On Yemen, IMF Tells Inner City Press Recent Events "Not Positive from an Economic Standpoint," First Review in Spring

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 22 -- When the International Monetary Fund held an embargoed press briefing on January 22, after the Houthi rebels in Yemen have held the Presidential palace for days, Inner City Press asked about the impact on the IMF's program with Yemen.

  IMF Deputy Spokesperson William Murray said that recent events are "not positive from an economic standpoint," but that the IMF's first review of its program will not be until the Spring.

  Where will the Houthis be then? And Hadi? And Saleh?

   Inner City Press also submitted questions on Sri Lanka and on Ebola and debt relief. On the latter, Murray spoke of an exceptional assistance program as with Haiti, but wouldn't specify debt relief. We'll have more on this.

 On Yemen, Murray referred back to the January 21 report and briefing by Masood Ahmed -- to which Inner City Press also submitted the question. In that briefing, Ahmed said:

"we are worried about the continued difficulties in Yemen, really because Yemen is already a country with a fragile economic recovery, with a large number of people living in poverty, and with already trying to cope with different shocks that the economy has undergone, and so this makes the uncertainty, makes it both harder to deal with those shocks and also it affects confidence, so that some of the private sector activity is affected.

"Of course we as an interactive institution don't have a view on the political developments in any country, but we can look at the economic consequences, which is what I was referring to. In terms of the implications for this on the price of oil, you know the price of oil, the markets build in both up side and down side risks into that price. So there's a risk of supply disruptions. That is one of the sources that can push up oil prices with the risk premium, not just from Yemen but also people have been concerned about supply disruptions in other oil producing countries, but there's also the risk that the world economy may turn out to be slower in terms of growth or there's a risk that in fact oil production may turn out to be higher in some countries than expected. If you remember, earlier on in 2014, people were expecting oil production in Libya to be relatively low for the year. As it happened, oil production actually increased at one point to 900, 1000 barrels a day and so that was unexpected. And some people say that was one of the reasons that was helping people to reestablish equilibrium in terms of their expectations. So I think that the market is always looking at both up side and down side risks and prices."

The IMF's Middle East and Central Asia Department Regional Economic Outlook Update as released on January 21, says “Yemen is at high risk because its banks are highly exposed to government debt against the backdrop of a weak fiscal position and limited financing options.”

    Referring to the demands for fuel subsidy cuts, the IMF report says “Yemen “is planning to increase non-oil revenue collection, contain the government wage bill, and continue fuel subsidy reform.” Is that still the case? How could the IMF know?
  
  Looking wider, the IMF report says that “conflicts, terrorism, and related security disruptions continue to be a prevailing concern in the region. Although airstrikes have slowed the advance of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), conflicts in Iraq and Syria persist, creating significant economic and political spillovers for neighboring countries (especially Jordan and Lebanon). The security situations in Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, and Yemen also remain challenging. Conflicts cast a shadow over the economic outlook for the MENAP region, not only because they disrupt economic activity; they also reduce political space for the much-needed reforms and delay the return of confidence to the MENAP region.”  

 On January 19-20, the IMF's Olivier Blanchard answered Inner City Press' question about the impact of falling oil prices on Africa by saying "Nigeria will have to adjust. I do not know at this stage whether they can adjust on their own or they might need a program from the Fund. If they did any member is welcome to come at this stage I have no information about it.”

    A Yemen-like program?

   To the IMF's World Economic Outlook Update press conference, Inner City Press had submitted this question: “Please summarize what the decline in oil prices may mean for countries in Africa, and what the IMF is prepared to do about those countries negatively impacted.”

    As the second online question taken, this question was put to Blanchard, who responded:

“Most African countries are importers and so are helped. Some countries are not and the main example is Nigeria. Nigeria will have to adjust. I do not know at this stage whether they can adjust on their own or they might need a program from the Fund. If they did any member is welcome to come at this stage I have no information about it.”

  Earlier on January 19, the UN Security Council issued a Presidential Statement about, but not funding, the fight against Boko Haram. Security Council sources leaving the meeting told Inner City Press that for funding, those in the region -- i.e. Nigeria -- should be looked to first.

  But if Nigeria may even need to apply for an IMF program, is it reasonable for the powers in the UN and it Permanent Five members of the Security Council to expect it to be entire responsible for fighting Boko Haram?

  We'll have more on this.

Footnote: while Blanchard's "main example" was Nigeria, what about Angola? What about Equatorial Guinea? To the north, what about Libya? Questions, questions...

 Follow @innercitypress Follow @FUNCA_info