Regional:
The annual SADC Regional Vulnerability Assessment Committee Dissemination meeting took place in Swaziland last week. The draft reports indicate that the food insecure population in the region has increased in all countries except Lesotho and Malawi, in comparison to last year.
Madagascar:
Political entities who signed the Road Map agreed early last week that CES should be restructured and that the order of the elections should be respected.
The President of CENIT (Madagascar's Independent National Electoral Commission of the Transition) recognizes that it is difficult to convince the 3 controversial candidates to withdraw. She is calling on politicians to convince the SADC mission to accept the 41 candidates as initially published by CES.
According to the Chief Mediator, the 3 controversial candidates have until 31 July to withdraw; after which sanctions would be applied. These sanctions would result in the withdrawal of the international community and the ICG-M Malagasy electoral process and the non-recognition of the election results.
Namibia:
UNICEF, in a stand-alone appeal, is seeking USD 7,400,000 to address the needs of affected women and children for the remainder of the year and prevent the potential risk of high levels of malnutrition, water and sanitation related illnesses and school drop-outs associated with the drought.