Peace and stability in the region are necessary for development and to alleviate poverty. They are also decisive for well-functioning states with democratic forms of government. Armed conflicts often lead to serious regional consequences, such as streams of displaced people and increased migration. This, in turn, creates new social problems that put a strain on natural resources, such as fertile land, water and minerals.
Water and forest ecosystems are examples of cross-border natural resources. The majority of Africa’s watercourses are shared by two or more countries, and about 77 per cent of Africa’s population live within the watersheds of cross-border rivers.
Climatic changes, bringing droughts or floods, will hit agriculture in Africa hard. To cope with the changing conditions, farmers will have to adapt their production to manage their food security. Better functioning markets are also needed in many countries south of the Sahara to enable farmers to sell their products and buy seeds, tools and manure.
The majority of poor people are in countries south of the Sahara. It is estimated that more than one-third of the population of Africa is undernourished. This is the region that is furthest from achieving the Millennium Development Goals that leaders around of the world agreed would be reached by 2015. At the same time, these countries are the ones hardest hit by the Aids epidemic. The people with HIV/Aids, especially in southern Africa, are placing major demands on health systems. The disease is having a damaging effect on individuals and countries, as well as the region as a whole, its economy and future prospects.
