WARN 2012 annual review and planning meeting update

The Private Sector and their Contribution to the Fight Against Malaria in West Africa

4 September 2012 in Praia, Cape Verde: As part of its coordination activities in West Africa, the West Africa Roll Back Malaria Network (WARN) invited leading companies active in the fight against malaria in the region to meet in Praia, Cape Verde from September 3rd to 4th 2012.

The meeting was held during WARN annual meeting, which will end Sept. 7, 2012. This meeting is timely in these times of global economic crisis when funding granted to the fight against malaria is increasingly difficult. Such an initiative also responds to a pressing need: the diversification of funding sources for the fight against malaria in West Africa. Roll Back Malaria, through WARN, urges all its member countries to call upon local companies for a significant contribution to the national effort.

Many companies, such as AngloGold Ashanti, the Senegalese Sugar Company, COTCO were represented. The main objectives of this meeting were to facilitate the exchange of information and best practices regarding the involvement of the private sector in the fight against malaria, the development of areas of collaboration between the public sector, the private sector and WARN partners. The discussions led to the planning of concrete actions for 2013 and the participants reiterated their commitment to the fight in the region. At the end of the meeting, AngloGold Ashanti was awarded a prize for all those years of dedicated efforts to protect their employees and local population against malaria. WARN also awarded its private sector constituency for its continued commitment.