Very interesting and very comprehensive. I think that it will take me a while to find my way around and to get to know the Kabissa, Fahamu, Pambazuka and Sangonet sites, but I suspect that my efforts will prove to be worthwhile.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) was “a day late and a dollar short” as far as making a positive difference is concerned, charges Africa Action. "Powell owes it to Africa to be honest about the Bush Administration’s lack of interest in fighting poverty and protecting the environment in Africa. But that is not possible while he still loyally serves what has become a very anti- African administration," said Africa Action Director Salih Booker.

A suitable large farm or piece of bushland in either Tanzania or Botswana is being sought to set up a Carnivore Rescue & Rehab Centre. Further, those keen on setting up this project will need assistance in terms of funding/sponsorship. If anyone knows of such a property or has suggestions/can assist with the financial aspect, please get in touch.

The People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) of Swaziland has condemned the decision to spend $45m on a luxury jet for the mountain kingdom's monarch. "We are outraged by the government's decision to secretly and lavishly spend taxpayers' money and aid funds in this manner whilst tens of thousands of Swazis are severely affected by the current drought," the organisation said in a statement.

May I congratulate you on such a comprehensive and informative news service.

IRC is seeking experienced development professionals to work in IRC country programs undergoing the transition from relief to development.

With the Prevention of Corruption Bill, a powerful instrument could be added to our democracy's anticorruption arsenal. Corruption has many faces in SA. Perhaps this is why the public seldom bears witness to a united political voice willing to challenge it there is instead a preference to allow such initiatives to falter on party lines.

"The implications of recent research findings on the non-profit (NPO) sector are as far reaching for public policy as for the sector's strategic planning, according to Eugene Saldanha, a director at the Non-Profit Partnership."

ANC MP Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has been found guilty by her peers in Parliament of failing to disclose donations and some of her financial interests in the register of members' interests.

Corruption and maladministration in South Africa's prisons and the Correctional Services Department are turning out to be much more widespread than initially thought, according to Judge Thabani Jali.

The African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) joins the Zimbabwe Women's Resource Centre and Network (ZWRCN), Article 19, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) and other concerned actors in condemning the abuse of human rights and press freedom in Zimbabwe.

If the Washington Consensus was the ideology of the late 20th century, can ecological economics and a genuine recognition of market failure for most of the earth's human inhabitants inform heads of state negotiating a grand deal in Johannesburg? If so, they will have to change direction rather dramatically.

Efforts to combat corruption in the last 10 years failed because of lack of political commitment, Transparency International (TI) board member Leonard Kalinde has said. Kalinde said there was an absence of top level commitment to the fight against corruption.

The undersigned organisations are supporters of a strong United Nations. We believe in a United Nations which holds commercial interests subservient to human rights, labor and environmental principles, which avoids excessive and undue corporate influence, which holds corporations accountable in a legal framework and which maintains the integrity of international social and environmental agreements. We are concerned, in particular, with the influence of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Business Action for Sustainable Development (BASD) on the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) process. In your speech at the World Economic Forum in January, you described the ICC and the WBCSD as having "embraced the issue" of sustainable development. We think this conclusion is premature and gives these groups an undeserved seal of approval.

Reporting to the Director, the Head of Programmes is responsible for the coordination of programme development, management and implementation, provision of an effective interface with partner institutions and funding agencies, monitoring and evaluation of programme delivery and operational performance, staff supervision and general administration.

Pambazuka News’s A-Z guide on the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) contains key information for Summit-watchers. You’ll find the web site addresses of background articles explaining what’s at stake and links to details on where to find information on the main and side events. There are also links to websites that will provide 24-hour coverage of the event. And if that’s not enough, remember to watch out for Summit news and articles in the regular sections of Pambazuka News.

Ten years after the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Governments are gathering to assess progress in achieving sustainable development and agree a new plan of action to implement the commitments they made. But a massive gulf still exists between rich and poor countries over the need for more concrete action while the industrialised world is shirking on its responsibilities.

By Patrick Bond
This book offers a critical reflection on the post-apartheid 'sustainable development' experience. What is of greatest value from South Africa is the warning not to pursue neoliberal, market-oriented strategies--as did Pretoria and most SA municipalities since democracy dawned in 1994. Working with local activists, Bond and his colleagues have researched and campaigned on behalf of social and environmental justice for years: offering alternatives to a minerals smelter in the Nelson Mandela Metropole, opposing Lesotho mega-dams, helping township residents end disconnections of electricity and water, and advocating for free lifeline services.

Transparency International senior advisor Augustine Ruzindana has urged government to institute sustainable ways of punishing corrupt officials. "We have all the laws to check on corruption but they are not followed. Officers are sacked today and they get new appointments the next day," Ruzindana said.

The Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, has called for laws to guide the conduct of public and civil servants. He said because ethics are not enforceable legally, most public and civil servants do not feel obliged to serve the nation as expected.