International donors pledge $8 bln for Horn of Africa
International donors pledged $8 billion in development aid Monday for projects across eight countries in the Horn of Africa, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon announced at the start of a visit to the region. The aid, from organizations including the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), European Union and Islamic Development Bank (IDB), will support efforts to boost economies and stem conflict and hunger across the volatile region. Countries targeted are Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda. Infographic: Donors pledge funds for Horn of Africa (Design by Farwa Rizwan/ Al Arabiya News) "The countries of the Horn of Africa are making important yet unheralded progress in economic growth and political stability," Ban said in a statement. "Now is a crucial moment to support those efforts, end the cycles of conflict and poverty, and move from fragility to sustainability." Ban, who begins his Horn of Africa trip in Et