CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS—MAR. 8, 2002 116 STAT. 3131 (1) Despite some progress in recent years, sub-Saharan Africa enters the new millennium with many of the world's poorest countries and is the one region of the world where hunger is both pervasive and increasing. (2) Thirty-three of the world's 41 poorest debtor countries are in sub-Saharan Africa and an estimated 291,000,000 people, nearly one-half of sub-Saharan Africa's total population, currently live in extreme poverty on less than $1 a day. (3) One in three people in sub-Saharan Africa is chronically undernourished, double the number of three decades ago. One child out of seven dies before the age of five, and one-half of these deaths are due to malnutrition. (4) Sub-Saharan Africa is the region in the world most affected by infectious disease, accounting for one-half of the deaths worldwide from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, cholera, and several other diseases. (5) Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 70 percent of adults, and 80 percent of children, living with the HIV virus, and 75 percent of the people worldwide who have died of AIDS lived in Africa. (6) The HIV/AIDS pandemic has erased many of the development gains of the past generation in sub-Saharan Africa and now threatens to undermine economic and social progress for the next generation, with life expectancy in parts of sub- Saharan Africa having already decreased by 10-20 years as a result of AIDS. (7) Despite these immense challenges, the number of sub- Saharan African countries that are moving toward open economies and more accountable governments has increased, and these countries are beginning to achieve local solutions to their common problems. (8) To make lasting improvements in the lives of their people, sub-Saharan Africa governments need support as they act to solve conflicts, make critical investments in human capacity and infrastructure, combat corruption, reform their economies, stimulate trade and equitable economic growth, and build democracy. (9) Despite sub-Saharan Africa's enormous development challenges. United States companies hold approximately $12,800,000,000 in investments in sub-Saharan Africa, greater than United States investments in either the Middle East or Eastern Europe, and total United States trade with sub-Saharan Africa currently exceeds that with all of the independent states of the former Soviet Union, including the Russian Federation. This economic relationship could be put at risk unless additional public and private resources are provided to combat poverty and promote equitable economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. (10) Bread for the World Institute calculates that the goal of reducing world hunger by one-half by 2015 is achievable through an increase of $4,000,000,000 in annual funding from all donors for poverty-focused development. If the United States were to shoulder one-fourth of this aid burden—approximately $1,000,000,000 a year—the cost to each United States citizen would be one penny per day. (11) Failure to effectively address sub-Saharan Africa's development needs could result in greater conflict and increased
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