GENEVA, Switzerland, June 19, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The photojournalist Diana Zeyneb Alhindawi has been chosen by unanimous vote as the winner of the humanitarian Visa d’Or award for her depiction of the trial of 39 soldiers for rape in Minova, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The award is supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and forms part of the annual Visa pour L’Image festival in Perpignan, France.“The Minova Rape Trials” took place over eight days in a temporary court in South Kivu town. 39 soldiers accused of having participated in the rape of…
Author: apofeed
GENEVA, Switzerland, June 19, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — In the aftermath of the Libyan crisis, many migrant boats set sail from Libya with the hope of reaching Europe. Some of these boats were rescued off the Tunisian coast. The Tunisian Government requested IOM’s assistance in providing immediate humanitarian assistance and voluntary return to migrants wanting to return home. IOM coordinates its actions with the Tunisian authorities, the Tunisian Red Crescent, UNHCR, UNICEF and other stakeholders.In total, since early 2014, 12 boats and 1,396 migrants were rescued at sea by the Tunisian authorities or Tunisian fishermen and IOM has supported…
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, June 19, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (“Ecobank”) (http://www.ecobank.com), parent company of the Ecobank Group, the leading pan-African bank with operations in 36 countries across the continent, concluded its 27th Annual General Meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania today.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/ecobank.pngShareholders welcomed the company’s strong performance for the year ended 31 December 2014. At the end of the year, Ecobank had US$24.2 billion in total assets and US$2.7 billion in total equity.Shareholders approved the company’s accounts for 2014 and the appropriation of profit of USD 5.82 million for the year. A sum of USD…
GENEVA, Switzerland, June 19, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On 13 June 2015, IOM handed over six rehabilitated classrooms at the Lycee Moderne de Bouar in western Central African Republic (CAR). The Regional Governor of Nana-Mambéré Province presided over the ceremony that brought together local government leaders, UN agencies, NGOs, community leaders, local media and residents. This project is one among 14 community infrastructure rehabilitation initiatives undertaken by IOM in eight locations across CAR under a UN Peacebuilding Support Office-funded programme assisting the relocation and reinsertion of former combatants from cantonment sites in Bangui to their communities of origin or…
GENEVA, Switzerland, June 19, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The UN’s torture prevention body has set dates to visit Italy,Turkey and Benin in the second half of 2015 to discuss protection against ill-treatment of detainees and the overall situation of people deprived of their liberty in these countries. The Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture (SPT) will be in Italy from 16 to 22 September, in Turkey from 6 to 9 October and in Benin from 7 to 11 December. The SPT had already announced that it would be visiting the Netherlands from 28 to 31 July and Brazil from…
GENEVA, Switzerland, June 19, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM, together with the Puntland Government, UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies in Somalia, last week evacuated 2,103 people from Yemen, most of whom were Somali nationals and included 10 Ethiopian and 220 Yemeni nationals.These latest arrivals came in three boats at the Bossaso sea port on 13 June. The evacuation was also facilitated by the Somali business community who sent a cargo boat to Mukulla in Yemen.“The IOM team on the ground together with other humanitarian agencies will continue providing assistance to the returnees fleeing Yemen conflict despite funding constrains,” said…
TOKYO, Japan, June 18, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — 1. The Government of Japan strongly condemns the bombing incident in N’Djamena, the capital of the Republic of Chad. Japan expresses its deep condolences to the victims and their families, as well as its heartfelt sympathies to those wounded in the incident.2. Any act of terrorism cannot be justified by any reason. The Government of Japan firmly condemns all forms of terrorism. Japan strongly hopes that the Government of Chad, which has been contributing to the peace and stability of the region, continues making efforts towards the stabilization of the security…
BAMAKO, Mali, June 18, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On 18 June, the Eranove Group (http://www.eranove.com), a major pan-African player in the electricity and water sectors, signed a 30-year concession agreement with the government of the Republic of Mali through its subsidiary Kenié Energie Renouvelable. Under the agreement, which is effective from the date of signing, the Group will finance, develop, build and operate the Kenié hydro-electric dam located in Baguinéda on the Niger River, 35 km east of Bamako. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of the Minister of Economy and Finance, Mamadou Diarra, the Minister of…
KHARTOUM, Sudan, June 18, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Inauguration and hand-over ceremony of public facilities implemented by the “flood response project” funded by the Government of Japan took place on the 15th and 16th of June 2015 in Karari and East Nile Localities in Khartoum State in the presence of the commissioners of the two localities and community leaders. The project was developed as a response to emergency situation resulted from heavy rainfall and flooding in 2013 that led to at least 38 deaths with several people injured in Khartoum state in particular Eastern Nile locality and Karari locality…
BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, June 18, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders held talks today with Edmond Mulet, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Saïd Djinnit, UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, and Martin Kobler, Head of MONUSCO. The Minister expressed his concern about the situation in Burundi. He stressed that Belgium will continue to support the regional initiatives and the efforts of the UN to restore the dialogue between the parties. He indicated that Belgium is raising the awareness of its European partners on the adoption of individual…