GENEVA, Switzerland, February 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Aid agencies in South sudan urgently require $1.27 billion to assist 3.2 million people suffering the humanitarian consequences of the crisis. The conflict, which started on 15 December 2013, has led to devastating humanitarian consequences: the lives of millions of citizens have been shattered; almost 900,000 have left their homes; and thousands more have been hurt or wounded as a direct result of hostilities. Livelihoods have been lost, and people’s ability to move livestock to pasture, to fish or to hunt, has been severely compromised. Key aid agencies have stayed in…
Author: apofeed
PARIS, France, February 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of FIDH and OMCT, outlines the preliminary conclusions of a mission conducted in Cameroon from January 7 to 16, 2014 on the situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people’s rights defenders.The testimonies and analyses gathered during the mission reflected an environment marked by overall insecurity and intimidation against health rights and LGBTI rights defenders, in a context of criminalisation of homosexuality. The mission delegates were able to meet notably with representatives of human rights organisations, LGBTI…
WINDHOEK, Namibia, February 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On January 29, 2014, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation1 with Namibia without a meeting.2Namibia’s real GDP grew by a healthy 5 percent in 2012. Preliminary data for the first half of 2013 suggest that growth has moderated; the slowdown reflects weak global demand for exports, which more than offset the solid growth in the nonmineral sector, most notably in retail trade. At end-October 2013 inflation stood slightly below 5 percent.The fiscal outturn in the FY2012/13 (starting April) was significantly better than targeted;…
OTTAWA, Canada, February 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On February 3, 2014, Minister Paradis delivers opening remarks at a breakfast discussion forum in CapeTown, South Africa: “Investing in Mining in Africa – Transformation, Challenges and Opportunities”.The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development and Minister for La Francophonie, today concluded a successful visit to South Africa. During his trip, Minister Paradis announced Canada’s support for a number of new projects that will help Mozambique and Tanzania better manage their natural resources to ensure they are the source of long-term sustainable benefits to their people.”Sustainable, private-sector-led economic growth and poverty…
KHARTOUM, Sudan, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Mr Ali Al-Za’tari, and the Representative a.i. for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Sudan, Ms. Angela Li Rosi, welcome the commitment of the Government of sudan to provide international protection and humanitarian assistance to South Sudanese who have fled the conflict in South sudan and the announcement by the Government of Sudan that they will be granted “special privileges”. The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNHCR welcome the positive response by Sudan to…
JUBA, South Sudan, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — LAUNCH OF NEW SOUTH SUDAN Crisis RESPONSE PLANWHAT: Launch of the new South sudan Crisis Response Plan WHO: Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, Toby Lanzer WHEN: 12-1pm on Tuesday, 4 February 2014 WHERE: Conference Room, OCHA Compound, Juba You are warmly invited to a press conference with the Humanitarian Coordinator, Toby Lanzer, which will take place from 12pm-1pm on Tuesday, 4 February at the UNOCHA conference room in Juba, South sudan. The press conference will announce the launch of the new South Sudan Crisis Response Plan. The plan includes the…
OSLO, Norway, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Government is providing NOK 6 million to support the African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic. “I am very concerned about the situation in the Central African Republic. The presence of a robust international peacekeeping mission is vital to protect the sorely tried civilian population and ensure that humanitarian actors can do their work,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende.The Norwegian contribution was announced at a donor conference arranged by the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa on 1 February. The funds will be used to support…
GENEVA, Switzerland, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — “Yes Seychelles is an island but not an island out of reach of traffickers and their nefarious activities in today’s globalised world,” the United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, warned* on Friday at the end of her first official visit to the country. “Trafficking in persons in Seychelles is at best insidious and remains hidden as a result of lack of awareness,” said the independent expert mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to promote the prevention of trafficking in persons in all its forms and…
PARIS, France, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Tomorrow, the first trial in France against a Rwandan national accused of complicity in genocide is opening at the Paris criminal court (Cour d’assises). Pascal Simbikangwa, accused of complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity, will have to face jury trial, for allegedly having supplied with weapons and other material the officers guarding the roadblocks and giving them instructions that lead to the massacre of numerous Tutsis. « We welcome this long-awaited trial that should shed the light on important events that occurred during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda » said…
CAPE-TOWN, South-Africa, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On the margins of Africa’s largest annual mining conference, “Mining Indaba”, multilateral development organizations have called on the private sector to join forces with them in ensuring the revenues from mining are reinvested in people. Issued on the newly created Africa Mining Vision Day, the call comes amidst a downward trend in commodity prices and in particular minerals, which has raised uncertainty on the momentum of the continent’s sustainability agenda. For instance, during the first four months of 2013, mining stocks fell nearly 20 percent.Industry leaders, ministers, policy-makers, members of academia…
CAPE-TOWN, South-Africa, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Demand for electricity in South Africa has increased progressively over several years and the grid now faces supply and demand challenges. As a result, the Department of Energy has implemented a new Integrated Resource Plan to enhance generation capacity and promote energy efficiency. Photovoltaics (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) are set to be the main beneficiaries from the new plan having their initial allocation raised considerably.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/csp-logo.jpgDaily electricity demand in South Africa has a morning and evening peak, both in summer and winter. This characteristic makes CSP with storage a…
CAPE-TOWN, South-Africa, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — With almost 2,000MW of onshore wind South Africa is under the global spotlight as the industry’s most exciting market. Logo Wind Energy Update: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/wind-logo.jpgIn the most recent round of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) an entirely international line-up was revealed. With the likes of Enel Green Power, China Longyuan Power and Mainstream Renewable Power allocated projects, many of the local players were priced out of the market when unable to match the incredibly competitive pricing that comes with a booming market. For the first time since their…
HERTFORDSHIRE, UK, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — SkyVision Global Networks Ltd. (http://www.skyvision.net), a leading global communications solutions provider, today announced the launch of its end to end solutions specifically suited for the mining industry. The solutions will be showcased at the Mining INDABA Conference & Exposition – Booth# 618, taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, Feb. 3-6, 2014. These solutions are offered over a wide range of connectivity platforms including: satellite/hybrid networks, portable satellite phones and data terminals, WiFi distribution and wireless connectivity solutions.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/skyvision.jpgToday, as more and more mining industry leaders around the globe…
MOGADISHU, Somalia, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) today criticized the Somaliland administration which has officially banned privately owned Universal TV from operating in its territory, and accused authorities of attempts to stifle free media. Somaliland Minister of Information, Culture and National Guidance Abdullahi Mohamed Dahir (Ukuse) announced today that they had revoked the operating licence of the London-based broadcaster Universal TV, alleging that the TV accustomed to transmit “scandals” and “insults” against Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud (Silanyo). “This action was taken without warning and shows an extraordinary intolerance on the…
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Mulk OGI – Oasis Gulf Investment, FZC, a company of the Sharjah-based diversified conglomerate affiliated to Mulk Holdings (http://www.mulkholdings.com), has recently won a multimillion USD contract to provide Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) expertise for the pioneering USD 18 million project, based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and to become one of West Africa’s largest solar parks.Logos: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/mulk_sl.pngPhoto 1: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=828 (This picture shows the size of 6MW Solar Park – which is the same size as the future Solar Park Freetown)Photo 2: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=829 (The Solar Park in Freetown, with a capacity…
MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — At the opening of “Emerging Equatorial Guinea” (http://www.emergingeg.com), the 2 days Symposium on the country economic diversification, the Equatoguinean government announced that it has committed to support foreign investments by allocating a Co-Investment Fund (CIF) of 500 Billion Francs CFA (eq. US $1 Billion).Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/eeg.png“This Co-Investment Fund allocation testifies of the country’s commitment to lay the bases for economic diversification to ensure sustainable growth and to create more jobs in our country. We have been blessed by an incredible oil wealth, which we aim to use to build the foundations…
BERLIN, Germany, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — After speaking on the phone to Mehdi Jomaâ, Tunisia’s new Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Steinmeier issued the following statement:I congratulate Tunisia’s new Prime Minister, Mehdi Jomaâ.He and his new government bear a great responsibility for taking forward Tunisia’s ambitious reform and modernisation agenda. I wish him all success in this endeavour.If Tunisia’s political leaders continue to be guided by the spirit of give and take and responsibility towards the nation, I have every confidence in a bright future for the country.We will stand by our Tunisian partners at this important time…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Concerns over delays in deployment of personnel and equipment to the African Union—United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) were the primary focus of discussion of the seventeenth meeting of the Tripartite Coordination Mechanism on UNAMID. The forum was held on 2 February at the African Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the margins of the African Union Summit. The Tripartite Mechanism, composed of representatives of the Government of Sudan, the African Union and the United Nations, is an instrument aimed at addressing challenges to the effective implementation of the…
GENEVA, Switzerland, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has suspended its activities in Sudan, in compliance with an official request to that effect from the Sudanese government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission. The suspension began on 1 February 2014.”In consultation with our main partner the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, we are now in discussions with the relevant authorities, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Humanitarian Aid Commission,” said Jean-Christophe Sandoz, head of the ICRC’s delegation in sudan. “We are confident that the technical issues cited by the Commission as the…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, February 3, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — 1. On 2 February 2014, representatives of the African Union (AU), Government of sudan (GoS), United Nations (UN) and the African Union – United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the seventeenth meeting of the Tripartite Coordination Mechanism on UNAMID.2. The AU delegation was led by Ambassador Smail Chergui, Commissioner for Peace and Security. The GoS Delegation was led by Ambassador Rahmatalla Mohamed Osman, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The UN delegation was jointly led by Mr. Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary General for…