EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, January 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Joint Special Representative (JSR) of the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Mohamed Ibn Chambas, will hold a press conference at the Mission’s Khartoum offices on Thursday 23 January 2014 at 11:30 a.m. JSR Chambas will brief the press on the current developments in relation to UNAMID’s mandate and activities as well as the Darfur peace process. UNAMID’s premises in Khartoum are located on Omak Street, just opposite the Embassy of Pakistan and approximately 200 meters from the headquarters of MTN Telecommunication Company, in Al-Manshiya area.
Author: apofeed
NEW YORK, January 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:The Secretary-General is following closely the referendum process in Egypt. He stresses the importance of respect for freedom of assembly and expression, as well as commitment to non-violence. The Secretary-General encourages all Egyptians to ensure that the next phase of the transition is conducted in an inclusive, peaceful and transparent manner.The Secretary-General calls on all Egyptians to express their differences without violence. He continues to express the support of the United Nations for an Egyptian-led transition process that…
NAIROBI, Kenya, January 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and CDC Group plc today announced an investment of $32 million in a new mixed-use real estate development along the Thika superhighway in Nairobi.The Garden City project is sponsored by Actis, and expected to create more than 650 jobs directly during the construction phase and over 800 more once completed.Garden City will be built in two phases, comprising a 50,000 square meter mall, 20,000 square meters of office space, 421 residential units and a three acre park. The project will meet retail needs…
NEW YORK, January 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Gambian authorities should drop the charges against two journalists who have been held since Monday on accusations of giving false information, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.State security agents arrested Musa Sheriff, a Liberian citizen and editor of the thrice-weekly independent newspaper The Voice, and Sainey Marenah, a freelance journalist, and charged them under the criminal code with “providing false information to a public officer,” local journalists told CPJ. Police said they were acting on orders from President Yahya Jammeh, news reports said.If convicted under this charge, the journalists face…
GENEVA, Switzerland, January 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Tuesday expressed her alarm at a “draconian” new law in Nigeria that criminalizes same-sex unions, saying it violates a wide range of human rights The Senate approved a revised version of the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill in December, and President Goodluck Jonathan signed the Act into law earlier this month. The Act includes a provision for a 14-year prison term for anyone who enters into a same sex union, and a ten-year prison term for anyone who ‘administers, witnesses, abets…
GENEVA, Switzerland, January 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — UNAIDS and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria express deep concern that access to HIV services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people will be severely affected by a new law in Nigeria––further criminalizing LGBT people, organizations and activities, as well as people who support them. The new law could prevent access to essential HIV services for LGBT people who may be at high risk of HIV infection, undermining the success of the Presidential Comprehensive Response Plan for HIV/AIDS which was launched by President Goodluck Jonathan less…
LONDON, United-Kingdom, January 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Mark Simmonds offers condolences to those affected by the sinking of a ferry carrying hundreds of people fleeing violence in South Sudan.Commenting on the ferry disaster, the Minister for Africa, currently visiting Khartoum, said:“I was deeply saddened to hear of the tragic ferry sinking in South Sudan in which many people fleeing the fighting were killed. Hostilities must cease without delay so that we can see an end to this senseless loss of life and humanitarian assistance can reach those who need it.“My thoughts are with all those affected by the…
LONDON, United-Kingdom, January 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — William Hague welcomes significant progress in Tunisia’s National Dialogue Roadmap and offers support for next phase of the transition. Foreign Secretary William Hague said:“I warmly congratulate Prime Minister Designate Mehdi Jomaa on being asked to form a new government, and the people of Tunisia on the third anniversary of their revolution. I commend the work of the National Dialogue, the efforts of the Quartet and the readiness of political leaders to act in the national interest. The world can see that Tunisia is making significant progress in its democratic transition -…
LONDON, United-Kingdom, January 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Foreign Office Minister condemns murder of Libyan Deputy Minister and highlights concern at violence in Sabha. The FCO Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Hugh Robertson, said:“I am very concerned about the fighting in Sabha and reports of the deaths of more than 30 people. I call on all sides to resolve their differences peacefully. Our thoughts are with those that have been killed and injured and their families. “I also condemn the murder of Deputy Minister of Industry Hassan al-Drowi in Sirte on Saturday. It is vital that…
GENEVA, Switzerland, January 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM today hopes to begin an airlift to evacuate some 550 Malian migrants stranded by fighting in the Central Africa Republic (CAR), following a request from the Malian government.The IOM airlift, which will involve two rotations between Bangui in the CAR and Bamako in Mali, will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday (14 and 15/1.) The flight time between the two capitals is five hours.The operation follows three earlier IOM charter flights completed this weekend (11 and 12/1) to evacuate some 800 Chadian nationals from Bangui to N’Djamena, the Chadian capital,…
BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, January 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The BUILD Africa Forum (http://www.buildafricaforum.com) is pleased to announce the participation of global leaders during the two day forum on infrastructure in Africa, to be held under the High Patronage of Denis Sassou N’Guesso, President of the Republic of the Congo, on February 5-7, 2014, in Brazzaville, Congo.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/build.png500 leading policy-makers, investors, developers, and infrastructure operators will gather in Brazzaville. The Forum will include global players like Robert Gumede, Founder and Owner of Guma Group (South Africa); Otavio Azvedo, President of Andrade Gutierrez (Brazil); Mario Pezzini, Director of…
GENEVA, Switzerland, January 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The human rights situation remains extremely volatile in the Central African Republic (CAR), the UN Human Rights Office said Tuesday as it released its findings on an earlier wave of human rights violations in December. Although the number of clashes appears to have slightly diminished in recent days, around 40 people are reported to have been killed in Bangui since Friday and a number of kidnappings, mutilations and widespread looting also occurred over the weekend. More violence, killings and looting have also been reported in other parts of the country in…
GENEVA, Switzerland, January 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Libya approached ITU seeking to establish world-class ICT facilities in the country.Heading the Libyan delegation, Deputy Minister for Communications and Informatics Mr Mohamad Benrasali asked for ITU’s support in preparing a master plan to modernize ICT infrastructure in Libya to “not only world class level, but to world-leading standards.” He said, “The Libyan ICT sector poses several opportunities as well as challenges that can potentially result in significant economic growth, job creation, and transformation of government services, among other possible impacts.”Mr Benrasali said the master plan would focus on establishing a…
LONDON, United-Kingdom, January 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Mark Simmonds visits Khartoum to discuss South Sudan, and ending conflict, promoting prosperity and building democracy in Sudan.Foreign Office Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds arrives in Khartoum later today for his first visit to Sudan. Mr Simmonds will meet Sudanese officials to discuss how the UK and Sudan can work together in three priority areas; ending conflict, promoting prosperity and building democracy.Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Simmonds said:“I am looking forward to making my first visit to Sudan at such an important moment in the country’s history. The UK and…
GENEVA, Switzerland, January 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Šimonović, will visit South Sudan from 14 to 17 January 2014 to undertake an assessment of the human rights situation in the country and the impact of recent fighting, and to identify areas for improvement in the situation of the affected civilian population. During his four-day mission, Šimonović will meet in Juba with senior government and UN officials, the national human rights commission, the diplomatic community and a wide range of civil society actors including traditional /community leaders. In Juba he will also…
ABUJA, Nigeria, January 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — ECOWAS has pledged its support for Liberia Government’s six year Agenda for Transformation (AFT) 2012-2017 and the National Framework Vision 2030 aimed at consolidating peace and stability and making Liberia a middle-income country by 2030.The Special Representative of the ECOWAS Commission’s President to Liberia, Ambassador Tunde Ajisomo, made the pledge during a recent ceremony for the presentation of his credentials to Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Monrovia.The envoy affirmed the thrust of ECOWAS’ strategic Vision 2020 aimed at deepening regional integration and transforming “our region from an ECOWAS of States…
BAMAKO, Mali, January 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), made the following statement today in Bamako at the conclusion of her visit to Mali:“I am very pleased to have been able to make my first visit to Mali as Managing Director of the IMF. I want to thank President Ibrahim Boubacar Kéïta, Prime Minister Oumar Tatam Ly, and Finance Minister Bouare Filly Sissoko for their generous hospitality. “It was an honor to address the Economic, Social and Cultural Council where President Bittar and his colleagues welcomed us with great warmth.…
VATICAN, Holy See, January 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Today, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cameroon and Yaounde, a framework Agreement was signed between the Holy See and the Republic of Cameroon on the legal status of the Catholic Church in Cameroon.The Agreement was signed, on behalf of the Holy See, by Archbishop Piero Pioppo, apostolic nuncio to Cameroon, and for the Republic of Cameroon, by Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo, minister for External Relations.The Agreement, which consists of nine articles, regulates the relationship between the Church and the State who, within a framework of the…
ROME, Italy, January 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The recent violence in South Sudan is threatening to increase hunger and human suffering considerably, unravelling modest gains made in food security in the past two years, FAO warned.Under the United Nations’ Crisis Response Plan, FAO and its partners in the Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster are seeking $61 million for crucial food assistance and livelihoods activities. FAO’s efforts are focused on getting seeds, livestock vaccines, fishing gear and other agricultural inputs, technologies and services to vulnerable rural and urban families whose food production and income activities are being disrupted by…
GENEVA, Switzerland, January 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A United Nations independent expert has urged the Government of Kenya “to ensure that the human rights of the Sengwer indigenous people are fully respected, in strict compliance with international standards protecting the rights of indigenous peoples.” The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya, expressed deep concern about reports that police are poised to forcibly evict Sengwer indigenous people from their homes in the Embobut Forest in the Cherangani hills, in western Kenya. “Indigenous peoples shall not be forcibly relocated from their lands or territories,” Mr.…