VATICAN, Holy See, April 27, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The vitality of the Church, the pastoral ministry of the family, attention to priests and persons religious, and relations with the civil authorities are the central themes of the written discourse that the Pope handed to the bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Benin this morning, at the end of their “ad Limina” visit.The Holy Father begins by praising the dynamism of parish life, the extensive participation of the faithful in ceremonies and the increase of vocations to the priesthood, but he also echoed the prelates’ reports that it is…
Author: apofeed
JUBA, South Sudan, April 27, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Continuing clashes in Upper Nile state are leading to more deaths and displacements of people, some of whom are already displaced and living in dire conditions, the international medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said today. In Malakal, over 6,600 people have fled their homes to seek shelter at the UN protection of civilians (PoC) base, while in Melut, a town north of Malakal; over 1,665 families have sought refuge across the river Nile since the beginning of April. The organisation further called upon all parties to…
NAIROBI, Kenya, April 27, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The World Health Organization’s World Immunization Week (WIW) from 24th to 30th April this year aims to raise awareness about the importance of vaccination to people of all ages and increase rates of immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases around the world. This year WIW focuses on ‘closing the immunization gap.’ African Vaccination Week is being celebrated under the theme “Vaccination, a gift for life”.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/msd.jpgDespite recent progress within African countries, there is still significant opportunities provided by immunization. Did you know that: • Immunization can protect against 30 different infectious diseases, from…
BAMAKO, Mali, April 27, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Christian Josz, held discussions with the Malian authorities in Washington D.C. during March 25-April 7 and on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings. Discussions were also held in Bamako in March and April 11, 23-24, in preparation of the third review of the government’s economic program supported under the IMF’s Extended Credit Facility (ECF) approved in December 2013.“The mission met with Modibo Keita, Prime Minister; Issaka Sidibe, President of the National Assembly; Mamadou Igor Diarra, Minister of Economy and…
WASHINGTON, April 24, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Press StatementJohn KerrySecretary of StateWashington, DCApril 24, 2015On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Tanzania as you celebrate the 51st anniversary of the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.Deep bonds of friendship unite the people of the United States and the people of Tanzania. The first class of Peace Corps volunteers traveled to your country to build roads connecting your cities. And soon after, President John F. Kennedy and Prime Minister Julius Nyerere shook hands in Washington, where both men reaffirmed our commitment…
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 24, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Responding to the recent spate of the violence against migrants in South Africa, largely in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) and Gauteng provinces, IOM is assisting victims of the violence. Over 8,000 migrants have been displaced since the violence broke out three weeks ago and they are currently accommodated in various shelters operated by the government, churches, mosques and NGOs.Governments from several neighbouring countries have sent buses to help their citizens to return home. IOM is supporting these returns by providing expertise on the eligibility of the travellers and ensuring that all returns…
JUBA, South Sudan, April 24, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Fresh fighting took place overnight on 21 April in Malakal between armed groups, causing some 900 people to flee to the Protection of Civilians site in Malakal, bringing the number of displaced people in the compound to more than 25,000. Two people were killed in the violence and an unknown number were injured. With tensions in the area still high, MSF’s team in Malakal is preparing for a potential influx of wounded. Due to the extremely volatile situation, the team has been forced to suspend some of its mobile clinics…
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 24, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, today said the detention of the six so-called “Zone Nine” bloggers and three other journalists in Ethiopia over the past year has been “absolutely unacceptable”. The bloggers, who used an online platform to report on social and political issues in Ethiopia, were arrested on April 25 and 26 last year and have remained in detention ever since. The Federal First Instance Court of Ethiopia reportedly charged…
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, April 24, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Despite the unprecedented challenges of delivering basic health services in an Ebola emergency, Sierra Leone will hold its first public immunization and health campaign over the next four days aiming to reach an estimated 1.5 million children under 5 with life-saving interventions. The national Maternal and Child Health Week campaign (‘Mami en Pikin Welbodi Week’) – part of the World and Africa Vaccination week – aims to reach all children 6-59 months with malnutrition assessment, the vaccination of children 0-23 months that have missed or defaulted from routine immunization schedules,…
JUBA, South Sudan, April 24, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The UN Mission in South Sudan deeply regrets the continuation of hostilities in the Upper Nile State capital of Malakal and the resulting displacement of the civilian population. UNMISS received more internally displaced persons at its protection-of-civilians sites in the Mission’s compound outside Malakal today. At the same time, the Mission is adhering to its policy of providing shelter to combatants who surrender their weapons and remove their military uniforms prior to entering one of its protection sites. A number of stray bullets hit an UNMISS vehicle and sanitation facilities…