TUNIS, Tunisia, November 29, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Africa has made significant progress in fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In the past seven years, AIDS-related deaths declined by 32%.The number of people contracting the HIV infection declined by 25% in the past 10 years. The rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV has also declined from 35% in 2001 to 26% in 2010. Ten years ago, we had fewer than 50,000 people on ARV treatment; today we have over 6 million receiving treatment. A few years ago, Senegal and Uganda were the only success stories for their outstanding results and containment…
Author: apofeed
KHARTOUM, Sudan, November 29, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Ali Al-Za’tari, strongly condemns the killing of two Sudanese Ministry of Health staff, a vaccinator and a driver, who were part of a team vaccinating vulnerable children against measles in West Darfur. “My deepest condolences go to the family and friends of those killed,” said Mr Al-Za’tari. “I call on all parties to ensure the protection of all personnel working to deliver assistance to populations in need throughout Sudan,” he said. UNICEF and the World Health Organization are helping to ensure that…
YAOUNDE, Cameroon, November 29, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Combating terrorism and illicit trafficking were the focus of an international audience who gathered recently in Cameroon. The U.S. Africa Center for Stratetic Studies (ACSS) co-hosted a symposium on regional counter-terrorism cooperation and the fight against illicit trafficking in Yaoundé on Wednesday, November 20, 2013, in partnership with the ACSS Community Chapter in Cameroon and the U.S. Embassy.The event took place at the Yaoundé International War College (Ecole supérieure internationale de guerre de Yaoundé [ESIG]). The more than 100 participants included Africa Center community members from the Cameroon Armed Forces, the…
EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, November 28, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On 27 November 2013, the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the Government of Sudan (GoS) police held a strategic workshop in Khartoum on the memorandum of understanding they signed in August 2013. The event, which was aimed at strengthening cooperation, was attended by some 100 police officers from both institutions including GoS police directors-general from the five states of Darfur. In his opening remarks, UNAMID Deputy Joint Special Representative Joseph Mutaboba explained that UNAMID Police was assisting in building the capacity of the GoS police in…
TOKYO, Japan, November 28, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — 1. On October 14, the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security, which was established by the initiative of the Government of Japan, decided to extend assistance totaling 3,082,750 US dollars (approximately 253 million yen) to a project entitled “Empowering and Rebuilding Communities with Multi-Sectoral Initiatives in Post-Conflict Chad for a Sustainable Change”.2. The project is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). This project aims at contributing to human security of the conflict–affected populations through improving…
NAIROBI, Kenya, November 28, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat wishes to invite journalists to a Press Briefing to discuss an upcoming conference on a New Urban Agenda for Africa to be held in Nairobi between 4 -6 December 2013.Press Briefing Monday 2 December 2013Venue: The Norfolk Hotel, (Fairmont), Nairobi South Ball Room Date and time: Monday 2 December 2013, 11 a.m.Strengthening Partnership for a New Africa Urban Agenda ConferenceVenue: United Nations Gigiri, Conference room 2 Date: 4 -6 December 2013.BackgroundThe three –day conference will advocate for strengthening partnerships for a new Africa Urban…
TUNIS, Tunisia, November 28, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — With African Development Bank (AfDB) (http://www.afdb.org) support, six African nations – Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mali and Mozambique – made it through a global competition run by the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) to provide dedicated funding to engage the private sector in effective climate solutions. The seven project concepts endorsed for full project development in Africa focus on forests in Burkina Faso, DRC and Ghana, renewable energy in Kenya and Mali, and climate resilience in Mozambique.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/african-development-bank-2.pngThe multilateral development banks (MDBs) ran the four-month competition to provide…
DUBLIN, Ireland, November 28, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — His Excellency, the Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda presented its Letters of Credence to the President at Áras an Uachtaráin today.H.E. Mr. Williams B.N. Nkurunziza, Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda, was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Leonia Nkuruh.Mr. Fergus O’Dowd, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, represented the Government at the ceremony.The following were also present: Mr. Loughlin Quinn, Deputy Secretary-General to the President; Mr. Fergal Mythen, Assistant Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs…
GENEVA, Switzerland, November 28, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Four in five refugees in the camps at Dadaab do not want to return to Somalia given the current climate of insecurity, finds an MSF assessment An agreement to begin the voluntary repatriation of Somalis from Kenya could potentially be a positive step, but must not happen at the expense of providing aid to refugees, says the international medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders. The agreement, signed on 10 November by the UN, Kenya and Somalia, outlines the practical and legal procedures for the voluntary return of hundreds of thousands…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, November 28, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui, on 27 November 2013, received the European Union (EU) Director for East and Southern Africa and African Caribbean and Pacific Coordination (ACP), Ms Francesca Mosca.The meeting offered both parties an opportunity to discuss EU support to the AU’s efforts to promote peace, security and stability in Africa, and Commissioner Chergui renewed the expression of the AU’s appreciation for the EU’s sustained support.In light of the possible reduction of EU financial support to the AU in the area of…