JUBA, South Sudan, November 21, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Kyung-wha Kang, concluded her three-day mission to South sudan today, calling on all parties to the conflict to respect their ceasefire commitments and urging the international community to continue providing support to enable humanitarians to scale up and expand critical aid operations. The year-long conflict has been brutal. Civilians have been killed, raped and beaten; homes torched; lives ruined. Fighting has destroyed communities and separated families. More than 1.9 million people have fled their homes. Over 100,000 people have sought refuge in UN bases.…
Author: apofeed
PARIS, France, November 20, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — France welcomes the decision by the UN Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee to impose sanctions on the Libyan terrorist entities Ansar al-Shariah Benghazi and Ansar al-Shariah Derna. Laurent Fabius called for these sanctions at the ministerial meeting on Libya on September 25 in New York. We call on all states to immediately implement this decision against terrorist groups which cannot be regarded as interlocutors. We also call on all Libyans to refrain from providing them with any direct or indirect support. France would like all parties in Libya to engage without delay…
VICTORIA, Seychelles, November 20, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — SkyVision Global Networks Ltd. (http://www.skyvision.net), a leading global communications provider, today announced the commencement of its managed IP Trunking and Private Network solutions to Cable & Wireless Seychelles (CWS), part of the Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) group of companies operating in 38 markets worldwide. The project, managed by SkyVision, consists of providing IP Trunking to the main island of Seychelles (Mahe), and a private VSAT network for its surrounding islands. Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/skyvision.jpgPhoto: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1571 (Dror Limor, SkyVision VP Sales)Established in 1893, Cable & Wireless Seychelles (CWS) is the leading telecommunications company…
LILONGWE, Malawi, November 20, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — This is the first Senior NCO Academy in sub-Saharan Africa and the Malawian Defense Forces (MDF) plans to make this a regional course of excellence. The Senior NCO Academy was paid for through the African Military Education Program (AMEP). The initial course was conducted in 2013. This is the second U.S.-sponsored course held in Malawi as part of the effort to building African military capabilities.
JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, November 20, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Gross gambling and casino revenues showed subdued growth in 2013 in the wake of a faltering economy. Gross gambling increased only 4.3%. The slowdown in gross gambling revenue was centred on casinos, the largest category at 76% of the market or R16.5 billion.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/pwc.pngPhoto: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/1406197.jpg (Nikki Forster, PwC Hospitality and Gambling Industry Leader for South Africa)Some casino operators in certain regions believe the slowdown in 2013 was due in part to growing competition from electronic bingo terminals, limited payout machines (LPMs) and sports betting shops, which are becoming more prevalent in…
LONDON, United-Kingdom, November 19, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Foreign Secretary urges Somalia’s leadership to resolve political differences and focus on security and stability.Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond spoke at an international meeting in Copenhagen today to push for faster implementation of Somalia’s New Deal Compact. He also met Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Foreign Ministers from the region. Following the meeting, the Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said: “The UK has demonstrated its commitment to Somalia. We co-hosted conferences in London in February 2012 and May 2013 to galvanise the international community into action. Since then, Somalia has taken important…
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, November 19, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Ahead of the start of a High-Level Partnership Forum (HLPF) in Copenhagen on 19 November, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, has urged the Federal Government of Somalia and its international partners to remain focused on delivering the tangible benefits of the New Deal to the Somali people. “The New Deal is about the people, for the people and with the people of Somalia,” said SRSG Nicholas Kay. “It is the process of ensuring that after more than two decades of conflict and instability, the…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, November 18, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 468th meeting held on 18 November 2014, adopted the following decision on the situation in Burkina Faso:Council,1. Takes note of the briefing by the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the Commission for Burkina Faso and the additional information provided by the Commission, as well as of the statement made by the representative of Burkina Faso. Council also takes note of the Memorandum on the situation in Burkina Faso submitted by the President of the Commission of the…
GENEVA, Switzerland, November 18, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — An IOM assessment of displacement sites around the city of Goma in North Kivu, Eastern DRC has shown a total of 16,406 internally displaced people (IDPs), well down from previous estimates of over 100,000 (104, 813).The verification exercise, conducted over the past year, is designed to allow IOM and its partners to better assess the needs of displaced families and to identify durable solutions for them.The exercise was conducted in the sites at night, with IOM staff going from hut to hut counting and registering households.This minimized the risk of over-counting…
GENEVA, Switzerland, November 18, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo summarily killed at least 51 youth and forcibly disappeared 33 others during an anti-crime campaign that began a year ago, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. “Operation Likofi,” which lasted from November 2013 to February 2014, targeted alleged gang members in Congo’s capital, Kinshasa.The 57-page report, “Operation Likofi: Police Killings and Enforced Disappearances in Kinshasa,” details how uniformed police, often wearing masks, dragged kuluna, or suspected gang members, from their homes at night and executed them. The police shot and killed…
MOGADISHU, Somalia, November 17, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Nicholas Kay met with Somali political leaders on 16 November 2014. He was joined by Danish Ambassador Geert Aagaard Andersen, European Union (EU) Special Representative for the Horn of Africa Alex Rondos, EU Special Envoy to Somalia Michele Cervone d’Urso, Italian Ambassador Fabrizio Marcelli, Swedish Ambassador Mikael Lindvall and UK Ambassador Neil Wigan for meetings with His Excellency President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, His Excellency Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed and His Excellency Speaker of the Federal Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawari. They discussed the…
NAIROBI, Kenya, November 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Around half a million refugees, mainly from Somalia and South Sudan, living in the Dadaab and Kakuma camps in remote areas in northern Kenya, will receive reduced rations from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) as a result of insufficient funding.The ration cut of 50 percent, starting tomorrow, comes as WFP struggles to raise US$38 million to cover its refugee operation for the next six months. This includes US$15.5 million urgently required to address food needs through January 2015.“WFP has done everything it can to avoid reducing rations, using all…
GENEVA, Switzerland, November 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM this week organized a two-day national consultative forum to address health challenges facing the migrant community in Kenya.The workshop, organized in partnership with the World Health Organization and the Kenyan Ministry of Health, is the second of its kind and provided a platform to discuss governance, policy, strategic direction, coordination and inclusiveness in health policy and service delivery.Attendees included representatives from the government, civil society organizations, academia, the private sector, UN organizations and development partners.Kenya is a major transit country for migrants from the East and Horn of Africa travelling…
GENEVA, Switzerland, November 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM and the Institute for International Co-operation and Development will tomorrow (15/11) organize a youth dialogue on child migration to raise awareness of child trafficking in Karamoja in Uganda.In Uganda, child victims of trafficking can be found begging on the streets of most urban centres. They come mainly from Karamoja, a remote region in the northeast of the country. Children are typically forced to beg from morning to night, malnourished and abused. Few are ever rescued or reintegrated. Some 150 students from high schools in sub-counties with a high prevalence of…
NAIROBI, Kenya, November 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On the occasion of World Diabetes Day (WDD), Merck is conducting Diabetes awareness camps in India, Kenya and Ghana in collaboration with Maharashtra University and Government in India and with Kenya Ministry of health, Diabetes Management and Information center (DMI) and National Diabetes Association of Ghana.Merck (http://www.merckgroup.com), The world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company, has rolled out today its Diabetes awareness and prevention campaign in collaboration with Universities of health sciences, Ministries of health and Diabetes patients associations in Africa and India in order to improve diabetes awareness and community health…
KAMPALA, Uganda, November 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — U.S. Mission Uganda is partnering with Kas Wear clothing label to host a fashion show and youth entrepreneurship reception in celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week. Ten up-and-coming Ugandan fashion designers have accepted the challenge to create an outfit for an American diplomat that represents U.S.-Uganda partnership. Judges for the fashion show are Ambassador Scott DeLisi, Ms. Judith Allen Heard, and Mr. Madoi Lattif. Audience members will include Ugandan youth entrepreneurs from various fields and fashion industry experts. The winning designer will be profiled on the Embassy’s Facebook page, receive a feature…
NAIROBI, Kenya, November 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Mauro Mecagni, visited Kenya during October 22−November 9, 2014. The mission reached staff-level agreement on a program that could be supported by the IMF through a Stand-By Arrangement and Stand-By Credit Facility (SBA/SCF).Mr. Mecagni released the following statement at the end of the mission:“Kenya’s economy remains robust, supported by strong credit growth and a dynamic investment environment. Inflation has declined in the last two months and remains within the government’s target range. A gradual depreciation of the Kenyan shilling mostly reflects…
GENEVA, Switzerland, November 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM and Mali’s Ministry of Solidarity, Humanitarian Affairs and Reconstruction in the North have signed an agreement to formalize the handover of IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) programme to the government.Following the 2012 crisis in mali and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, IOM started the programme in close collaboration with the government. It was designed to provide up-to-date information on movements of internally displaced people (IDPs) and returnees, as well as on the needs of people affected by the conflict.At its peak in June 2013, the DTM registered…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, November 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — 1. The International Contact Group on the Central African Republic (ICG-RCA) held its 6th meeting in Bangui, on 11 November 2014, under the co-chairmanship of Mr. Basile Ikouebe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Congo, and Ambassador Smail Chergui, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union (AU). The list of the countries and organizations that participated in the meeting is indicated below[1].[1] Algeria, Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, China, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Georgia, Germany, Holy See, Japan, Luxemburg,…
GENEVA, Switzerland, November 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM, Egypt’s Ministry of Manpower and Emigration and the Governor of Qalyoubia governorate this week inaugurated the country’s first Information Counselling and Referral Service (ICRS).The ICRS will be part of Egypt’s Public Employment Services Office and aims to bolster youth employment by providing skill enhancement opportunities, job placement services and business start-ups in areas with high levels of outward and irregular migration.The initiative is part of an ongoing three-year, EUR 9.9 million European Union-funded IOM project: “Stabilizing at-risk communities and enhancing migration management to enable smooth transitions in Egypt, Tunisia, and…