JUBA, South Sudan, October 17, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On 10 October, three Individual Contractors employed by UNMISS, who were working at the airfield in Malakal, were seized by an unidentified armed group of 15 to 20 men in uniformed and civilian clothes and driven away in a pick-up truck. The following day, in the morning, one of the three workers was released and! a second was also released later in the afternoon. The third worker is still missing.On 16 October, a staff member of another UN agency, the World Food Programme (WFP), was similarly seized by a group…
Author: apofeed
NEW YORK, October 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Secretary-General has taken note of the return to Madagascar of former President Marc Ravalomanana on 13 October. He rejects the remarks Mr. Ravalomanana made during a press conference challenging the legitimacy of the institutions born of the country’s recent elections. The Secretary-General stresses the imperative of respecting the legitimacy of the democratically-elected Government and the rule of law. He calls on all political actors and stakeholders to continue working together towards an inclusive national reconciliation process, the full implementation of the SADC Roadmap, the deepening of democratic governance and economic…
MOGADISHU, Somalia, October 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia (SRSG), Nicholas Kay, condemned last night’s bomb attack outside a popular restaurant in Mogadishu resulting in the death and injury of many people. “I strongly condemn last night’s cowardly terrorist attack. I am appalled by the complete disregard for the lives of ordinary Somalis, including children and passers-by. Such crimes violate the most basic principles of humanity. The perpetrators need to be brought to justice swiftly.” SRSG Kay said.“The United Nations remains determined in our support for the Somali people as they…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, October 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union (AU)-led Joint Security Sector Assessment Mission (JAM) to Madagascar that started on 4 October ended on 12 October 2014. The mission, which was conducted in response to a request of the Malagasy Government, comprised representatives of the AU, the United Nations, the European Union (EU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Security Sector Network (ASSN) and the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF). The mission was led by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission in Madagascar, Hawa Ahmed Youssouf.The purpose of…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, October 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, is closely monitoring the situation in Madagascar, following the return of Mr. Marc Ravalomanana, former President of the Republic, on 13 October 2014. She notes that his return took place without consultation with the Malagasy authorities and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The Chairperson of the Commission regrets the holding, by former President Ravalomanana, of a press conference just hours after his return, and strongly condemns the remarks he made on that occasion. In this regard,…
LUSAKA, Zambia, October 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Just ahead of World Food Day, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (http://goo.gl/AwrAkl) has established that ‘orange’ vitamin A maize increases vitamin A storage in the body. This maize has been conventionally bred (non-GMO) to have higher levels of beta-carotene, a naturally occurring plant pigment that the body then converts into vitamin A.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/harvestplus.pngPhotos: http://goo.gl/u9ygCRVideo: http://goo.gl/0KODjMLack of sufficient vitamin A blinds up to 500,000 children annually and increases the risk of death from disease (such as diarrhea in children). Vitamin A deficiency is widely prevalent in Sub-Saharan…
DUBLIN, Ireland, October 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Their Excellencies, the Ambassadors of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of Namibia and the Kingdom of Sweden presented their Letters of Credence to the President at Áras an Uachtaráin today. H.E. Mr. Kyaw Zwar Minn, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Aye Minn Myat, and by Ms. Moe Thuzar, Counsellor at the Embassy. H.E. Mr. Steve Vemunavi Katjiuanjo, Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia, was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Christophine Katjiuanjo, and by Mr. Michael Ndivayele, Minister…
NAIROBI, Kenya, October 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — UN Women with the African Union (AU), IFAD, FAO and WFP are co-hosting an exciting regional Sharefair for Rural Women’s Technologies on October 15-17 at the UN Compound in Gigiri. The first of its kind, this showcase stemmed from a need to simultaneously address the successes, the innovations and yet the continued constraints faced by African women farmers, particularly in the Eastern and Southern African region. The Sharefair, will bring almost 100 exhibitors to showcase their agricultural innovations. The three day exhibition will run over International Day of Rural Women and…
WASHINGTON, October 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Funding Opportunity AnnouncementBureau of Population, Refugees, and MigrationOctober 9, 2014Funding Opportunity Number: PRM-PRMOAPAF-15-002Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number: 19.517Announcement Issuance Date: Thursday, October 9, 2014Proposal submission deadline: Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at 12:00 p.m. EST (noon Washington, DC time). Proposals submitted after this deadline or incomplete proposal packages will not be considered.ADVISORY: All applicants must submit proposals through the website Grants.gov (not GrantSolutions.gov). PRM strongly recommends submitting your proposal several days early to allow time to address any technical difficulties that may arise. Please note that Monday, October 13, 2014 and…
GAROWE, Somalia, October 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United Nations, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Ethiopia in its capacity as the Chair of the IGAD Council of Ministers, and the European Union (EU) welcomed the agreement signed today between the Federal Government of Somalia and Puntland State of Somalia to resume relations and work together on peace and state-building priorities. “We welcome the agreement reached today between the Federal Government of Somalia and Puntland State of Somalia. This agreement is an important step forward in the path towards peace- and state-building for all Somalis. Puntland with its…
GENEVA, Switzerland, October 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM Ethiopia has distributed essential non-food aid (NFIs) to 560 internally displaced households in Halobiyo, Kebele, Babile Woreda, in the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia. The assistance consisted of temporary shelter materials, cooking sets and sanitation. IOM worked closely with the Kebele local administration to ensure that the aid reached the most vulnerable households.IOM has conducted similar distributions in a variety of locations across the Somali Regional State over the past year for internally displaced persons (IDPs) forced to leave their homes due to natural disasters and ethnic conflict.In September it…
GENEVA, Switzerland, October 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM’s African Capacity Building Centre in Tanzania this week celebrated five years in operation. Since 2009 it has trained some 3,500 border officials from 47 countries in border management and migration.But the work of ACBC is not only aimed at improving the migration capacity of African states. Ultimately it is migrants themselves that should reap the benefits of enhanced and effective systems of migration management, according to IOM Tanzania Chief of Mission Damien Thuriaux.For example, when the ACBC conducted an assessment of the border resident card regime along the Angola-Namibia border…
OSLO, Norway, October 14, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — ‘The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the worst the world has ever seen, and is a serious threat to health, security and development both in the region and globally. Unless the international community, and particularly the UN and WHO, scale up and speed up the response, the situation will continue to deteriorate,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende. Today, Mr Brende is in Liberia, the country worst affected by the outbreak. He is visiting the country together with Dr Rajiv Shah, Administrator of USAID, the US Agency for International…
YAOUNDE, Cameroon, October 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — 1. The Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission established pursuant to the Joint Communiqué adopted at the Summit Meeting which took place in Geneva on 15 November 2002 between His Excellency Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon and His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the presence of His Excellency Kofi Annan, then Secretary General of the United Nations, held an extraordinary meeting of the Heads of its three delegations in Yaounde on 11th October 2014. Mr. Saïd Djinnit, Special Representative of the Secretary-General of…
JUBA, South Sudan, October 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Mrs. Zainab Hawa Bangura has concluded her first visit to South sudan with a Joint Communique with the government that outlines clear steps they will take to prevent and address sexual violence crimes. Sexual violence is a consistent characteristic of the conflict and is being perpetrated by all the parties. The Special Representative met with President Salva Kiir at the beginning and the end! of her visit, and held extensive consultations with relevant Ministers as well as the Army…
NAIROBI, Kenya, October 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — UN Women’s Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa, in partnership with FAO, IFAD, WFP and others will host the Inspiring Agricultural Change: Sharefair on Rural Women’s Technologies to Improve Food Security, Nutrition and Productive Family Farming, an exciting regional initiative that will coincide with International Rural Women’s Day and World Food Day in Nairobi, Kenya. This is an invitation to participate in: What: Sharefair on Rural Women’s Technologies When: 15 October, 2014: 0700 – 1630 hrs 17 October, 2014: 0700 – 1500 hrs OFFICIAL OPENING 9.00 A.M 15 OCT 2014…
MOGADISHU, Somalia, October 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia (SRSG), Nicholas Kay, condemned last night’s car bomb attack in Mogadishu that resulted in the death and injury of many people. The President of Somalia has confirmed at least thirteen people were killed.“I condemn last night’s appalling terrorist attack against innocent civilians in Mogadishu resulting in numerous casualties. The use of such indiscriminate tactics against the Somali people is a cruel and despicable crime. I commend the swift response of Somalia’s security and medical staff. The perpetrators need to be brought to…
GENEVA, Switzerland, October 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has today welcomed back Guinea and Madagascar as Members of the Organization. Their readmission at the opening session of IPU’s 131st Assembly in Geneva increases IPU membership to 166 national parliaments. Guinea had previously been an IPU Member between 1996-2007 and 2008-2009. Both departures from the Organization were due to the political instability in the West African country – the last one in 2009 following the dissolution of the National Assembly by a military coup in December 2008. Parliamentary elections in September 2013, the first since 2002,…
MOGADISHU, Somalia, October 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) strongly condemns the attempted murder of senior Somali journalist and renowned TV personality on Sunday, October 12. Abdirisak Jama Elmi (Black), director of Somali Channel TV office in Mogadishu, was attacked when he was leaving his house in Howl-Wadag district. The TV journalist was hit by three bullets at the back and stomach, and is receiving treatment at Mogadishu’s Madina hospital. “This is yet another disgraceful attack on freedom of expression in Somalia. However, such attacks will not deter Somali journalists from pursuing their…
EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, October 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur welcomed a community-based strategic plan to end the use of children as fighters in inter and intra ethnic clashes initiated by Sheikh Musa Hilal and endorsed by leaders from the Abbala, Beni Hussein, Fur, Tamma, Gimir and Awalad Janoub tribes in Kabkabiya, El Sereif, Saraf Umra, Al Waha and Jebel Si localities in North Darfur. Sheikh Hilal previously issued a command order on 26 July 2013 to the members of the communities under his leadership to prohibit the use of children as…