TUNIS, Tunisia, July 17, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Mr. Amine Mati, visited Tunis during June 10–24, 2014 to conduct discussions on the fourth review of Tunisia’s economic performance under the 24-month Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) approved by the IMF Executive Board on June 7, 2013. (See Press Release No. 13/202). The mission held productive discussions with senior government and central bank officials. It also met with representatives of the banking and private sectors, trade unions, parliamentarians, the donor community, and civil society.At the end of the discussions, Mr. Mati issued…
Author: apofeed
BANGUI, Central African Republic, July 17, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Crisis in Central African Republic Is Far from Over – Thousands Still trapped in Enclaves, Chad Border Closed, and Massive Gaps in Aid for Central African RefugeesA retrospective mortality study conducted by the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) among Central African refugees in Sido, Chad, reveals extreme levels of death during a violent crackdown against the Central African Republic’s (CAR) Muslim minority. The study found that one in three families surveyed had lost at least one family member between November 2013 and April 2014.…
NEW YORK, July 17, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Babacar Gaye of Senegal as his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). MINUSCA was established by Security Council resolution 2149 (2014) of 10 April 2014.Mr. Gaye is currently the acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Head of MINUSCA. Until April 2014, he served as Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office for…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, July 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — African Union Commission Chairperson, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has arrived in Ezulwini, Swaziland to participate in the Seventh Conference of African Ministers in charge of integration (COMAIV11), being held under the theme, infrastructure and integration in Africa. She was met on arrival by the Commissioner of Economic Affairs Dr Anthony Mothae Maruping, accompanied by the Director Dr Rene Kouassi N’Guettia.The ministerial conference is taking place on 17 and 18 July 2014, and its key outcomes will be; concrete recommendations on the theme of the conference: the way forward regarding…
TOKYO, Japan, July 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — 1． Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Nobuo Kishi will visit Egypt, Jordan, Israel, the Palestine and Turkey from July 19 to July 26. 2．Mr.Kishi, in his visit to Cairo, capital of Egypt, between July 19 and July 20, will hold discussions with Egyptian government officials. 3．From July 22 to 24 , Mr.Kishi will visit Jordan to hold discussions with Jordanian government officials, then continue on to Israel and Palestine, where he will pay a courtesy call on H.E.Dr.Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, and hold discussions with parties involved…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, July 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 446th meeting held on 9 July 2014, adopted the following decision on the situation in Darfur and the activities of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID):Council, 1. Takes note of the report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the situation in Darfur and the activities of UNAMID [PSC/PR/2 (CDXLVI)], as well as of the briefings made by the Commissioner for Peace and Security and the Joint Special Representative for UNAMID and Joint Chief Mediator…
PRETORIA, South-Africa, July 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The International Organization for Migration has appointed Mr. Richard Ots as the new Chief of Mission for the IOM mission in South Africa effective from 1 July 2014.Mr. Ots will oversee the South Africa main office based in Pretoria including three sub-offices in Durban, Cape Town and Musina. As the head of IOM in South Africa, Mr. Ots will oversee the implementation of all IOM activities in South Africa.Under his leadership, the IOM office in South Africa will continue its mandate of supporting the government of South Africa to analyse national…
WASHINGTON, July 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — NOTICECONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL Emergency WITH RESPECT TOTHE Former LIBERIAN REGIME OF Charles TAYLOROn July 22, 2004, by Executive Order 13348, the President declared a national emergency with respect to the former Liberian regime of Charles Taylor pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States constituted by the actions and policies of former Liberian President Charles Taylor and other persons, in particular their unlawful depletion of Liberian resources and their removal from Liberia…
DAKAR, Sénégal, July 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and High-Level Representative of the Secretary-General to Nigeria, Mr. Said Djinnit, has ended today his third visit to the country, from 11 to 15 July. During the visit, Mr. Djinnit held consultations with Government officials and the leadership of the National Assembly, former Heads of State, heads of defense and security services and agencies, civil society organisations including the “Bring Back our Girls” Movement and religious leaders. He also met with Ms. Malala Yousafzai, Girls Education activist on visit to…
KHARTOUM, Sudan, July 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A significant increase in humanitarian needs in sudan during the first six months of 2014 has necessitated a revision of the sudan Response Plan. Aid agencies in Sudan now urgently require $982 million to assist 6.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance (roughly 20% of Sudan’s population). Humanitarian needs vary to include shelter, protection, nutrition, health, and potable water. The first half of 2014 saw more people displaced in Darfur than in any single year since the height of the crisis in 2004. Conflict in South Sudan has driven over…
LUANDA, Angola, July 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Ricardo Velloso, visited Luanda from July 1–14, 2014, to conduct discussions for the 2014 Article IV consultation.1The mission met with Finance Minister Armando Manuel, Economy Minister Abrahão Gourgel, Commerce Minister Rosa Pacavira, Agriculture Minister Pedro Canga, Social Integration Minister João Baptista Kussumua, Construction Minister Waldemar Pires Alexandre, Petroleum Minister Botelho Vasconcelos, Central Bank Governor José Massano, as well as other senior officials of the executive branch. The mission also met with members of the Economic and Finance Commission of the National Assembly, and…
JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, July 16, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Business Connexion Group Limited (“BCX” or “the Company”) (http://www.bcx.co.za) announced today that Mr. Isaac Mophatlane has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the company with effect 1 August 2014. He will take over the role of his late brother, Mr. Benjamin Mophatlane, who passed away on 11 June 2014.Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1235 (Isaac Mophatlane has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of Business Connexion Group Limited (“BCX”)Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/bcx.jpg Isaac is currently BCX’s Head of Sales and Marketing and Group Executive of the Canoa division. Isaac, together with his twin brother Benjamin, co-founded…
BERLIN, Germany, July 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — In view of the ongoing violence in Libya, a Federal Foreign Office spokesperson issued the following statement today (13 July):”The German Government is deeply concerned about the violence in Libya, and in particular about the fighting that erupted on 13 July near Tripoli airport.Mistrust between the hostile groups there cannot be resolved by violence but only through a national dialogue. The election of a new Parliament and the drawing up of a new Constitution are key to establishing a peaceful order in Libya in which all Libyans must be represented.The Federal…
NEW YORK, July 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Appointment of Presidential Adviser on Sexual Violence and Child Recruitment marks a new dawn in the fight against conflict-related sexual violence and child recruitment and use in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Leila Zerrougui welcome the appointment by H.E. President Joseph Kabila of Jeannine Mabunda Lioko Mudiayi as Presidential Adviser on Sexual Violence and Child Recruitment in the DRC. The appointment is a demonstration…
NEW YORK, July 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Agostinho Zacarias of Mozambique as his Deputy Special Representative ad interim for the United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB), where he will also serve as United Nations Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).Mr. Zacarias will succeed Rosine Sori-Coulibaly of Burkina Faso, who completed her assignment in May 2014. The Secretary-General is grateful to Ms. Sori-Coulibaly for her dedicated service and contribution to peace consolidation efforts in Burundi.Mr. Zacarias brings to the position several years of…
ABUJA, Nigeria, July 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Islamist insurgency Boko Haram in Nigeria killed at least 2,053 civilians in an estimated 95 attacks during the first half of 2014, Human Rights Watch said today. The figures are based on detailed analyses of media reports as well as field investigations. The killings and other abuses were part of widespread attacks on civilians in over 70 towns and villages in northeastern Nigeria, in the federal capital, Abuja, and elsewhere that are apparent crimes against humanity.There has been a dramatic increase during 2014 in the numbers of casualties from bomb…
BAMAKO, Mali, July 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Mr. Pierre Buyoya, Head of the African Union (AU) Mission for mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL) officially launched today, 14 July 2014, its first humanitarian activity in mali at a press conference. Entitled “Hampers from the Heart”, it is to provide food and nutrition assistance to poor families, especially those most affected by the crisis endured by Mali since 2012, including the internally displaced persons. Indeed, as underscored by Pierre Buyoya on that occasion, “the well-being of the people and meeting their basic needs contribute to peace and stability of the…
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Press StatementJen PsakiDepartment SpokespersonWashington, DCJuly 14, 2014We are pleased to announce the arrival of Ambassador Omar Abdirashi Ali Sharmarke, the first Somali Ambassador to the United States in over twenty years. Ambassador Sharmarke’s arrival to Washington represents the latest progress in advancing U.S.-Somali relations. We look forward to working with Ambassador Sharmarke and continuing to work with the Federal Government of Somalia to bring stability, security, and prosperity to all Somali people.
BAMAKO, Mali, July 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Today, 14 July 2014, Mr. Pierre Buyoya, Head of the African Union Mission in mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL), handed over to Mr. Sada Samake, Minister of Interior and Security, a first batch of thirteen vehicles out of twenty donated by the AU to mali. This donation, valued at one million U.S. dollars, equivalent to 481,642,430 CFA francs, includes thirteen pick-up vans, four ambulances and three trucks.The donation will contribute to strengthening the capacity of the Malian defense and security forces. In his statement at the occasion, the AU High Representative…
GENEVA, Switzerland, July 15, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM’s 6th Return Intention Survey of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Bangui, Central African Republic, indicates a marked decline from May to June in IDPs’ perception of availability of public services such as schools, health services and markets in their neighbourhoods of origin.The return intention survey was based on interviews with 601 IDPs carried out at 31 displacement sites from 17-19 June. The survey has been conducted on a monthly basis since January 2014 to track the needs and intentions of IDPs in Bangui.Compared with the previous survey, IDPs’ needs to…