BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, July 10, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Council today imposed sanctions against individuals obstructing the South Sudanese peace process and responsible for atrocities, as part of wider EU efforts to stop violence and avoid further instability in the region. Two persons responsible for violating the ceasefire agreement will be targeted with a travel ban and a freeze of their assets in the European Union. At the same time, an existing arms embargo against South sudan will remain in place. The legal acts, including the details of those subject to sanctions, will be published in tomorrow’s…
Author: apofeed
YAOUNDE, Cameroon, July 10, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On June 30, 2014, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation with Cameroon1 and considered and endorsed the staff appraisal without a meeting.2The pace of economic growth accelerated in 2013, reaching 5.5 percent (compared to 4.6 percent in 2012). Average annual inflation remained subdued at 2.1 percent, because food prices remained stable and fuel prices, controlled. Growth was particularly buoyant in the services and construction sectors, the latter supported by strong public investment. The higher demand for capital goods led to an increase in…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, today appointed Dr. Maman S. Sidikou, a Nigerien national, as the new African Union (AU) Special Representative for Somalia (SRCC) and Head of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).This appointment comes at a time when continued progress has been witnessed in the consolidation of peace and the promotion of reconciliation in Somalia, despite the challenges that continue to confront the country, as demonstrated by the recent upsurge of terrorist attacks, particularly in Mogadishu. Dr Sidikou brings…
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Press StatementJohn KerrySecretary of StateWashington, DCJuly 9, 2014On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, we extend our best wishes to the people of the Republic of South sudan on the third anniversary of their country’s independence.Three years ago I witnessed the people of South sudan vote to forge a new nation, founded on the promise of a more peaceful and prosperous future for all of South Sudan’s people.Now that promise for which the people of South Sudan suffered and sacrificed so much is being threatened by the…
MOGADISHU, Somalia, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia (SRSG), Nicholas Kay, has condemned last night’s attack on Villa Somalia, the seat of the Federal Government in Mogadishu. This was the latest in a series of attacks by Al Shabaab against Somalia’s political institutions, and comes after a failed attack against Parliament on 5 July. Speaking from Villa Somalia today, following meetings with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, SRSG Kay said, “Political progress in this country is only possible through the unity of its political institutions,…
ROME, Italy, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — An FAO project to equip small fishing communities with the tools and know-how to dry fish on simple raised racks instead of on the sand has changed lives along the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Burundi. Women had always dried catches of small sardine-like silver lake fish called ndagala on the ground, where they were easy pickings for animals and vulnerable to being trampled and contaminated. During the rainy season, many fish would be washed away or start to rot. “If the fishes got spoiled and began to smell awfully it…
MORONI, Comoros, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Officials from the Union of Comoros and United States signed an Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement July 6 in Kandani, the Comoran National Army of Development (Armée nationale de développement, AND) headquarters, to increase flexibility of military exchanges.The document was signed by Rear Admiral Alex Krongard from the U.S. Navy, currently the CJTF-HOA deputy commander, and Colonel Youssouf Idjihadi, Chief of Staff of the AND. The signing took place shortly after the archipelago nation’s National Day parade that marked 39 years of independence.Col. Idjihadi gave opening remarks, and was followed by…
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Press StatementJen PsakiDepartment SpokespersonWashington, DCJuly 8, 2014The United States strongly condemns today’s terrorist attack against Villa Somalia, the headquarters and residence of several Somali government officials in Mogadishu.We offer our condolences to the victims and their families.Incidents such as this further demonstrate that insecurity in Mogadishu persists, including very real threats from al-Shabaab. This is why we continue to support the efforts of the Somali National Security Forces and the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) to expand security and stability in Somalia. These forces stopped today’s attackers and prevented further harm.The…
HARARE, Zimbabwe, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On June 27, 2014, Management of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the combined first and second reviews under the Staff-Monitored Program (SMP) with Zimbabwe.1 An SMP is an informal agreement between country authorities and Fund staff to monitor the implementation of the authorities’ economic program.2 The SMP represents Zimbabwe’s first IMF agreement in more than a decade.The Zimbabwean authorities’ performance under the SMP has been broadly satisfactory and the authorities have taken corrective measures to ensure a track record of policy implementation going forward. The SMP provided a useful anchor…
NEW YORK, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:On the occasion of the third anniversary of South Sudan’s independence, the Secretary-General recalls the hopes and expectations of the people of South sudan when their country was established on 9 July 2011. Those hopes were dashed by the conflict that broke out in December 2013. Thousands of South Sudanese have been killed, and atrocities have been committed against civilians.The South Sudanese people are bearing the brunt of the failure to stop the fighting. They are living in…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — CONCLUSIONS1. The International Contact Group on the Central African Republic (ICG-CAR) held its 5th meeting, in Addis Ababa, on Monday 7 July 2014, under the joint chairmanship of Mr. Basile Ikouebe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of the Congo, and Ambassador Smail Chergui, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union (AU). The list of countries and organizations which attended the meeting is indicated below .2. The opening ceremony was marked by the statements made by the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail…
OTTAWA, Canada, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement:“Canada strongly condemns the ongoing sectarian violence in the Central African Republic (CAR), including yesterday’s merciless attack on civilians taking refuge in St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Bambari.“In the Bambari region, many people have been killed and a number of French soldiers injured in the past few weeks alone. We continue to call for dialogue and urge all parties involved in this conflict to exercise restraint to end the cycle of violence undermining the country.“On behalf of all Canadians, we offer our condolences…
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — EXECUTIVE ORDER TAKING ADDITIONAL STEPS TO ADDRESS THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO THE CONFLICT IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGOBy the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act(50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 5 of the United Nations Participation Act (22 U.S.C. 287c) (UNPA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of…
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order (the “order”) taking additional steps with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13413 of October 27, 2006 (E.O. 13413).In E.O. 13413, it was determined that the situation in or in relation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has been marked by widespread violence and atrocities that continue to threaten regional stability and was addressed by the United…
WASHINGTON, July 9, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — President Obama today issued a new Executive Order (E.O.) that amends E.O. 13413 of October 27, 2006, to take additional steps in light of the continued threat to the peace, security, and stability of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This new E.O. expands the sanctions criteria to allow for more U.S. flexibility in targeting persons contributing to the conflict in the DRC, as well as to conform more closely to the criteria established in relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions, including, most recently, Resolution 2136 of January 30, 2014.The United…
GENEVA, Switzerland, July 8, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Fourteen Rwandan children have been repatriated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to Rwanda, where they were reunited with their families. Scattered by the violence that has gripped the region for several years, the families were at last reunited thanks to the efforts of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to trace the children’s relatives. This hard work is paying off; 50 Rwandan children have now been reunited with their families since the beginning of the year. “Today, after seven years apart, 15-year-old Jean-Claude and his 12-year-old…
NAIROBI, Kenya, July 8, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Media invite – Launch of MDG Report 2014What : MDGs Report 2014 launch Who : Ms. Nardos Bekele Thomas, UN Resident Coordinator When : Wednesday 9 July at 10 a.m Where : New Stanley Hotel The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), wishes to invite members of the press to the launch of the MDG Report 2014. The focus will be the status of the MDGs in Sub-Saharan Africa. Background: Although some progress has been made in extreme poverty reduction, poverty still remains…
BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, July 8, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ –A União Europeia envia uma missão especial para o restabelecimento das relações políticas e a definição de um programa urgente de apoio ao país Na sequência da tomada de posse das novas Autoridades eleitas, a União Europeia enviou à Guiné-Bissau uma missão especial que permanecerá no país até o dia 11 de Julho próximo.A missão, integrada por membros do Serviço Europeu de Acção Exterior e da ComissãoEuropeia, terá como objectivos prioritários duma parte, o restabelecimento das relaçõespolíticas com as referidas Autoridades e de outra parte, avançar na definição de umpossível…
WASHINGTON, July 8, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Dr. Jill Biden has arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone, her final stop on a three-country visit to Africa.In Sierra Leone, Dr. Biden will highlight how her trip to Africa has focused on the importance of girls’ education and women’s participation in government, the economy, and civil society in accelerating economic development, improving health and educational outcomes, strengthening democratic governance, and fostering peace and security.On Sunday, Dr. Biden will attend a reception hosted by Second Lady Khadija Sam Sumana as part of Sierra Leone’s recognition of the significance of this visit.On Monday, Dr.…
GENEVA, Switzerland, July 8, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM, in partnership with UNICEF and WHO, has provided and maintained basic Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) lifesaving services for displaced people affected by the recent heavy rains and flash floods in the most vulnerable states across Sudan.IOM has carried out campaigns that aim to increase and maintain access to lifesaving waste management and hygiene promotion (personal and environmental) to promote preventive interventions of diseases outbreaks on the aftermath of floods, as accumulated waste and garbage poses health hazards, especially in urban areas with limited waste management capacity.“Now we know that…