GENEVA, Switzerland, June 9, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM has provided assistance to 897 vulnerable Yemeni families (2,768 individuals) stranded in Egypt as a result of the protracted conflict in Yemen and the subsequent closure of Yemeni air space and land border crossings with neighbouring countries.In coordination with the Embassy of Yemen in Egypt, IOM caseworkers prioritized the most vulnerable cases, in particular female-headed households and families with children, as well as those with medical conditions.Following a request from the Yemeni Embassy in Cairo, which had received thousands of calls for help, IOM, with support from the US State…
Author: apofeed
MOGADISHU, Somalia, June 9, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, has expressed deep concern over the recent events in Galgadud Region. On 7 June, Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a (ASWJ) militia overran Dhusamareb town and took control of government installations.“I am very concerned about the developments in Dhusamareb,” said SRSG Kay.“All parties must respect the ceasefire agreement signed in Guricel on 5 March 2015, refrain from violent actions and make immediate efforts to de-escalate the situation. The Adaado state formation conference is crucial for strengthening peace in the Central Regions…
JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, June 8, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — NEPAD Heads of State and Government Summit & Presidential Press Briefing Chaired by President Macky Sall WHAT: Media is invited to attend the official opening of the 33th NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee (HSGOC) meeting at the 25th African Union Summit in Sandton, South Africa. The HSGOC meeting will be followed by a press after the closing ceremony chaired by President of Senegal, H.E. Macky Sall. WHEN: Saturday, 13 June 2015Opening of HSGOC meeting: 10:00 – 10:40Press Briefing: 12:00 – 12:30 WHO: • Opening – H.E. Macky SALL,…
NAIROBI, Kenya, June 8, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — SimbaPay (http://www.simbapay.com) – a leading digital money transfer provider – today announced the launch of the first product in the world that allows Kenyans living abroad to make M-Pesa PayBill payments. This is a new addition to the existing SimbaPay platform.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/simbapay.pngPhoto: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/150608si.png (Screenshot of one of the Pay Bill wizard screens in the SimbaPay iOS app)M-Pesa PayBill is an M-Pesa service that has previously only been available to Safaricom M-Pesa subscribers in Kenya and allows the subscribers to pay hunderds of vendors via M-Pesa. By SimbaPay granting PayBill access to…
GENEVA, Switzerland, June 8, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Democratic Republic of Congo authorities should promptly and properly exhume a mass grave that may contain the bodies of people forcibly disappeared or executed by Congolese security forces, Human Rights Watch said today. On June 5, 2015, the families of 34 victims filed a public complaint with Congo’s national prosecutor requesting justice and the exhumation of the mass grave in Maluku, a rural area about 80 kilometers from the capital, Kinshasa.Local residents, opposition leaders, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUSCO), and human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have…
LOME, Togo, June 8, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (“Ecobank”) (http://www.ecobank.com), parent company of the Ecobank Group, the leading pan-African bank with operations in 36 countries across the continent, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ade Ayeyemi as its new Group Chief Executive Officer. His appointment is effective from 1 September 2015.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/ecobank.pngMr Ayeyemi will replace Albert Essien, who retires on 30 June, 2015 after 25 years of meritorious service with the Group. An interim arrangement will be made by the Ecobank Board for the management of the Group during the period 1 July through 31…
BERLIN, Germany, June 8, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Christoph Strässer, Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid issued the following statement on 5 June 2015 on the expulsion of Toby Lanzer, the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative and Humanitarian Coordinator of the UN Mission in South Sudan:The humanitarian situation in South Sudan has worsened further as a result of the fighting. Those affected by the hostilities need the assistance of the international community. Mr Lanzer’s expulsion is contrary to South Sudan’s obligations to allow the provision of humanitarian assistance and is unacceptable. To ensure that those…
OTTAWA, Canada, June 8, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced the following diplomatic appointments:Rosemary McCarney becomes Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the Office of the United Nations and to the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.Pierre Giroux becomes High Commissioner to the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.Vincent Le Pape becomes Ambassador to Burkina Faso.
ACCRA, Ghana, June 5, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United Nations System in Ghana is saddened by the loss of more than 100 lives, homes, properties and livelihoods as a result of the floods in Accra and other parts of the country, and the explosion at the fuel station at Kwame Nkrumah Circle on Wednesday, 3 June 2015. On behalf of the United Nations in Ghana, the Resident Coordinator Ms. Christine Evans-Klock extends condolences to the flood victims and bereaved families and friends. The UN will work with partners to support the efforts of the National Disaster Management Organization…
GENEVA, Switzerland, June 5, 2015/African Press Organization (APO)/ — UNHCR is concerned to have learned of an abduction of 14 Eritrean asylum-seekers by unknown armed elements in eastern Sudan on Thursday 4 June 2015.The incident happened when an armed group in a pickup truck opened fire on a convoy organized by the Sudanese Commissioner for Refugees (COR), which was transporting 49 Eritrean asylum-seekers from Wad Sharifey reception centre near Kassala to Shagarab refugee camp. Fourteen asylum-seekers were kidnapped: seven unaccompanied children (six boys and one girl), five women and two men. In addition, six asylum-seekers suffered from minor injuries when…