ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, congratulates the people of the Republic of South Africa for the successful and peaceful elections of 7 May 2014, and the South African President, H.E. Jacob Zuma, for his party’s victory in the elections.The Chairperson of the AU Commission encourages the ruling party and the opposition parties to continue to work together in the spirit of reconciliation and unity in the interest of the diverse people of South Africa, in order to preserve peace and deepen the country’s…
Author: apofeed
MBABANE, Swaziland, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Mr. Jiro Honda visited the Kingdom of Swaziland during April 28‒May 12, 2014 to conduct the 2014 Article IV consultation with Swaziland. The mission met with the Prime Minister, Hon. Sibusiso Dlamini; Minister of Finance, Hon. Martin Dlamini; the Governor of the Central Bank of Swaziland, Mr. Majozi Sithole; other senior government officials, as well representatives of the private sector and development partners. The mission would like to express its gratitude to the authorities and their staffs for the highly professional,…
Hertfordshire, UK, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — SkyVision Global Networks Ltd. (http://www.skyvision.net), a leading global communications provider, today announced its ongoing commitment to strengthen the telecommunications market in Guinea, by launching the company’s new fibre and wireless based services, SkyVision SkyFibre. Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/skyvision.jpgA member of the “Guinéenne de la Large Bande” (GUILAB) consortium, SkyVision has invested in the establishment of an integrated fibre and wireless network across Conakry. Connected over the ACE submarine cable to its global IP/MPLS network, the SkyVision service enables customers to benefit from innovative data processing and telecom solutions. This results in quicker response…
BEIJING, China, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — In the morning of May 7, 2014, Premier Li Keqiang and President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria held talks in Abuja and then jointly met the press. They answered questions from the journalists.Li Keqiang said, China and Nigeria are important cooperative partners serving as the development opportunities for each other. I hope, through my visit this time, to carry forward China-Nigeria traditional friendship and to strengthen cooperation in all fields, elevating the China-Nigeria strategic partnership to new levels.Li Keqiang briefed the outcomes of the talks between the two state leaders, and expressed…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — We strongly condemn the horrific abduction of young girls from the Chibok Government Girls Secondary School in Borno State in Nigeria. We are extremely concerned that about 230 young girls aged between 16- 18 were taken from their school on the night of 14th April, 2014, and horrified that Eight more girls were abducted on Monday, May 5, 2014 in the same province of Borno,We send our sympathy to the families of the children, and urge those who are responsible for their abduction to release them unharmed, and return them…
BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Council adopted the following conclusions: “The European Union is deeply concerned about the recent terrorist attacks in northern Nigeria and appalled by the suffering caused to the population.The Council strongly condemns the indiscriminate killing of hundreds of civilians and the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in Borno State. These acts represent an attack against human rights and dignity. The European Union calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the school girls and for those responsible to be brought to justice.The European Union and its Member States…
DAKAR, Senegal, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — At the invitation of Mr. Said Djinnit, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), the Heads of the United Nations Peace Missions in West Africa held their Twenty-sixth high-level consultation meeting on 9 May 2014 in Dakar. The objective of this regular meeting is to review progress in the implementation of the respective UN mandates in the region, to strengthen coordination in order to address common challenges in the areas of governance, decentralization, organized crime, and to examine…
BERLIN, Germany, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier issued the following statement in Berlin today (10 May):“The news that a ceasefire has been agreed between the conflicting parties in South sudan is an important first sign of hope for people in the conflict region.The ceasefire, which was achieved thanks to the intelligent and persistent mediation efforts by Ethiopia and the African regional organisation IGAD, is a significant step towards finding a political solution to the conflict in South sudan. However, the ceasefire is fragile. What is important now is that the weapons really do fall…
KIGALI, Rwanda, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — APO (African Press Organization) today announced that sudan Tribune Associate Editor Julius N. Uma won the APO invitation to participate in the Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), taking place in Kigali, Rwanda, on 19-23 May 2014.”Transportation, accommodation and daily allowances for Julius N. Uma shall be paid in full by APO”, confirmed Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and CEO of APO (African Press Organization).Photo Julius N. Uma: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1062 (sudan Tribune Associate Editor Julius N. Uma won APO invitation to participate in the 2014 AfDB Annual Meetings)Logo APO: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/apo-african-press-organization-small.pngUma will…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 435th meeting held on 9 May 2014, was briefed on the evolution of the situation in Darfur by the Commissioner for Peace and Security and the Joint Special Representative for the AU-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and Joint Chief Mediator (JCM). Council also listened to statements made by the representative of the Government of Sudan, as well as by those of the European Union (EU) and the following members of the UN Security Council: Nigeria, Rwanda,…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, welcomes the signing of the “Agreement to Resolve the Crisis in South Sudan” by President Salva Kiir Mayardit of the Republic of South sudan and Dr. Riek Machar Teny, Chairman of the sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) in Opposition, in Addis Ababa on 9 May 2014, under the auspices of Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn of Ethiopia, Chair of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The Chairperson of the Commission was represented at the signing ceremony by the…
OTTAWA, Canada, May 12, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Following the Agreement to Resolve the Crisis in South Sudan, reached by President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement:“Canada welcomes this agreement and calls on military commanders in the field to immediately refrain from any and all armed action. We are concerned, however, that early reports indicate the ceasefire may already have been broken in Bentiu.“We urge the leadership of both sides to make every effort to facilitate the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian assistance. The people of South sudan fundamentally want…
LONDON, United-Kingdom, May 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Foreign Secretary welcomes South Africans’ determination to maintain Mandela’s legacy; UK to remain steadfast partner.Speaking today, the Foreign Secretary William Hague said:“I would like to congratulate South Africa on the conclusion of their successful elections. In this 20th anniversary year of the transition to democracy their commitment to democratic processes, demonstrated through the high voter turnout and conduct of the election, is testament to the South African people’s determination to maintain the legacy for which former President Mandela and others fought so strongly. The United Kingdom will continue to be a…
WASHINGTON, May 10, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — For five months, fighting in South sudan has robbed that country of hope and denied its people the peace and prosperity they deserve. The agreement South sudan President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar signed today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, holds the promise of bringing the crisis to an end. We deeply appreciate the important role the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) played in facilitating the talks. We commend IGAD for its persistent pursuit of peace, and its Chairman, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, for his leadership. We urge President Kiir and Mr.…
KAMPALA, Uganda, May 10, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The International Monetary Fund’s Regional Technical Assistance Center for East Africa (IMF- East AFRITAC) held a workshop on “Fiscal Risks: Identification, Reporting and Management” in Entebbe, Uganda during the period April 28 – May 1, 2014.The workshop, the first of its kind in the region, was attended by twenty officials from finance ministries and central banks from Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda. Two officials from the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat were also present. Led by a team of experts from the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department and IMF –…
MAPUTO, Mozambique, May 10, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed today the second review of Mozambique’s economic performance under the program supported by the Policy Support Instrument (PSI). In completing the review, the Board approved the modification of three assessment criteria, including two end-June 2014 assessment criteria as the result of the higher than anticipated fiscal revenues and a continuous assessment criterion related to an increase of the non-concessional borrowing ceiling as this is in line with a PSI objective of facilitating a scaling up in infrastructure investment.The PSI was approved…
VATICAN, Holy See, May 10, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Yesterday, in a statement to journalists, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., declared that the kidnapping in Nigeria of a large number of schoolgirls by Boko Haram terrorists is yet another of the “horrible forms of violence long typical of this group”.He continued, “The denial of any respect for the lives and dignity of the human person, even the most innocent, vulnerable and defenceless, calls for the strongest condemnation and elicits the most heartfelt compassion for the victims, as well as horror at the…
WASHINGTON, May 10, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Media NoteOffice of the SpokespersonWashington, DCMay 9, 2014The Department of State, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, in conjunction with U.S. Customs and Border Protection is advising the public on several scams involving Kimberley Process Certificates. Legitimate Kimberley Process Certificates are used to control the international trade in rough diamonds.Recently, in one elaborate scheme, individuals were invited to Sierra Leone to view rough diamonds that were later evaluated as fake stones and were also provided with a fake Kimberley Process certificate numbered Sierra Leone 004199, issued in either April or May 2014.…
ROME, Italy, May 10, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The latest IPC food security analysis carried out in South sudan indicates that, as a result of conflict, displacement, destroyed markets and disrupted livelihoods, food security has deteriorated at an alarming rate since the outbreak of conflict in December 2013. There is a high likelihood of further worsening through the second half of 2014, with a risk of famine, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned today. One-third of the population of South sudan is now experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity. Some areas of the country to appear to…
LONDON, United-Kingdom, May 10, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Minister for Africa welcomes agreement but expresses grave concerns over human rights violations and continued fighting.Foreign Office Minister for Africa Mark Simmonds said:”I welcome the agreement signed last night in Addis Ababa by President Kiir and former Vice-President Machar, under which both parties agreed to a Cessation of Hostilities within 24 hours, to rededicate themselves to the Cessation of Hostilities agreement of 23 January, to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access to all populations affected by conflict, and to establish a transitional government of national unity. This is an important and long overdue…