ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union Commission and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency in collaboration with One Campaign and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda, on May 1, convened a Breakfast Ministerial Dialogue at the AUC New Complex in Addis Ababa on the margins of the Joint AU Conference of Ministers responsible for Agriculture, Rural Development, Fisheries and Aquaculture. The Dialogue was intended to share the experience of Rwanda, as the first country to sign a CAADP Compact and moving on to the next phase of CAADP implementation. A CAADP Compact…
Author: apofeed
LONDON, United-Kingdom, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — FCO Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds, condemns bomb attack in Abuja and offers continued UK support for Nigeria.FCO Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds, said:“I was horrified to learn of another bomb attack on the eastern outskirts of Abuja, Nigeria which has killed at least 16 people and injured many more. Although no group has claimed responsibility, the attack seems likely to be a further act of violence by Boko Haram. I condemn utterly this disgusting and cowardly attack and offer my condolences to those affected.“We will continue to support the Government…
GENEVA, Switzerland, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Though the situation is complex and varies from area to area and from town to town, many thousands of people remain trapped in places of worship and in neighbourhoods under siege, especially in Bangui and Boda. Others have fled to different parts of the country or across the border into neighbouring nations. “When you witness atrocities, when you receive threats, when violence and fear are such a big part of your daily life, sometimes you feel you have no choice but to flee,” explained Jürg Eglin, head of the ICRC delegation…
WASHINGTON, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Press StatementJen PsakiDepartment Spokesperson, Office of the SpokespersonWashington, DCMay 2, 2014Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Juba, South Sudan, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Luanda, Angola, on April 29-May 5 to encourage democratic development, promote respect for human rights, advance peace and security, engage with civil society and young African leaders who will shape the continent’s future, and promote trade, investment, and development partnerships in Africa.The Secretary’s trip will also highlight U.S. investments in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).In Addis Ababa, Secretary Kerry…
GENEVA, Switzerland, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday expressed concerns about the increasing restrictions placed on freedom of opinion and expression in Ethiopia, following the recent arrest and detention of six bloggers and three journalists. “I am deeply concerned by this recent wave of arrests and the increasing climate of intimidation against journalists and bloggers prevailing in Ethiopia,” Pillay said. On 25 and 26 April, six members of the blogging collective Zone Nine and three journalists were arrested by police in Addis Ababa. They were later taken to the…
WASHINGTON, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Press StatementJen PsakiDepartment SpokespersonWashington, DCApril 25, 2014Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Luanda, Angola, on April 29-May 5 to encourage democratic development, promote respect for human rights, advance peace and security, engage with civil society and young African leaders who will shape the continent’s future, and promote trade, investment and development partnerships in Africa. The Secretary’s trip will also highlight U.S. investments in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).In Addis Ababa, Secretary Kerry will co-convene the Fourth Session of…
DAKAR, Sénégal, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — APO (African Press Organization) will award one African journalist transport, accommodation and daily allowance to attend the 2014 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group held in Kigali, Rwanda, on 19-23 May 2014.The deadline for entry is midnight on 10 May 2014.Winner will be announced on 12 May 2014. APPLY to win the invitation: http://www.apo-opa.com/application_twitter.php?L=E&vc=Win
WASHINGTON, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Press AvailabilityJohn KerrySecretary of StateAddis Ababa, EthiopiaMay 1, 2014SECRETARY KERRY: Good afternoon, everybody. I’m really pleased to be back in Africa and to be back in Addis Ababa, a city of enormous energy, and in a country that is really changing and on the move. I had a series of very productive meetings this morning with my foreign minister counterparts and African Union counterparts, and also have just concluded a meeting with Prime Minister Hailemariam.I think it’s fair to say that Ethiopia, in terms of its economy and in other ways, is…
CAPE-TOWN, South-Africa, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Africa needs to do more to translate its commitments to social protection into practical programmes that reach the poorest and most marginalized children, participants said today at the conclusion of the African Union Expert Consultation Meeting on Children and Social Protection.Social protection is widely considered a critical investment for children, particularly in helping families and children to overcome financial and social barriers. From the 2004 Ouagadougou Declaration to the 2008 African Union Social Policy Framework, African Union Member States have all made political commitments to social protection. A decade later, social…
GENEVA, Switzerland, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are continuing to leave Bamako and other cities to return to previously unsafe northern parts of Mali, mainly due to fewer security concerns, according to IOM’s latest Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM).The estimated number of IDPs nationwide is now about 137,000 – down 31 per cent from the nearly 200,000 reported in February. The total number of returnees to northern areas rose from around 196,000 in February to nearly 284,000 in April.In the south, Bamako region continues to host the largest number of displaced people (40,733). Another 17,727…
OTTAWA, Canada, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird issued the following statement:“Canada condemns in the strongest terms the kidnapping of Nigerian schoolgirls, along with other terrorist acts committed against unarmed civilians, by Boko Haram. These acts are absolutely repugnant and will never be tolerated.“We are concerned about the safety and wellbeing of these girls, including recent reports that suggest they may be forced into marriage by Boko Haram. Canada has made it a priority to promote the human rights of women and girls worldwide, including working with the international community to end the practice…
EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A UNAMID peacekeeper, Sergeant Awesu Soleiman who had been abducted in Nyala, South Darfur, on 09 March 14, was freed today in Nyala after 54 days in captivity. The African Union – United Nations Joint Special Representative for Darfur, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, expressed the Mission’s gratitude to the Government of Sudan, the Wali (Governor) of South Darfur, and the Government of Nigeria for their valuable assistance in securing the safe release of Sgt. Awesu. On 09 March, at approximately 16:50 hours local time, Sgt. Awesu was abducted while driving…
BANGUI, Central African Republic, May 2, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Herve Ladsous, arrived on 1 May in Bangui, for a three-day official visit in the Central African Republic (CAR), the first of its kind since the adoption of the Security Council Resolution 2149 authorizing the establishment of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). “I have come to assess the situation, to talk with different interlocutors both here, in the Central African Republic, and in the neighbouring countries, to see how we can work together to make…
WASHINGTON, May 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Department of StatePublic NoticeBureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Request for Proposals: Democracy, Human Rights, and Religious Freedom in NigeriaSUMMARYThe Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) announces a Request for Proposals from organizations interested in submitting proposals for projects that promote democracy, human rights, and religious freedom in Nigeria.PLEASE NOTE: DRL strongly urges applicants to access www.grantsolutions.gov or www.grants.gov as soon as possible in order to obtain a username and password to submit your application. For more information, please see DRL’s Proposal Submission Instructions (PSI), updated in November 2012,…
KHARTOUM, Sudan, May 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Mr. Ali Al-Za’tari, expressed concern over an increasing number of people from South sudan seeking refuge in the Abyei area. Over the past few days, at least 3,000 people have arrived in a number of locations in Abyei after fleeing violence in Unity State, South sudan. These newly arrived people from South Sudan join an estimated 3,000 people who sought shelter in the area earlier this year.”This is a sizeable influx of people representing a critical increase in the humanitarian needs in…
WASHINGTON, May 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Today, National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy to discuss Egypt’s political transition and regional security issues. Ambassador Rice reaffirmed U.S. support for Egypt and underscored our commitment to maintain cooperation on shared security interests such as countering extremism and maintaining regional stability. She also reiterated our deep, growing concerns about recent developments in Egypt, including the mass trials and death sentences handed down this week, the continued detention of journalists and activists, and ongoing restrictions on freedoms of expression, assembly, and association. The United States…
GENEVA, Switzerland, May 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A high-level ecumenical delegation representing church organizations will arrive in Juba, South sudan on Friday, 2 May, amidst continuing conflict in the country with an imminent threat of widespread hunger and malnutrition among its people. The delegation will meet with church leaders and government officials, urging immediate actions for peace and reconciliation.The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, the Act Alliance general secretary John Nduna, the WCC Central Committee moderator Dr Agnes Abuom, general secretary of the World YWCA Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, the WCC’s former general…
WASHINGTON, May 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — RemarksJohn KerrySecretary of StateEthiopian Ministry of Foreign AffairsAddis Ababa, EthiopiaMay 1, 2014SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, folks. We just had a very positive meeting, laid out a strong agenda which we all agreed on which we’ll talk about later in the day when we have a little more time. But I think it’s clear that everybody is in agreement the killing must stop; that humanitarian access needs to be delivered; most importantly, a legitimate force that has an ability to help make peace needs to get on the ground as rapidly as possible.…
NEW YORK, May 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Abdoulaye Bathily of Senegal as his Special Representative for Central Africa and Head of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) in Libreville, Gabon.Mr. Bathily succeeds Abou Moussa of Chad, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his leadership and important accomplishments of the Regional Office during his tenure at UNOCA.Mr. Bathily brings to this position many years of political, diplomatic and academic experience with his national Government, academic institutions and more recently with the United Nations system. Mr.…
DAKAR, Senegal, May 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Hervé Joly visited Senegal from April 16 to 30, 2014 to conduct the seventh review under the three-year Policy Support Instrument (PSI) approved in December 2010. The members of the mission met with the President of the Republic, the ministers of economy and finance, energy, oversight of the Plan Sénégal Emergent (PSE), representatives of the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), other senior government officials, and representatives of the private sector, civil society, and the development partners.At the conclusion of the visit,…