NEW YORK, April 8, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The following Security Council press statement was issued by Council President U. Joy Ogwu ( Nigeria):The members of the Security Council are outraged by the killing today of two UN personnel in Galkayo, Somalia. The members of the Security Council condemned the killings in the strongest terms. The members of the Security Council extended their condolences to the families of the victims. The members of the Council further offered their condolences to the United Nations and the Governments of the Republic of France and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and…
Author: apofeed
MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, April 8, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Senior officials and experts from ministries and agencies responsible for transportation from the African Union Member States and other stakeholders are meeting in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in preparation for the Third Session of the African Union Conference of African Ministers of Transport (CAMT), scheduled for 10-11 April 2014, under the theme “Speeding-up Transport Program Delivery for Facilitating Africa’s Economic Growth”. Addressing the opening Session, on behalf of Dr. Elham M. Ibrahim, AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, Mr Aboubakari Baba-Moussa, Director For Infrastructure and Energy,highlighted Africa’s economic capacity, demonstrated in…
ROME, Italy, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A flight will be dispatched tomorrow from the Orio al Serio Airport (Bergamo) to the Central African Republic by the Italian Cooperation, carrying aid to the population severely affected by the crisis under way.Responding to an appeal by Italian volunteer associations, the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will cover the costs of a shipment of medical and food supplies valued at approximately 300,000 euro, collected by the “Maniverso” and “Amici per il Centroafrica” associations and the diocesan Caritas of Treviso. The goods will go to…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — INVITATION TO THE MEDIAWhen: 14 – 17 April 2014 Where: Luanda, Republic of AngolaWho: African Union Commission (AUC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). OBJECTIVES : The key objective of the meeting is to provide an important forum for Member States, UN Agencies, Development Partners and other Stakeholders to discuss, among other the followings; i. Universal Health Coverage in Africa: from concept to action; ii. African Medicines Agency: setting milestones to establish a centralized regulatory system for medical products; iii. Non-communicable diseases in Africa: policies and strategies to address risk…
ROME, Italy, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The unprecedented crisis in the Central African Republic is devastating the economy and people’s ability to secure basic necessities, two United Nations food agencies said in an assessment report this week.The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warned that the country needed a long and expensive humanitarian operation over at least the next 18 months to stem the growing toll, and pave the way to rebuild livelihoods.The two UN agencies issued the report as they took action to help displaced and other…
LONDON, United-Kingdom, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Foreign Secretary condemns murder of two UN officials earlier today in Somalia.The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, expressed his horror and outrage at the murder today of two UN officials, one British, at Galkayo Airport in Somalia. The Foreign Secretary said:“It is with deep regret that I can confirm the murder of a British national and a colleague today at Galkayo Airport in the Puntland region of Somalia. I condemn these brutal murders in the strongest terms and offer my deep condolences to both families. “Both were working for the United…
KIGALI, Rwanda, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, led by Mr. Paulo Drummond, visited Kigali during March 25-April 6 to conduct the first review under the Policy Support Instrument (PSI). 1 The mission met with Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Amb. Claver Gatete, Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda Hon. John Rwangombwa, as well as with other senior government officials, development partners, and representatives of the business community and civil society. The mission wishes to thank the authorities for the constructive discussions, and expresses its appreciation for the kind hospitality provided…
VATICAN, Holy See, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — This morning Pope Francis received in audience the bishops of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference, at the end of their five-yearly “ad limina” visit and, in the written address that he handed to them, he praises “the impressive history of missionary work throughout the region”, encouraging the prelates to “maintain and foster this missionary imperative, so that the Gospel may increasingly permeate every work of the apostolate and shed its light on all areas of Tanzanian society”.“The work of evangelisation in Tanzania, then, is not merely a remarkable event of the…
ABUJA, Nigeria, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union (AU), the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria, have on 3rd April 2014 formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the deployment and integration of the Electoral Risk Management (ERM) tool in the electoral process of Nigeria. The ERM tool is designed to empower those who have immediate responsibility, or specific interest, to prevent and mitigate election-related violence, such as electoral management bodies, security sector agencies, civil society and other state and non-state actors.Through this ERM…
MOGADISHU, Somalia, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, condemned the murder today of two UN consultants working for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The two international consultants were in Galkayo to support UNODC efforts in the region when they were shot by unknown gunmen at Galkayo Airport, Puntland, Somalia. “I condemn the brutal murders. Our UN colleagues were working in support of the Somali people’s aspiration for a peaceful and stable future. There can be no justification for such a callous attack. I call…
NEW YORK, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President U. Joy Ogwu (Nigeria):The members of the Security Council were briefed on 3 April 2014 by Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, on the situation in Guinea-Bissau.The members of the Security Council welcomed the successful conclusion of the voter registration process in Guinea-Bissau and acknowledged that funding and preparations for the upcoming presidential and legislative elections on 13 April 2014 were well on track, thanks to the contributions of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) member States, the…
MONROVIA, Liberia, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Ms. Corinne Deléchat, visited Monrovia from March 17 to April 1, 2014 to conduct the third review of the government’s economic program supported by the IMF under an Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement. The mission met with Minister of Finance Amara Konneh, Central Bank Governor Joseph Mills-Jones, and other high-level government officials. The mission also held constructive discussions with members of the donor community and the private sector.At the end of the visit, Ms. Deléchat issued the following statement:“Liberia’s economic performance…
BANJUL, Gambia, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Bhaswar Mukhopadhyay, visited Banjul during March 25 – April 4, 2014. The mission assessed the authorities’ progress in implementing policies during the first quarter of 2014 to bring their reform program back on track. The program is supported by an Extended Credit Facility arrangement with the IMF, and had gone off-track mainly because spending significantly exceeded agreed targets following completion of the first review in May 2013.The mission met with Vice-President Njie Saidy, Secretary General Sabally, Finance Minister Touray, Central Bank…
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — As part of the implementation of its mandate, the African Union (AU) High-Level Panel for Egypt is undertaking a visit to Cairo from 6 to 9 April 2014. During this visit, which follows the missions undertaken from 27 July to 5 August 2013 and from 28 August to 5 September 2013, the Panel will meet with the relevant Egyptian government officials and other stakeholders.It should be recalled that the AU High-Level Panel for Egypt was established on 8 July 2013 by the Chairperson of the Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, following…
CAPE-TOWN, South-Africa, April 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — In line with its commitment to Africa’s rapidly growing markets, Sidel (http://www.sidel.com), a global provider of liquid packaging solutions, will participate in Juice Africa 2014 (http://www.juiceafrica.agraevents.com), the continent’s only gathering dedicated solely to Africa’s juice segment. The event, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa from April 8-10, will bring together all stakeholders from across Africa and the globe to analyse what is driving juice consumption around the continent.Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/sidel.png“With a population of over 1 billion, Africa represents a huge opportunity for Sidel to enhance and expand its presence in…
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM Angola has received USD 1 million from the Government of Japan to facilitate the safe voluntary return of at least 1,950 Angolans from neighbouring countries to their places of origin in Angola.The nine-month project will be implemented in close coordination with IOM offices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia, and in close partnership with the Angolan government, UNHCR and other local and provincial stakeholders.Following the 2002 peace agreement, between 2003 and 2012 over 423,000 Angolans voluntarily returned home and were reintegrated under a regional voluntary return…
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Ahmed Hassan Roba, aged 72, spent six years stranded in Puntland, Somalia after unsuccessfully trying to cross the Gulf of Aden to find a job in Saudi Arabia. “I left my home in Ethiopia and tried to cross the sea, but when my relatives could not help me (financially) to continue my journey, I decided to stay in Garowe (Puntland) and beg outside the mosques and in the streets,” he says.Ahmed Hassan Roba finally managed to return to Ethiopia last week, as part of a group of 65 vulnerable, stranded Ethiopian…
MOGADISHU, Somalia, April 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) welcomes the formation of the Independent Task Force mandated to review and finalize the media law once and for all.NUSOJ applauds the commitment shown by the Minister of information, Mustaf Dhuhulow in providing the Media and journalists’ representatives 10 out of 16 representatives of the appointed Task Force, an indication of a broader representation, inclusiveness with respect to gender equality..The National Union of Somali Journalist, which is a national journalists trade union that represent and speaks on behalf of the Somali journalists looks forward…
NEW YORK, April 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — African Union-United Nations Joint Special Representative (JSR) for Darfur, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, briefed the members of the United Nations Security Council yesterday on what he described as “alarming escalation of violence” in Darfur over the past three months, which has resulted in over 215,000 civilians being displaced. The JSR explained that there are several factors at play. Of particular concern are the activities in the region of a Government counter-insurgency force known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). They have perpetrated attacks on communities, particularly in South Darfur. A number of…
WASHINGTON, April 4, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — EXECUTIVE ORDERBLOCKING PROPERTY OF CERTAIN PERSONS WITH RESPECT TO SOUTH SUDANBy 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.) (NEA), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, find that the situation in and in relation…