STASBOURG, France, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — There is “not a verdict” yet, Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmi told Foreign Affairs MEPs on Tuesday in response to their concerns over the recent sentencing to death of 529 members of the Muslim Brotherhood. While acknowledging the difficulties of the Egyptian government in the current transition and the strategic importance of Egypt for the region and Europe, MEPs also raised concerns over the role of the military, the separation of powers and inclusiveness of the Egyptian democratic transition. Mr Fahmi indicated that the Egyptian court has only submitted the case…
Author: apofeed
BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Council today launched an EU military operation to contribute to a secure environment in the Central African Republic, as authorised by the UN Security Council in resolution 2134 (2014). EUFOR RCA is to provide temporary support in achieving a safe and secure environment in the Bangui area, with a view to handing over to a UN peacekeeping operation or to African partners. The force will thereby contribute both to international efforts to protect the populations most at risk and to the creation of the conditions for providing humanitarian…
BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Wednesday, 2 April 2014 at 15.30 Justus Lipsius building – Briefing room E (room 35.1) Press briefing on the launch of the EU military operation in the Central African Republic by Major General Philippe PONTIÈS Operation Commander for the EU military operation in the Central African Republic NB: Access to the Council press centre will be subject to accreditation to the EU-Africa Summit.
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Despite being the third largest oil producing country in sub-Saharan Africa, Equatorial Guinea reels from a poor economy, a lack of good governance and of independent and functioning state institutions. These issues were the focus of presentations made by human rights defenders from Equatorial Guinea in a World Council of Churches (WCC) sponsored side-event at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.The event was organized by the WCC’s Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, in collaboration with EG Justice and the International Network of Human Rights (INHR) on 27 March. It…
KINSHASA, Dem. Rep. of Congo (DRC) April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Democratic Republic of Congo should adopt a draft law establishing specialized mixed chambers for trying serious rights abuses, 146 Congolese and international organizations said in a joint declaration today. Parliament should also pass a draft law during the current parliamentary session to incorporate the International Criminal Court (ICC) treaty into Congolese law. The parliamentary session began on March 15, 2014.President Joseph Kabila and the Congolese government have recently pledged to strengthen the country’s capacity to tackle impunity for atrocities against civilians. The proposed specialized mixed chambers…
NEW YORK, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Secretary-General is concerned by the latest upsurge in violence in the Central African Republic. This further deterioration of the security situation in the country has resulted in additional fatalities, a high number of injured, and increased hardship for the population. The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest possible terms all acts of violence against civilians, and against international forces working in the Central African Republic to re-establish peace and order. He stresses the fundamental importance of protecting civilians at all times. The Secretary-General reminds all those who are involved in spreading…
LONDON, United-Kingdom, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — UK/Tanzania High Level Prosperity Partnership yields results as British businesses help develop Tanzania’s energy sector The Foreign Secretary yesterday met President Kikwete of Tanzania and commended the growing partnership between the UK and Tanzania on trade and investment, defence and security and governance and human rights. The Foreign Secretary noted the significant opportunities for British businesses in developing Tanzania’s energy sector, amongst others. He welcomed progress made on two major projects: • the signing of a memorandum of understanding between BG Group, Ophir Energy, their joint venture partners and the Tanzanian…
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Religious beliefs and traditions in Africa continue to influence the way HIV is spread, especially among young women. There is a great need to understand these issues from a faith-based perspective, so that church leaders may engage in a constructive dialogue to help and support women threatened by the pandemic.The recent International Training Institute (ITI) on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights and HIV, held from 16 to 22 March, in Arusha, Tanzania, shed light on these issues. The training was organized by the World YWCA, with active participation from the World…
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Ministry of Women’s Development and Family Affairs (MoWDFA), has organized a training in Puntland, Somalia on assistance to and referral of victims of human trafficking.The training targeted 53 participants from international and local NGOs, Puntland ministries and UN agencies involved in protection issues, including gender-based violence (GBV) and child protection.“Human trafficking is a social problem that needs to be urgently addressed in Puntland. MoWDFA supports and will continue to collaborate with partners to implement referral mechanisms and standard operating procedures (developed by IOM) to…
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM has received USD 1 million from Japan to improve displacement tracking and disaster preparedness in Mozambique’s southern province of Gaza, which was badly affected by flooding in 2013.The project, in close cooperation with Mozambique’s National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC) and local police, will help to register and track internally displaced persons (IDPs) in relocation sites established after the 2013 floods.Of 150,000 people displaced in 2013, some 34,000 have been allocated land in safer areas on higher ground, but a full registration of those who have received land and those…
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM has handed over to the Rwandan government the final tranche of a four-year programme that has helped over 11,000 returnees from neighbouring countries and vulnerable people in host communities to reintegrate into Rwanda’s society and economy.The programme, funded by Japan and implemented in partnership with Rwanda’s Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR), was launched in 2010 and targeted 20 high return districts.Most of the beneficiaries fled Rwanda around the time of the 1994 genocide and returned home from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Since March 2013,…
GENEVA, Switzerland, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM Ethiopia has moved some 57,000 South Sudanese refugees from the South sudan border to camps inside Ethiopia since violence broke out between South Sudan’s government and opposition forces in December 2013.In Ethiopia’s Gambella province, IOM boats have moved up to 450 people a day from Akobo-Tergol. Road convoys have moved up to another 2,000 people a day from Pagak. Destinations include Fugnido, Leitchor and Kule (former Tierkidi) refugee camps, where the refugees are provided with shelter and food.The camps are quickly reaching their maximum capacity. Leitchor, which is located in…
NEW YORK, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Somali authorities in the capital, Mogadishu, to release a radio journalist who has been held without charge since Sunday. Nuradin Hassan is an editor of Sky FM, as well as a news presenter, according to news reports and Sky FM.Mohamed Khalif, chief inspector of the Central Investigations Department (CID), asked Nuradin to report to the CID for questioning on Sunday, but the journalist was detained when he arrived, Sky FM Director Mohamed Muse told CPJ.News reports and local journalists, including Mohamed, said Nuradin was…
MOGADISHU, Somalia, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, has welcomed the visit by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to Baidoa to meet with supporters of opposing state formation processes. Last week the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) called for urgent consultations with all political and traditional leaders in Baidoa to ease tensions between supporters of different state formation initiatives in the region. “The United Nations Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) will continue to support the Federal Government of Somalia’s consultations with political and traditional leaders in Baidoa. This important…
NEW YORK, April 1, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The following statement was issued by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today:The Secretary-General is concerned by the latest upsurge in violence in the Central African Republic. This further deterioration of the security situation in the country has resulted in additional fatalities, a high number of injured and increased hardship for the population.The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest possible terms all acts of violence against civilians and against international forces working in the Central African Republic to re-establish peace and order. He stresses the fundamental importance of protecting civilians at…
GENEVA, Switzerland, March 31, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — To mark the 12 months of extreme and unacceptable violence that has gripped the Central African Republic (CAR) since a coup d’état last March, MSF has brought together testimonies from its teams and patients in a report: ‘One year of escalating violence’ The full copy of the report is available here: http://www.msf.org.uk/article/central-african-republic-%E2%80%9Cone-year-escalating-violence%E2%80%9D Our teams on the ground – which are 2,300 strong – speak out about the atrocities that have taken place in the Car over the past year. These include massacres, killings, torture and displacements which have shocked even our…
GENEVA, Switzerland, March 31, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, Sheila B. Keetharuth, today expressed deep concern about persisting human rights violations in the country in the context of the Eritrean national service. “National service dominates life in Eritrea entirely,” Ms. Keetharuth said at the end of an official visit to Germany and Switzerland from 17 to 28 March 2014 during which she collected first-hand information from Eritrean refugees and migrants on the human rights situation in Eritrea. The bulk of what the human rights expert documented reconfirmed…
MOGADISHU, Somalia, March 31, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The National Union of Somali Journalists NUSOJ condemns the arrest of the Somali journalist Nuradiin Shardi, a news presenter of a privately owned Radio SkyFM in Mogadishu, held at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for the second day.CID Chief Inspector, Mohamed Khalif Farah known as “Shanliire” invited Shardi to the CID for questioning on Sunday where Nuradin Shardi was arrested upon arrival on Sunday 30 March 2014, according to SkyFM management who spoke with NUSOJ.It is not yet clear the reason behind the arrest and there is no official comment from…
MOGADISHU, Somalia, March 31, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) protests today’s arrest of broadcast journalist by the federal police in Mogadishu. Nuradin Hassan Ibrahim, editor of SkyFM Radio in Mogadishu, has been arrested at the Crimes Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Mogadishu, following a call to summon him from the officials. Nuradin has been questioned on how his station has obtained news about a passport stolen from an official stationed at the Prime Minister’s office. Nuradin reportedly answered all the questions satisfactorily, but has been arrested due to the influence of General Abdullahi Gafow,…
GENEVA, Switzerland, March 31, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A group of eight United Nations human rights experts* today urged the Egyptian authorities to quash the 529 death sentences announced in Egypt last week and give the defendants new and fair trials, so as to ensure respect of international human rights law. “The right to life is a fundamental right, not a toy to be played with. If the death penalty is to be used at all in countries which have not abolished it, international law requires the most stringent respect of a number of fundamental standards,” the experts said.…