Author: Database of Press Releases related to Africa

KAMPALA, Uganda, May 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) visited Kampala during the past two weeks to conduct the second review of Uganda’s economic program supported by the Policy Support Instrument (PSI). The mission met with Ms. Maria Kiwanuka, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; Mr. Keith Muhakanizi, Permanent Secretary/Secretary of Treasury, Mr. Louis Kasekende, Acting Governor of the Bank of Uganda (BoU); as well as with other senior government officials and representatives from Parliament, and the international, business, and financial communities.

At the end of the mission, Ms. Ana Lucía Coronel, IMF mission chief and senior resident representative for Uganda issued the following statement:

“Performance under the authorities’ program supported by the PSI was mixed. End-December targets for inflation and for monetary and external sector indicators were met, but the indicative target on tax revenues was not observed, and the ceiling on government’s net domestic financing was missed by a small margin. Some important progress on structural reforms was achieved. In particular, the mission welcomes the public financial management reforms to improve governance and budget transparency and credibility, including upgrades to the information systems, and completion of the initial arrangements toward the introduction of the Treasury Single Account.

“Despite a slowdown in agriculture and unrest in South Sudan, growth continues to be robust, and is now projected to reach 5.7 percent in Fiscal Year (FY) 2013/14 and 6.1 percent in FY 2014/15, mainly supported by public investment. However, private sector growth is lagging behind. At 5.4 percent this year and 5.7 percent next year, inflation is projected to remain low and in line with the medium-term target of 5 percent. International reserves are expected to remain ample at a level equivalent to 4.0–4.2 months of imports, providing a strong buffer against shocks to the Ugandan economy. The external current account deficit is anticipated to widen next year, but would be fully financed by foreign loans, foreign direct investments, and some use of international reserves. Medium-term growth prospects are strong, helped by integration of the East African Community, infrastructure development, and oil production.

“This favorable economic outlook will require strong supportive policies. Restrained public consumption in the upcoming year, in particular, would create room for improved credit conditions, laying the ground for a rebound in private sector activity. In addition, the government’s plans to embark on the large Karuma and Isimba hydropower projects to address the large infrastructure gap should start without further delay.

“There is also a need to pay increased attention to revenue mobilization. Following the recent large shortfall in tax revenue and the risk of reductions in foreign aid, broadening the tax base and improving efficiency in tax administration are more critical than ever. The mission strongly encourages the government to take decisive action to increase tax revenue collections. This would involve reviewing existing tax laws and eliminating tax exemptions that have little benefit for production but undermine growth-enhancing spending and constrain vibrant private sector growth. Efforts should also center on strongly enforcing compliance by all taxpayers. The ongoing issuance of national identity cards should support the government’s efforts to achieve the long-awaited plan to raise Ugandan tax revenue and bring it closer to regional standards.

“On the expenditure side, it will be essential to focus on areas that support growth and job creation. In particular, the mission urges the authorities to take steps to avoid incurring domestic arrears that weaken economic management by impairing budget planning, increasing costs for the government, and negatively affecting those who conduct business with the government. The mission encourages the economic authorities to resist all spending pressures that are not compatible with Uganda’s economic priorities.

“Sound fiscal policies supported by robust revenues and predictable spending would help reduce the need for large borrowing in the domestic market to finance government operations, and effectively contain interest rate increases on government securities. These policies would also facilitate reductions in the BoU’s policy rate, ultimately improving credit conditions in the economy. The mission encourages the BoU to keep up its good track record of preserving low and stable inflation, and to stand ready to adjust policies in reaction to domestic or external shocks.

“The mission looks forward to further strengthening of the legal and institutional framework for economic policies. Notably, parliamentary approval of the Public Financial Management Bill is a critical step in maintaining the reform momentum and further increasing gains in budget credibility and execution. Similarly, amendments to the BoU Act are important to strengthen the central bank independence granted in the constitution, and improve coordination between monetary and fiscal policies, a key requirement for modern central banks operating under inflation targeting.

“The IMF Executive Board is tentatively scheduled to consider the second review of the PSI-supported program by end-June 2014.”

ACCRA, Ghana, May 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On May 7, 2014, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Article IV consultation1 with Ghana.

Ghana has experienced strong and broadly inclusive growth over the past two decades, and its medium-term prospects are supported by rising energy production. The country has outperformed regional peers in reducing poverty, with robust democratic credentials and a highly-rated business climate attracting significant foreign direct investment (FDI) and supporting economic growth. Expanding energy production over the medium term has the potential to generate new opportunities to channel resources into productive investment.

The emergence of large fiscal and external imbalances since 2012, however, has created significant challenges. A swift return to macroeconomic stability in 2013 was thwarted by weaker external and domestic conditions. Reflecting lower gold and cocoa exports, the current account deficit exceeded 12 percent of GDP. While recently revised estimates point to an only moderate slowdown in growth to about 7 percent, the fiscal deficit target of 9 percent of GDP was missed by about 1 percentage point, despite significant policy efforts. Inflation also overshot the 9 +/- 2 percent target range, prompting a further tightening of monetary policy in early 2014.

Ghana’ short-term economic outlook is subject to significant risks. Growth is projected to slow to 4¾ percent in 2014, as high interest rates and a weaker currency are compressing domestic demand. At the same time, the economy’s continued large twin deficits, and high financing needs, leave it vulnerable to a deterioration of external conditions.

Executive Board Assessment2

Executive Directors commended Ghana’s strong and broadly inclusive growth and declining poverty over the past two decades, and supported the government’s transformation agenda, focused on economic diversification, social inclusion, and macroeconomic stability.

Directors, however, expressed concern over the emergence of significant short-term vulnerabilities stemming from high fiscal and external current account deficits. These imbalances make the country vulnerable to a deterioration of external conditions and are creating pressure on interest rates and the exchange rate. If unaddressed, they risk weakening economic growth and public debt sustainability. Directors emphasized that macroeconomic stability will need to be restored to preserve a positive medium-term outlook.

Directors commended the authorities’ policy efforts and supported the fiscal measures in the 2014 budget. They noted however that achieving the 2014 fiscal deficit target will be challenging, in light of high interest rates, a depreciating currency, and a possible growth slowdown. Directors therefore urged the authorities to take additional short-term measures to reduce the fiscal and external imbalances.

Directors welcomed the government’s recent policy documents outlining its homegrown medium-term reform and consolidation measures. They supported the government’s intention to rationalize public spending, lower the wage bill, restructure the statutory funds, and enhance revenue mobilization and tax administration. They encouraged the authorities to translate their policy commitments quickly into specific and time-bound action plans to achieve significant and durable consolidation.

In light of current imbalances, Directors recommended a more ambitious medium-term consolidation path to stabilize public debt and debt service at sustainable levels. While the risk of debt distress remains moderate, Directors expressed concerns about the high debt service-to-revenue ratio. A stronger medium-term adjustment could set off a virtuous cycle of lower fiscal deficits and falling interest rates, creating space for social and infrastructure spending and crowding-in of private sector activity.

Directors welcomed the recent monetary policy tightening. They suggested that further tightening may be needed, in combination with fiscal consolidation, to steer inflation back into the target range. Directors stressed that the Bank of Ghana should limit its net credit to the government, strengthen liquidity management and the inflation forecasting framework, and continue to allow the exchange rate to adjust to prevent further erosion of the reserve buffer.

Directors emphasized that the new foreign exchange regulations will not be effective unless the underlying macroeconomic imbalances are resolved. In particular, they were concerned that the measures could have unintended adverse effects. They therefore welcomed the Bank of Ghana’s decision to review the measures with the objective of mitigating any adverse implications and removing the associated exchange restrictions. They also commended the Bank of Ghana for its steps toward adopting a unified, market-based exchange rate.

Directors welcomed that the financial system is currently sound, adequately capitalized, and liquid. They stressed the need to monitor exposures closely, noting that a weaker macroeconomic outlook, rising interest rates, and currency depreciation expose the financial sector to credit and currency risks. Accordingly, Directors encouraged the authorities to strengthen their crisis prevention and management capabilities and welcomed recent actions to improve the bank supervision framework.

Ghana: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2011-141

2011 2012 2013 2014

Act. Act. Est. Proj.

(Annual percent change ; unless otherwise specified)

National account and prices

GDP at constant prices

15.0 8.8 7.1 4.8

Real GDP (nonoil)

9.4 8.1 6.5 4.5

Real GDP per capita

12.1 6.1 4.5 2.2

GDP deflator

13.0 15.2 16.4 13.0

Consumer prices

Consumer price index (annual average)

8.7 9.2

2 11.7 13.0

Consumer price index (end of period)

8.6 8.8 13.5 12.3

Money and credit

Credit to the private sector

29.0 32.9 29.0 17.8

Broad money (M3, including foreign currency deposits)

29.3 24.3 19.1 21.2

Velocity (GDP/M2, end of period)

3.9 4.0 4.2 4.1

Base money

31.1 36.0 15.1 18.8

Banks’ lending rate (weighted average; percent)

25.9 25.7 25.6 …

Policy rate (in percent, end of period)

12.5 15.0 16.0 …

(Percent of GDP)

External sector

Current account balance

(including official grants)

-9.1 -11.9 -12.3 -10.2

(excluding official grants)

-9.7 -12.5 -12.5 -10.5

External public debt (including IMF)

21.0 22.1 23.8 29.9

NPV of external debt outstanding

10.9 9.9 8.4 9.3

percent of exports of goods and services

28.8 24.4 25.0 24.0

Gross international reserves (mn. of US$)

5,383 5,349 5,632 4,738

Months of prospective Imp. of goods services

2.9 2.9 3.2 2.7

Total donor support (millions of US$)

1,477 1,132 940 1,110

percent of GDP

2.5 2.7 2.0 2.6

Central government budget

`

Revenue

19.1 18.6 16.7 19.5

Expenditure

23.1 30.2 26.8 28.9

Overall balance (financing basis)

-4.0 -11.7 -10.1 -9.4

Net domestic financing

3.3 9.2 6.7 6.7

Central government debt (gross)

43.7 50.0 53.2 59.4

Domestic debt

22.8 27.9 29.4 29.5

External debt

21.0 22.1 23.8 29.9

Central government debt (net)

39.9 47.9 48.2 57.3

Memorandum items:

Nominal GDP (millions of GHc)

59,816 74,959 93,461 110,676

GDP per capita (millions of U.S. dollars)

1,594 1,663 1,864 1,602

Sources: Ghanaian authorities; and IMF staff estimates and projections.

1 Including deferred wage payments and discrepancies.

1 Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

2 At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summings up can be found here: http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.

GENEVA, Switzerland, May 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with IOM, is this week hosting a four-day International Dialogue on Irregular Migration and Border Management in Abuja.

The meeting, which began yesterday and includes senior immigration officials from Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon and Chad, aims to provide a platform for building formal policy and operational structures of cooperation and coordination between the Nigerian Immigration Service and its counterparts in neighbouring countries.

The initiative, part of the European Union (EU)-funded project “Promoting Better Management of Migration in Nigeria,” targets broad areas of collaboration, including data collection, intelligence gathering and sharing, combating organized crime, irregular migration, management of regular migration, human trafficking and smuggling of migrants, and security in border regions.

The Nigerian government recognizes that Nigeria is an important destination and sending country for migrants. It is also a source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking, especially of women and children.

Nigeria’s national borders are complex to manage. It shares an estimated 4,047 km border with Benin, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These borders cut across communities, ethnic groups, and even families, with centuries of close economic, social and cultural ties, which do not respect borders.

The activities of terrorist groups like Boko Haram in Nigeria’s north east and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in the Sahel region have increased international attention on the effects of irregular movements in Nigeria’s north eastern border region. Document fraud through organized crime has also been widely reported.

The Abuja meeting will help the Nigerian Immigration Service to begin to build structures for widening its cooperation and collaboration with neighbouring immigration institutions, in the recognition that migration management is not just a national issue.

Recommendations include a strengthening of intelligence capacity at border control points through joint intelligence gathering and sharing with immigration officers from neighbouring countries. Increased cooperation will also be needed to cope with the challenges of documentation, streamlining entry and exit protocols, and the treatment of irregular migrants and trafficked and smuggled people.

GENEVA, Switzerland, May 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM has distributed some 13.7 tons of food to some 1,400 newly arrived displaced persons (IDPs) in Kabo and Moyen-Sido, Central African Republic (CAR).

The distribution focused on the recently relocated PK12 community: a Muslim and minority population that had come under attack in the capital, Bangui, and decided to relocate to northern CAR.

The IDPs are receiving emergency assistance through the combined efforts of IOM, InterSOS, UNICEF, Solidarity International and MSF-Spain, as they settle into their new surroundings.

In Moyen-Sido, near the Chad border, food provided by the UN World Food Programme was distributed to over 1,080 people (308 households). Some 60 km south in Kabo, three tons of food were distributed to 314 people (146 households). IOM facilitated the distribution in collaboration with InterSOS.

Each person received a one-month emergency supply of rice, beans, oil, salt and Super Cereal Plus. A second round of distribution will be organized in the coming weeks.

Some of the PK12 community are being temporarily housed in long communal tents: eight in Kabo and 18 in Moyen-Sido. Others are living with host families.

The UN Humanitarian Country Team is planning longer-term assistance in these sites that will address the needs of the entire community in both Kabo and Moyen-Sido.

IOM has constructed temporary site offices in Kabo and Moyen-Sido to receive and register protection cases and is hiring local staff to carry out further registrations. It will soon establish a sub-office in Moyen-Sido to continue to provide emergency aid.

Kabo is a mixed community of some 16,000 residents where Christians and Muslims continue to live together. When the PK12 convoy arrived, the Kabo community prepared a welcome meal. The mayor convened a meeting with local leaders and invited the PK12 community to make Kabo their home. He also offered land for the community to farm and emphasized that in Kabo, Muslims and Christians “are all brothers.”

In Moyen-Sido the community also warmly welcomed the convoy’s arrival, as many families and friends were reunited. The population of Moyen-Sido is now composed of some 11,000 people, of whom roughly 4,000 to 5,000 are IDPs. There are another 20,000 IDPs across the border in Sido-Chad.

There are now approximately 567,000 IDPs in CAR. This includes 142,000 people in Bangui at 42 displacement sites.

GENEVA, Switzerland, May 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The start of South Sudan’s rainy season has dramatically raised the threat level of waterborne diseases, in particular cholera, for an estimated 86,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) sheltering in protection of civilian (PoC) sites in UN bases across the country.

“Despite ongoing efforts to improve living conditions at PoC sites, heavy rains coupled with congestion, poor hygiene practices and overburdened sanitation facilities have created conditions ripe for waterborne diseases,” says David Derthick, IOM Chief of Mission in South Sudan.

IOM’s Health Unit is responding to the threat by conducting Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV) campaigns in PoC sites, in close cooperation with WHO, UNICEF and other health cluster partners.

The first campaign began on May 6th at the PoC site in Bor (Jonglei State), which hosts an estimated 3,600 IDPs. Some 2,862 IDPs were vaccinated. A second round will begin in Bor on May 20th.

“Access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation are at the forefront in preventing both endemic diarrheal diseases and cholera outbreaks, together with intensive health education campaigns conducted through community level volunteers,” says IOM South Sudan Migration Health Officer Haley West.

“Strengthening coordination mechanisms between WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) and Health cluster partners for harmonized and strong hygiene promotion is crucial. Cholera vaccination is a safe and effective additional tool that can be used under the right conditions to supplement existing cholera control measures,” she notes.

IOM is now also providing primary health care services for IDPs and host communities through clinics located in PoC sites in Malakal (Upper Nile State) and Bentiu (Unity State).

It has also extended mobile health services to the South Sudan-Sudan border area of Wunthou (Renk County, Upper Nile State), where an estimated 13,000 people are displaced.

IOM’s presence as the main health actor in these locations remains as the first line of defence against endemic diseases for thousands of vulnerable IDPs and their host communities.

PARIS, France, May 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Africa Intelligence (http://www.AfricaIntelligence.com) is today launching a mobile application for the exclusive use of its subscribers. After having gone 100% digital in April 2013, Africa Intelligence is pursuing its development and can now offer its readers the opportunity to access all their content on mobile appliances:

– Alerts to keep ahead of the news on every occasion;

– All articles, special reports and Insiders as they appear;

– Filters for selecting articles according to most recent publication or by individual publication or country;

– Nearly 20 years of archives made accessible by a powerful research engine.

Logo Africa Intelligence: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/logo-africa-intelligence.jpg

Photo 1: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1073

Photo 2: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1071

Photo 3: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1070

The application is available for use with IoS (Apple), Androïd and Windows operating systems.

In addition to launching the new mobile application, Africa Intelligence is also unveiling its new logos. These give the site a very modern graphic appearance, with stylish design, lively colours and uncluttered navigation.

These changes will be taken further in autumn 2014 through a redesigning of the user and graphic interface of the whole of the Africa Intelligence website.

Published in English (http://www.AfricaIntelligence.com) and in French (www.AfricaIntelligence.fr) since 1996, Africa Intelligence is a portal which hosts five publications providing exclusive information about Africa for a professional audience:

– Three regional publications explain the workings of political and economic power: West Africa Newsletter (West and Central Africa), The Indian Ocean Newsletter (African countries bordering on the Indian Ocean) and Maghreb Confidential (North Africa);

– Two sectorial publications follow economic and political strategy in the mining and energy sectors: Africa Energy Intelligence and Africa Mining Intelligence.

Africa Intelligence is published by Indigo Publications, an independent press group based in Paris. Apart from Africa Intelligence, the group, which is often described as “the smallest international press group in the world”, publishes three other websites (IntelligenceOnline.com, PresseNews.fr and LaLettreA.fr).

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Indigo Publications.

To download the mobile app: on the Apple Store (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/africa-intelligence/id825653432?mt=8), Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Indigo.AfricaIntelligence&hl=en-US ) and Windows Store (http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/africa-intelligence-abonn%C3%A9s/37e08ad2-0888-4e52-8574-ed338bd8ca5b).

To read more about the mobile app: www.africaintelligence.com/mobile

To subscribe to Africa Intelligence: http://www.africaintelligence.com/payments/DefaultPayment.aspx

The website: www.africaintelligence.com

Contact: Elsa Berry, head of communication – berry@indigo-net.com – 00 33 1 44 88 57 32

ALGIERS, Algeria, May 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Royal Philips (http://www.philips.com/africaroadshow) (AEX: PHIA, NYSE: PHG), the global leader in lighting, today unveiled the spectacular illumination of Algeria’s iconic Maqam Echahid with its latest LED lighting technology, boosting the beautification of the city of Algiers and cutting energy consumption by 75%. Philips is showcasing its LED lighting solutions in Algeria as part of the fifth consecutive pan-African Cairo to Cape Town Roadshow (http://www.philipsafricaroadshow.com). By making a stopover in Algeria for the second consecutive year, Philips underlines its commitment to enhance life in Africa by improving energy efficiency in Algeria.

Logo Philips: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/philips-1.jpg

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1066 (Mr Eric Heutinck, CEO, Philips Maghreb)

LED lighting solutions improve energy performance in public spaces

“The spectacular lighting of Maqam Echahid demonstrates the incredible advances that are being made in the efficiency and beauty of LED illumination”, says Eric Heutinck, CEO, Philips Maghreb. “LED lighting innovations provide completely new opportunities to policy makers and governments to enhance city beautification and at the same time contribute to energy saving. We are extremely proud to see how Philips’ lighting solutions are contributing to improving the attractiveness of this stunning independence monument while reducing energy consumption in Algiers”.

Shedding new light on Algeria’s independence monument

Philips, the global leader in lighting, is placing LED technology at the service of one of the most important landmarks in Algeria. Located in Algiers and inaugurated in 1982 on the 20th anniversary of Algeria’s independence, Maqam Echahid is by far the most popular attraction in the city, with thousands of tourists visiting it annually. The spectacular Philips LED lighting is likely to further improve the tourism value of the monument.

Lower energy consumption and breathtaking views of Maqam Echahid

Today LED lighting can deliver very high energy efficiency, long life, and excellent quality of light, design flexibility, controllability and colour – all of which are essential to creating tailor-made solutions that are configured to meet the local customer’s expectations.

For the Maqam Echahid monument, Philips used a total of 9 luminaires, combining red, blue and green in each single luminaire which provides an endless spectrum of colors to highlight the features of this architectural masterpiece.

The advantages of the LED lighting installed at Maqam Echahid include:

⁻ The installed capacity of the lighting system is just 2.6 kW, compared to almost 10.8 kW previously, reducing energy consumption by 75%.

– Dynamic lighting that makes it possible to adjust the atmosphere of the site (change of intensity and color).

– A longer lifespan of the installation: around 100,000 hours compared to 12,000 hours with conventional lighting(1).

– A reduction in maintenance costs: LED luminaires require little maintenance.

Philips’ strengthens Algeria’s ambition to improve energy efficiency

Algeria has created a “green momentum” by launching an ambitious program to develop renewable energies and promote energy efficiency. Through combining initiatives and the acquisition of knowledge, Algeria is engaged in a new age of sustainable energy use.(2) Philips’ innovative LED lighting solutions tie in greatly with Algeria’s ambition to improve energy performance in public spaces.

The fifth pan-African Cairo to Cape Town roadshow

After the launch in Cairo, Algeria is the second stop on Philips’ annual flagship Cairo to Cape Town roadshow (http://www.philips.com/africaroadshow) (from 14 April to 3 September 2014) which focuses on key challenges facing Africa today – the need for energy-efficient lighting and the revitalization of African healthcare infrastructure. Philips has committed to lighting up and illuminating one iconic monument in every city visited during the roadshow with the latest LED technology. As the number one LED lighting company in the world, Philips will now provide a stunning lighting makeover of historic, well-recognized monuments in African cities.

The Roadshow will make its way across seven countries and ten cities in Africa; next stop will be in Casablanca, Morocco on the 27th of May.

For more information please follow the Cairo to Cape Town roadshow on: http://www.philips.com/africaroadshow

(1) Subject to : lumen maintenance L50 at 25 degrees.

(2) Source: Portail des Energies Renouvelables en Algérie, 2011

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Royal Philips.

For further information, please contact:

Radhika Choksey

Philips Group Communications – Africa

Tel: +31 62525 9000

E-mail: radhika.choksey@philips.com

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (http://www.philips.com) (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2013 sales of EUR 23.3 billion and employs approximately 112,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and grooming and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at http://www.philips.com/newscenter.

NEW YORK, May 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s briefing to the Security Council meeting on South Sudan, today:

Thank you for inviting me to brief you. I thank the Security Council for its attention to the mounting crisis in South Sudan.

I visited the country last week to sound the alarm about the violence and the risk of catastrophic famine, and to press the leaders to step back from the destructive path they are on. I had a long and productive meeting with President Salva Kiir last Tuesday in Juba, and spoke by telephone to former Vice-President Riek Machar. My message to both leaders was clear: they must work together to heal the wounds they have opened. I am pleased that they responded positively to my appeal to reopen dialogue.

I welcome the ceasefire agreement signed in Addis Ababa on Friday and I commend the mediation role of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dessalegn of Ethiopia. I call on the international community to continue to support IGAD’s efforts.

Since the crisis began five months ago, many thousands of South Sudanese have been killed, atrocities have been committed by both sides, more than a million people have been displaced, and nearly 5 million more need humanitarian assistance. If the conflict continues, half of South Sudan’s 12 million people will either be displaced internally, refugees abroad, starving or dead by the year’s end.

In Juba, I visited the Tomping protection of civilians site, which hosts some 20,000 people. I was moved by their welcome and appalled at the conditions they are having to endure, which are worse than in any of the many refugee camps I have visited around the world, including those in Syria. But, let me emphasize: our peacekeeping bases are not designed to accommodate such an influx — nor should they be. UNMISS (United Nations Mission in South Sudan) and the various UN agencies are now working to provide safer, more hygienic accommodation for the more than 80,000 people we are sheltering around the country.

The United Nations policy of opening our gates as an emergency option to protect innocent civilians is correct, unprecedented and not without considerable risk — to United Nations staff, to our relations with communities and to those we are trying to shelter. It is not a routine decision, nor one we took lightly, but one we were morally compelled to take. I am proud of the actions of our United Nations peacekeepers and civilian staff. Their quick response and courage has saved tens of thousands of lives.

But this is not a long-term solution. This is an entirely man-made calamity and it needs the engagement of all actors to change course.

I see five priorities.

First, the fighting must end immediately. People need to be able to go back to their land to plant and tend their crops in peace. Hunger and malnutrition are already wide-spread. If this planting window is missed, there will be a real risk of famine. That is why we are calling for 30 days of tranquillity backed by both sides. I am troubled by the accusations by both sides of breaches of the ceasefire already, and I urge maximum restraint by all parties.

Second, both sides must fulfil their commitment by allowing humanitarian access — by air, by road, and in particular, by barge along the Nile. Peacekeepers and aid workers are operating under increasingly difficult circumstances. Attacks on the United Nations and the humanitarian community are unacceptable. They must cease immediately, and all parties should respect international human rights and humanitarian law.

Third, the international community must support humanitarian action. The United Nations is launching a massive operation to help 3.2 million people, but we need resources. The humanitarian community is $781 million short of the $1.27 billion that we estimate is needed by the middle of this year. I urge all countries to support the forthcoming 20 May donor conference on South Sudan being hosted by Norway and the United Nations.

Fourth, there must be justice and accountability. The human rights report issued by UNMISS last Thursday underscores the level of atrocities committed by all sides. There are reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed. A special or hybrid tribunal with international involvement should be considered.

Fifth, the two leaders must recommit to inclusive nation-building that involves all political leaders and civil society. That means addressing the root causes of the conflict. They must cease a senseless power struggle and restore the sense of national unity that prevailed at the time of independence.

I commend the leadership of Prime Minister Dessalegn of Ethiopia as Chairman of IGAD, and also the efforts of United States Secretary of State John Kerry. Political dialogue is the only answer. Now the onus is on both South Sudanese leaders to accelerate the momentum for peace.

NEW YORK, May 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Kim Bolduc of Canada as his Special Representative for Western Sahara and Head of the United Nations Mission fo…

NEW YORK, May 13, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — A regional court in the semi-autonomous republic of Somaliland remanded two journalists into custody on Saturday after charging them with libel, false publication, and anti-state propaganda, …