Category: APO-OPA

DAKAR, Sénégal, November 26, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and High-level Representative of the Secretary General to Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, is appalled by the criminal suicide bomb attacks against innocent civilians in a market place in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, this morning.

Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas vehemently condemns these heinous and barbaric terrorist attacks on civilians. He urges the authorities in Nigeria to increase their response against the terrorist groups operating in the Northeast of the country. He calls for more vigilance and effort towards the protection of civilians.

The Special Representative is alarmed by the recent wave of terrorist attacks in the region and calls for their immediate cessation. He expresses his deep condolences to the families of the bereaved and to the people of Nigeria.

SÈVRES, France, November 26, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — CFAO (http://www.cfaogroup.com) announces the creation of its club of brands, a network of international brands wishing to support the rise of the African middle class.

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The following new-generation international brands are the first five members of this innovative club: La Grande Récré (Ludendo group), L’Occitane en Provence, Cache Cache and Bonobo (Beaumanoir group), and Kaporal.

CFAO will operate the sales outlets of these new partners under exclusive agreements (franchises, brand and distribution concessions, and distribution agreements).

The club of brands will include around twenty brands with sales outlets opening first and foremost in CFAO’s shopping centers in eight African countries: Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal*.

“CFAO acts as a catalyst for the development of international brands in Africa and as a springboard for brands that view the continent as a real growth lever. With our experience and our approach to consumption in Africa, we give them access to a high-growth market”, explains Xavier Desjobert, Chief Executive Officer of CFAO Retail.

The launch of this club of brands goes hand in hand with the opening of CFAO’s first shopping center in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire in the second half of 2015.

According to Ludendo group President Jean-Michel Grunberg, “This franchise agreement bolsters La Grande Récré’s international presence. Our expertise in toys and the strength of our brand concept are key in satisfying Africa’s new consumption needs.”

The African middle class is expanding rapidly on the back of strong economic growth. Seven of the ten countries that will experience the strongest growth between 2011 and 2015 are in Africa**. In sectors related to services and consumption, revenue on the continent is expected to increase by between 4% and 5%*** per year by 2020, while the number of households bringing home annual revenue of more than USD 5,000 is likely to rise to 130 million compared with 85 million today.

CFAO has a strong, longstanding presence in Africa and therefore boasts in-depth knowledge of the continent’s markets and consumption patterns.

Through these recent initiatives, CFAO aims to offer African consumers a diversified high-quality products and services. This project demonstrates the confidence that CFAO and its partners place in Africa’s economic impetus.

The club of brands’ first five members

La Grande Récré is a market-leading brand with 255 stores in France and worldwide. Its concept is based around a quality range of toys and games along with customer services such as advice and free gift wrapping in its lively, welcoming stores that range from 300 sq.m to 2,000 sq.m.

L’Occitane group has 2,715 sales outlets worldwide. It is a global, natural and organic ingredient-based cosmetics and well-being products manufacturer and retailer with strong regional roots in Provence, France since 1976. The group is committed to developing high-quality, eco-friendly products that are rich in traceable natural and organic ingredients.

Beaumanoir group, which currently has over 2,700 sales outlets worldwide, is pursuing its international development strategy through a new multi-store concept in which several brands of a complementary nature are housed under one roof. Intially, the Cache Cache and Bonobo brands will be the two pillars of this multi-store strategy in Africa.

Its longstanding brand, Cache Cache, is the go-to international name for women seeking accessible fashion and wanting to enjoy and share a unique experience.

Bonobo is an accessible denim brand for young men and women aged 20 to 35.

Kaporal was created in 2004 in the home of Marseille denim. It has built its image around its jeans which are known for their inimitable fits. Over time the brand has made its mark on all aspects of the ready-to-wear industry and its stylish designs are now worn by 16- to 35-year olds on the lookout for a daring, creative clothing range and affordable prices. With more than 100 Kaporal stores and 1,300 multi-brand sales outlets in France and worldwide, Kaporal is positioning itself as a leading fashion industry name in the countries where it operates.

*Except Senegal for L’Occitane en Provence

**source: IMF

***source: McKinsey

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of CFAO Group.

Media contact:

CFAO Communications Department

Claude Paseri

Director of Communications cpaseri@cfao.com

+33 (0)1 46 23 59 76

CFAO press agency 35°Nord

Romain Grandjean

rg@35nord.com

+33 (0)6 73 47 53 99

Investor and Analyst Relations

Olivier Marzloff

Corporate Secretary

+33 (0)1 46 23 58 27

About CFAO

CFAO (http://www.cfaogroup.com) is a front-ranking specialized distributor and preferred partner of major international brands, serving the high-potential equipment, healthcare and consumer goods markets in Africa and the French overseas territories. CFAO has operations in 37 countries – including 34 in Africa – and seven French overseas territories. The Group had a headcount of 11,600 at the end of 2013.

In 2013, CFAO generated consolidated revenue of €3,628 million and recorded recurring operating income of €269 million.

CFAO is a 97.8%-owned subsidiary of TTC (Japan).

CFAO is listed on NYSE Euronext in Paris.

Find CFAO on Bloomberg: CFAO: FP and Reuters: CFAO.PA – To find out more, go to: www.cfaogroup.com

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, November 26, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Minister of Information and Communications of Sierra Leone, Alpha Kanu, will host an online press conference on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at 15 GMT.

Since Sierra Leone recorded the first case of Ebola on May 25th, this year, the President of the West African state Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma scaled down other development projects his Government was implementing under the “agenda for prosperity” by committing over 90 billion Leones (equivalent to about twenty million dollars) towards the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease.

President Koroma appealed to the international community for a more robust support and proclaimed a public state of emergency in desperate efforts to mitigate the spread of and the eventual eradication of the Ebola virus.

In spite of these efforts, the Ebola virus continues to ravage the country and had claimed the lives of 6 doctors and over 100 front line health workers, including nurses.

During the online press conference, the Minister of Information and Communications Alpha Kanu will tell us where the country stands in the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease in the midst of local and international efforts, with the British Government alone providing about 120 million pounds.

Journalists interested in attending this event will be able to ASK QUESTIONS LIVE VIA THE INTERNET.

Speaker: Honorable Alpha Kanu, Minister of Information and Communications of Sierra Leone

Date: Wednesday 26, 2014

Time: 15:00 GMT (Time Converter: http://goo.gl/e9SvGG)

Languages: English

How it works: This service is FREE and only requires a computer connected to the internet.

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FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, November 25, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — To contribute to the halt of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Sierra Leone, the Office of National Security (ONS), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has facilitated the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the correct management of quarantined areas and health-related checkpoints. The development of the SOPs was a consultative process engaging key stakeholders including the Sierra Leone Police, The Sierra Leone Armed Forces, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone and civil society.

Starting today Tuesday 25 November, the SOPs are being rolled out and popularized through a training programme that will reach out to 2,000 security personnel, local authorities and civilians across 14 (fourteen) districts in the next two weeks, targeting Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), Sierra Leone Police (SLP) among others.

Quarantined communities and checkpoints are central to the Government’s efforts to halt the spread of the EVD but they can also cause tension and potential conflict between security forces and civilians. Considering the risks posed by these mechanisms in relation to the violation of human rights of both civilians and responsible security personnel, and the fact that their correct management is vital for the containment of Ebola, ONS has taken the initiative to standardise operating procedures across all quarantined areas and checkpoints and to ensure that fundamental human rights are upheld in their implementation.

The training also includes invaluable information on Ebola prevention, human rights and the State of Emergency regulations. The popularization of the SOPs has started with a training of trainers from today (Tuesday 25 November) in Bo. The trainers and coordinators are made up of over 50 experienced personnel from the ONS, SLP, RSLAF and the HRCSL. In teams of three, 42 trainers will target approximately 150 police, military, health officials, local authorities, civil society representatives and civilians in each of their respective districts. There will be a strong emphasis on joint trainings to ensure that military, police and other stakeholders are trained together in order to build mutual respect and a spirit of partnership and coordination for the elimination of Ebola in Sierra Leone.

Mr. Ahmed Sannoh, the Chief of Staff at the Office of National Security said “The development and roll-out of these SOPs are central to maintaining peace and security in Sierra Leone during the current crisis. The various stakeholders have demonstrated admirable cooperation and commitment to ensure that the actors on the ground are well-equipped to implement the emergency regulations while also upholding the human rights of civilians.”

Mr. Simon Ridley, Programme Manager at UNDP Sierra Leone added “Since the finalization of the SOPs, ONS, RSLAF, SLP, the HRCSL and the Ministry of Internal Affairs have shown exemplary collaboration and an integrated approach to the training that has helped to enhance mutual understanding of respective roles and complementarity, and has forged strong inter-agency partnership to halt the spread of Ebola in Sierra Leone. We hope that such fruitful partnerships will last beyond the current crisis and will contribute to upholding law, order and human rights in Sierra Leone in the long term.”

Quarantines are unprecedented in Sierra Leone, as are public-health related checkpoints. Nevertheless, many military and police men and women are sent to man these mechanisms without training or concrete standards in place. It is therefore extremely important that the SOPs are not left on the shelf but are used as a working document, on the ground, by the “foot soldiers” of the emergency response. It is also essential that a collaborative approach to implementing the provisions of the SOPs is taken – not just involving partnership between the police and military but also engaging the civilians that they are employed to protect.

UNDP has a strong working partnership with the Office of National Security for Security Sector Reform in Sierra Leone. UNDP also has a long-standing partnership with the national Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone. UNDP has now re-focused its development interventions to support the Government in combatting Ebola.

OTTAWA, Canada, November 25, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement:

“Canada is shocked that Gambia has signed a piece of legislation that will make some acts of homosexuality punishable by life imprisonment. We strongly urge President Yahya Jammeh to uphold Gambia’s international obligations and protect the fundamental human rights of all Gambians, regardless of their sexual orientation.

“Equally troubling, a new anti-homosexuality law is reportedly being drafted by some members of Parliament in Uganda, who have promised to have Parliament pass it as a ‘Christmas gift’.

“These acts are a serious setback for human rights, dignity and fundamental freedoms and should be widely condemned.

“Canada has repeatedly raised concerns with governments that impose such cruel restrictions. Any governments pursuing such legislation should know that our engagement on human rights issues will only become more persistent.

“Canada urges both the Government of Gambia and the Government of Uganda to abandon these serious breaches of their international commitments.”

VATICAN, Holy See, November 25, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Yesterday, 24 November, Pope Francis received in audience Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, president of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Following this encounter the president met with Cardinal…

GENEVA, Switzerland, November 25, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Michel Forst, expressed regret today that defenders in Burundi are deemed to be political opponents, when in reality they are activists working to promote and protect human rights and civil liberties.

“I was very struck by the incredible vitality and professionalism of civil society in Burundi despite the difficult environment in which they work. They face serious obstacles that can amount to violations of their rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as their legitimate right to promote and protect human rights,” said Mr. Forst.

General situation

Threats and defamation campaigns by certain media outlets weigh on human rights defenders, who also report a high number of cases of physical threats, anonymous phone calls, assaults, arbitrary arrests, and judicial harassment.

“The arrest and detention of Pierre Claver Mbonimpa and unfair disbarment of Isidore Rufykiri, the president of the Bar, constitute, in my view, an unacceptable escalation of the harassment of defenders by the State’s authorities,” Mr. Forst said.

Freedom of Expression

Burundi is fortunate to have a dynamic civil society and a bold and free press, and yet the public authorities’ attempt to restrict their freedom of expression by accusing them of being opposition actors when they report on events or testimonies questioning State institutions.

The Special Rapporteur shared his concerns with the Government regarding provisions of the law on the press that are contrary to international obligations. In particular, he noted the requirement that journalists reveal their sources, which would limit effective enjoyment of freedom of expression.

He highlighted the cases of the arrests and repeated threats made against certain journalists and radio stations dealing with politically sensitive topics, such as the allegations of arms distribution or the controversial methods of issuing identity cards.

“A free, independent, and occasionally impertinent press, able to expose abuses of power and corruption, is essential to preserve civil liberties and to promote transparency and foster broad participation in public life,” Mr Forst said. .

Freedom of assembly and demonstration

Freedom of assembly and demonstration is guaranteed by the Constitution of Burundi, but in practice only protests in favour of the Government were reportedly authorised, while all others were systematically prohibited.

“By adopting an abusive interpretation of the concept of public order, in effect, the authorities muzzle freedom of assembly and demonstration in public spaces,” the Special Rapporteur said.

Liberty of association

The Special Rapporteur also pointed out that the draft law on associations being considered by Parliament includes provisions which hamper the creation and development of associations and which would imperil the very principle of free association.

Approval or annual renewal of such approval poses a threat to the sustainability of certain associations. The appointment of the heads of associations by the Minister of the Interior and his power to suspend the activities of an association are contrary to international norms.

The Special Rapporteur will present his conclusions in a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

GENEVA, Switzerland, November 25, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM Sierra Leone has been awarded a 6-month GBP 4.19 million contract by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) to manage an Ebola Training Academy in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Currently managed by the UK Ministry of Defence, the academy provides a comprehensive 3-day training programme for frontline Ebola practitioners deploying to operate Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) throughout Sierra Leone.

The training programme, which can graduate over 3,000 health care workers a month, includes modules on the principles of an ETU, donning / removing of personal protective equipment, and cleaning in an ETU. It features a model ETU for practical training.

IOM will manage the academy in close collaboration with the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation and Armed Forces Medical Unit. In six months, management of the facility will be handed over to Sierra Leonean counterparts from COMAH – the College of Medicine and Allied Health Science – as well as specialists from King’s College London.

“The academy’s aim is to ensure that health workers dealing with this extremely dangerous virus get the best possible training and remain safe,” said Sanusi Savage, head of Office for IOM’s Ebola response. “IOM is pleased to be working with DFID to help ensure the safety of these health workers and Sierra Leone’s people.”

IOM Sierra Leone has also been awarded a 6-month contract by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a health and humanitarian border management project at the country’s main Lungi International Airport.

The USD 264,000 project will cover training of airport immigration, police and health officials to better identify and respond to suspect Ebola cases, and to protect themselves and others from the spread of the disease through infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.

IOM activities will include the management of 1-day training sessions on health screening standard operating procedures (SOPs) for airport immigration, police and health officials; awareness-raising and technical guidance to airport authorities on SOP implementation; and the training and equipping of 100 airport officials to effectively identify Ebola cases, conduct proper IPC measures and operationalize the SOP.

Added Mr. Sanusi: “These projects can bend the curve of transmission; alleviate the suffering of the people of Sierra Leone and help end the epidemic.”

GENEVA, Switzerland, November 25, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Since the beginning of November, new and confirmed cases of Ebola have been declining in Liberia, with 10-20 cases reported daily. But Grand Bassa County remains a transmission hotspot. In the first half of November, Buchanan’s district recorded 17 new cases, including two health workers.

Many residents are still reluctant to report suspected cases and to hand over bodies to safe burial teams. Treatment facilities have also been hard to access by county health teams, with all cases transferred to treatment units in the national capital, Monrovia.

On Friday (21/11) IOM took delivery of Buchanan’s first Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) from the US Department of Defence. The facility will be run IOM international and local staff currently being trained by WHO and Liberia’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. It is equipped to receive and treat up to 50 patients and will likely begin receiving transfers and suspected cases in the first week of December.

IOM is also training social workers to educate communities about the importance of seeking early treatment at ETUs, according to IOM Liberia project coordinator Andrew Lind. “Demystifying the ETU and helping the community to accept it, as well as other measures to prevent further infections, is still very challenging,” he said.

The Buchanan ETU is the second opened by IOM in Liberia and is one of three facilities planned for Bomi, Grand Bassa and Grand Cape Mount counties.

The first was opened a week ago in Tubmanburg in Bomi county and has already received seven patients, with four brought in by IOM ambulance. Two have since been sent home with a survivor kit, including clothes, food and non-food aid items. One died. One patient was referred to the county hospital for treatment. A team of 22 foreign medical workers and 138 national staff are running the unit.

The third ETU will open shortly in Sinje, Grand Cape Mount country, with the capacity to serve up to 50 patients.

“Working with the health system to bring in cases quicker and bring care closer is the final piece of Ebola control, in addition to social mobilization,” said Buchanan ETU Team Leader Brian Hoyers, a staffer at US NGO AmeriCares, seconded to IOM.

The three IOM-managed ETUs have all been built by the US Department of Defense, with the support of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL).

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of the Congo, November 25, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — At the close of the 46th general meeting of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) (http://www.afraa.org), organised by Air Algérie in early November, Mrs Fatima Beyina-Moussa, Managing Director of ECAir (Equatorial Congo Airlines) (http://www.flyecair.com), was named President of AFRAA. Mrs Beyina-Moussa has headed the national airline of the Republic of the Congo since its creation in 2011.

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A graduate of HEC Montreal with an MBA from the University of Ottawa, Mrs Fatima Beyina-Moussa obtained a DEA (postgraduate degree) in International Economics at Sciences Po in Paris, and went on to become a consultant in Congo for Ernst & Young. She later joined the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), and then worked for the United Nations Development Programme before being named an adviser to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Public Portfolio. One of the key matters she dealt with was the establishment of a national airline.

Next November, the national airline of the Republic of the Congo, ECAir, will host the 47th annual general meeting of AFRAA in Brazzaville.

“In three years, we have been on a journey with our company,” says Fatima Beyina-Moussa. “We have trained many Congolese people in aviation trades and our network is growing, along with our fleet. AFRAA represents continuity and complementarity. It is an excellent opportunity to promote our air transport policy and to stimulate discussions with our partners.”

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of ECAir (Equatorial Congo Airlines).

ECAir Communication & Public Relations contacts:

Nicolas Négoce

Tel.: +242 06 510 30 23

E-mail: nicolas.negoce@flyecair.com

About ECAir:

ECAir (http://www.flyecair.com), the national airline of the Republic of the Congo, was created in 2011 and employs close to 400 people.In 2013, the airline transported 220,000 passengers.ECAir operates up to 128 weekly flights from Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo) to Paris Roissy, Dubai, Cotonou, Douala, Pointe-Noire and Ollombo. The airline also created a river shuttle for passengers travelling from or to Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo). ECAir is the first Congolese airline to connect the continent directly to the Middle East, with three weekly connections to Dubai.

For more information, visit www.flyecair.com or telephone + (33) 01 78 77 78 77.

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