GENEVA, Switzerland, February 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — IOM facilitated two charter flights this weekend to repatriate Chadian nationals escaping violence in the Central African Republic (CAR).
These are the last IOM evacuation fli…
Category: APO-OPA
Insecurity in Leer has devastating consequences for those hiding in the bush
JUBA, South Sudan, February 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The deteriorating security situation in Leer and surrounding areas of southern Unity State in South Sudan is having devastating consequences for thousands of people who are hiding in the bush, the international medical humanitarian organisation, Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors without Borders (MSF) said today.
Just under two weeks ago, 240 MSF local staff left Leer Hospital, fleeing into the bush with several dozen of the most severely injured patients and thousands of local people. The security situation is worsening every day, living conditions are life-threatening and MSF has now lost contact with two-thirds of its staff.
“Many people from Leer are here – the community are hungry, food and water are a problem for everyone – people are drinking water from a dirty river. We hide during the day, it is safer for us to move around at night,” explains one MSF staff member* who is currently hiding in the bush outside Leer.
“The situation on the ground is chaotic and hostile and it is very difficult to know where the civilians have fled to from Leer,” says Raphael Gorgeu, MSF’s South Sudan Head of Mission. “The sporadic contact we are able to make with our staff paints a desperate picture for them and the unknown thousands living in terrible conditions, vulnerable to disease, dehydration, malnutrition and attack.”
MSF staff are continuing to care for patients as best they can, but medicines are running out. Fifteen surgical cases are still being cared for by the staff but they can no longer change their surgical dressings due to supply shortages.
“The staff who remain in touch with MSF report that worsening security has pushed them further into the bush. They have split into smaller groups to decrease the chance of attack and divided their supplies of medicines, which they are saving to treat only the most life-threatening cases,” explains Gorgeu.
One team is reportedly treating at least 45 critically ill patients each day. The most common conditions are watery diarrhoea, respiratory tract infections and malaria – conditions that are directly related to the dire living conditions and lack of shelter and mosquito nets. Staff have also reported alarming cases of sexual violence.
“It is heartbreaking speaking to our staff, hearing their own precarious situation and that their supplies are running out when the little healthcare they are providing is all that is available in southern Unity State,” says Gorgeu. “We need access to civilians in the area and to resupply our staff with medicines, but it is simply too dangerous given the ongoing fighting. We don’t know much longer they can hold out.”
MSF has been working in Leer for the past 25 years, providing outpatient and inpatient care for children and adults, surgery, maternity, HIV/TB treatment, and intensive care. The last of the MSF staff left Leer Hospital on January 30th and MSF has no further information on the state of the hospital, which was the only fully functioning secondary facility in all of southern Unity State serving 270,000 people. MSF is ready to fully return to Leer and southern Unity State to provide medical care as soon as security allows.
*This staff member is being kept anonymous for safety reasons.
African Innovation Summit focus on the African Strategy on Science, Technology and Innovation
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, February 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Dr. Martial De-Paul Ikounga African Union Commissioner for Human Resources Science and Technology presented the African strategy on Science, Technology and innovation, at th…
African Union Commission Convenes High Level Roundtable on Durable Solutions for Displaced Persons
NAIROBI, Kenya, February 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union Commission and the Norwegian Refugee Council convened a high level roundtable on Durable Solutions for Displaced Persons in Africa in Nairobi, Kenya on 10 Februar…
Second High Level Meeting of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP)
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, February 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Second High Level Meeting of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP)
WHAT: Second High Level Meeting of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP).The conference is open to the press on 12 and 13 February 2014.
Highlights for media include: opening session on 12 February at 09:00
• Opening ceremonies on 12th13th February at 09:00
• Experts press conference at 11:15 on 12th February
• Group photo session for ministers on 13th February at 10:15 followed by
• Ministerial press conference
• Concluding remarks on 13th February at 18:00
• Interview opportunities with high level delegates in the field of energy throughout the conference. For interview requests, see contacts below:
WHEN: 12-13 February 2014
WHERE: African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa Ethiopia
WHY: The Meeting will bring together African and European Ministers, Commissioners, business leaders and more than 400 other high-level delegates aiming at
• Reviewing successes in the African energy sector
• Defining the priorities for the energy collaboration between Africa and Europe
WHO: The participation of several high-ranking delegates has been confirmed, including African Union leadership, ministers, deputy ministers and senior officials from both Africa and Europe: heads of UN and other international agencies
Media personnel are invited to cover the conference and its various events. Please note the conference is open throughout the two days
UNITED NATIONS REGIONAL CENTRE FOR PEACE AND DISARMAMENT IN AFRICA TO SUPPORT MALI WORKSHOP ON SMALL ARMS, LIGHT WEAPONS, 12-14 FEBRUARY
NEW YORK, February 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Mali’s National Commission for the Fight against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) are …
SECURITY COUNCIL SANCTIONS COMMITTEE CONCERNING CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC MEETS WITH REGIONAL STATES
NEW YORK, February 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — On 6 February, at its second formal meeting, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic held an exchange of vie…
African Union Commission and European Commission emphasize need to promote common positions as preparations for Africa- EU summit gather pace
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, February 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union Commission and the European Commission have emphasized the need to make good use of their partnership in promoting common positions, especially as they are preparing for the Africa EU summit to take place in April in Brussels.
In a meeting held on 10th February at the African Union in Addis Ababa between the AUC Deputy Chairperson Mr Erastus Mwencha and the Deputy Director General of the Directorate General of Development Cooperation of the European Commission Mr Klaus Rudischhauser, the two Commissions agreed to promote any points of convergence in their post 2015 development agendas to defend their common interests. Mr Mwencha however outlined that Africa’s common post 2015 position will only be confirmed by the forthcoming high level meeting to be held in N’djamena, Chad at the end of this month. He also mentioned that the post 2015 agenda will be informed by Africa’s Agenda 2063, a common framework that is being drafted to guide the continent’s development for the next fifty years. This is in accordance with a decision of the AU Assembly held in January this year, which endorsed the articulation of the African development goals consistent with the existing continental frameworks and to serve as milestones for tracking and monitoring progress towards Agenda 2063.
In discussing the forthcoming Africa EU summit, Mr Mwencha and Mr Rudischhauser stressed the need to come up with an agenda and outcomes that Heads of States and Governments can agree on and sign up to. Generally, some of the critical areas identified were around infrastructure, energy, the green economy, trade, migration, peace and security, investment and the transformation of Africa.
Prior to the summit however, the two Commissions will jointly host an energy conference from the 12th to 13th February in Addis Ababa. Energy poverty is one of the biggest challenges for sustainable development in Africa. While the continent’s energy needs are growing substantially, the available resources are more than sufficient to meet the continent’s demand. The conference will therefore bring together African and European political and business leaders to review successes in the African energy sector and further deepen energy collaboration of the two continents. “This sector has a lot of promise for Africa’s future”, said Mr Mwencha, while Mr Rudischhauser said “Sustainable energy for us means focusing on Africa. We would like to step up cooperation with the AU on energy because we need overall coherence”.
The conference will take place under the aegis of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP), an established framework for energy cooperation between the two continents, offering a platform for dialogue and coordination of joint activities.
More information on the energy conference is available at www.aeep-conference.org or http://ie.au.int/en/content/second-high-level-meeting-africa-eu-energy-partnership-aeep.
Resumption of negotiations on the Sudanese States of South Kordofan and Blue Nile
KHARTOUM, Sudan, February 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union Liaison Office in Sudan is happy to announce the resumption of negotiations on the situation in South Kordofan and Blue Nile States.
These talks follow an invi…
Uganda: Museveni must oppose the Anti Homosexuality Bill
PARIS, France, February 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — As organisations in Uganda mark a Global Day of Action against the “Anti Homosexuality Bill”, FIDH expresses its strong support to all organisations defending the rights of LGBTI persons and calls on President Yoweri Museveni not to enact this discriminatory Bill.
The “Anti-Homosexuality Bill” aims to introduce provisions into the Ugandan Penal Code to further criminalise homosexual relations. It was was passed by the Ugandan Parliament on 20 December 2013 but has not yet been enacted into law by the President. The Bill provides for life imprisonment for same sex relations and criminalizes the “promotion” of homosexuality, punishable by imprisonment. This provision puts civil society activists as well as organisations providing health and social services to LGBTI people at risk of criminal prosecution. “This bill not only discriminates against a group of individuals because of their sexual orientation, but will also prevent human rights organisations from defending their rights”, declared Dan Van Raemdonck, FIDH Secretary General.
“This is purely a matter of equality. People should not face criminal charges for being who they are”, said Sheila Muwanga Nabachwa, FIDH Vice-President. “The Ugandan authorities must respect their national and international commitments to upholding equal rights and fighting discrimination”, she added.
FIDH underlines that the passage of the Bill did not respect the required conditions for the approval of legislation at the parliamentary stage. The Bill was passed without a quorum. Its passage should therefore be considered null and void.
The “Anti-Homosexuality Bill” was first presented to the Ugandan Parliament in October 2009. At that time, the mobilisation of civil society organisations as well as international governments and institutions contributed to halting the bill’s passage and it was set aside for over two years. In February 2012, it was reintroduced to the Ugandan Parliament.
Existing legislation already contains provisions criminalising same sex relations. The Ugandan Penal Code provides for up to life sentence for anyone convicted for “carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature” (Penal Code Act Chap 120 and Penal Code Amendment – Gender References – Act, 2000). The “Anti-Homosexuality Bill” would significantly broaden this criminalization and contribute to increasing arbitrary arrests and detention, physical and psychological violence by state and non-state actors and further marginalisation.
FIDH stresses that existing laws and the proposed Bill contravene the Ugandan Constitution – which provides for equality and freedom from discrimination – and Uganda’s international and regional human rights obligations, including under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.