Category: APO-OPA

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Media representatives are kindly informed that the Directorate of Information and Communication (DIC) of the African Union, has setup and interview studio with backdrops of t…

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Director of Women, Gender and Development of the African Union, Mrs. Litha Musyimi-Ogana, held a press conference on 22 January 2014 at the African Union Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, within the framework of the 22nd African Union Summit, holding from 21 – 31 January 2014.

Mrs. Ogana Presented the status of ratification of the protocol of the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of women in Africa. She said within the timeframe of ten years 36 member states have ratified the protocol .She encouraged countries who have not yet signed to do so accordingly, while acknowledging at the press conference that member states have done their part beyond commitment in ratifying the protocol. “Now we are moving to the implementation phase of the protocol and so far 10 member states have expressed their interest”. These countries, she said will be given training and accessed on the status of implementation.

Mrs. Litha also added that, the member states are expected to report on their progress to the Commission. “In this regard Malawi is the only country which has submitted its report so far”, she said.

NEW YORK, January 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

As Egyptians mark the third anniversary of their revolution, the Secretary-General encourages them to renew their commitment to peaceful dialogue and non-violence. He reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to support Egypt in building the future for all Egyptians with dignity, freedom, responsible governance and development that inspired the uprising of 2011.

The Secretary-General believes that one of the central challenges moving forward is pluralism: the guarantee that all voices are heard, represented and have a stake in the system, regardless of political or religious affiliation. Acknowledging the adoption of a new constitution, the Secretary-General underlines the crucial need to guarantee the political space on which a stable and inclusive democracy can be built.

The Secretary-General encourages Egyptians to rediscover common ground. In his view, credible parliamentary and presidential elections in a free and open atmosphere are crucial steps ahead in the transition. The “National Independent Committee for fact finding and gathering information and evidence surrounding the 30 June revolution and following events, and documenting them” can be an opportunity to combat impunity and to ensure effective investigation and prosecution of those responsible for serious violations of international law. Protection of human rights — and the rights and participation of women, in particular — is an essential foundation for the future. Political parties must commit themselves to non-violence.

Revolutions and political transitions are complex phenomena that can take years to play out. A peaceful and democratic Egypt is what the people of Egypt deserve and is critical for the entire North Africa, Middle East region and beyond.

NEW YORK, January 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the agreement on cessation of hostilities signed today i…

LONDON, United-Kingdom, January 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Every day, more than 1,000 South Sudanese refugees are fleeing the fighting in their home country, crossing into Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda, where emergency teams from Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) are providing medical and humanitarian aid.

In just one month, more than 89,000 people, mostly women and children, have been forced to leave their homes behind, often making long journeys on foot, by bus or by truck, taking with them only what they can carry. Some families arrive at the border with nothing; many are in need of food, water, shelter and medical care.

“Most of the refugees in Uganda fled the fighting in Bor, and walked for four or five days to reach Juba, where they took a bus or truck to the border,” says Ruben Pottier, MSF’s head of mission in Uganda, which is now home to 46,000 South Sudanese refugees. “It really strikes you when you walk around the camp that there are very few men,” says Pottier.

More than 25,000 refugees are crammed into the Dzaipi settlement, a camp built for just 3,000 people. It is hot and dusty, and living conditions are terrible for those who are sheltering under the trees or inside a school. “We are treating serious cases of malaria, diarrhoea, and respiratory tract infections,” says MSF’s Dr Fredericke Dumont. “There are women suffering complications during pregnancy and some cases of malnutrition.”

20,000 people from Dziapi are set to be accommodated in a permanent camp in Numanzi, and there are plans to build three more camps in the coming weeks. MSF is currently setting up water and sanitation facilities, running inpatient and outpatient services, providing maternity care, vaccinations and nutrition support to refugees in Uganda. As new camps are built, MSF will expand its activities.

“Because there are now large numbers of people living in a region that has frequent epidemics of cholera and meningitis, we will be closely monitoring the health situation in the camps,” says Pottier.

Around 10,000 South Sudanese refugees have fled to neighbouring Kenya, where MSF is working at the Nadapal border crossing. Some arrive tired, hungry and dehydrated; others have sold what few personal belongings they were carrying in order to pay for transport.

Tok Maker Tot, 20, fled Juba with his mother and ten siblings after witnessing the shooting of some students at his university. His father stayed behind in the city. “Two students from our class were shot,” says Tot. “All the students have now fled. Those who have money have gone to Nairobi, others went to Kampala, others went to Ethiopia. But we, who do not have anything, are trying to go to Kakuma [a refugee camp in northwestern Kenya].”

“When people cross the border there is relief and often hope,” says Guilhem Molinie, MSF’s head of mission in Kenya. “But you can see that people are used to tough realities. At the border I met a refugee who was pleading with officials to let him back into South Sudan. He wanted to find his mother, who was blind. I met another family who had been so scared before they left home that they had hidden under a bed for seven days.”

MSF is working with the Kenyan Ministry of Health to screen all refugees arriving at Nadapal for measles. So far, the team has screened 6000 people, and vaccinated more than 1000 children against measles and polio. Seven suspected cases of measles have been referred to the local hospital for treatment. “With cases of measles reported at the camps in Juba, where most of these refugees transited through, it is of the utmost importance that we do all that we can to prevent an outbreak in Kenya” says Molinie.

As well as providing medical care, MSF has distributed more than 11,000 litres of water to the refugees in Nadapal.

In neighbouring Ethiopia, in the coming weeks MSF will provide outpatient services, maternity care, immunisations and nutrition care to 5,500 refugees who have settled temporarily in Tirgol, and will continue to provide these services once they are moved to a permanent camp in Leichure, which is currently under construction.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, welcomes the signing, today, in Addis Ababa, by the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army – SPLM/A (in opposition) of Agreements on Cessation of Hostilities and the Status of Detainees, under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Peace and Security Commissioner Smaïl Chergui witnessed the ceremony on behalf of the AU.

The Chairperson of the Commission commends the parties for the spirit of compromise and mutual accommodation they demonstrated in the course of the negotiations. She expresses AU’s deep appreciation of the commitment and leadership of the IGAD Chair, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia, and the other Heads of State and Government of the region. She hails the perseverance and untiring efforts of the IGAD Mediation Team chaired by Ambassador Seyoum Mesfin and comprising General Lazaro Sumbeiywo and General Mohamed Ahmed M. El Dabi. She thanks the international partners for their continued support to the IGAD-led efforts.

Today’s signing marks a first and significant step towards the search for a lasting solution to the conflict in South Sudan. The Chairperson of the Commission calls on the parties to faithfully and fully implement the commitments they have made, so as to rapidly improve the humanitarian situation on the ground. In this respect, she stresses the importance of the early establishment and operationalization of the monitoring and verification mechanism provided for in the Agreement, and calls on the parties to extend full cooperation to IGAD.

Recalling the IGAD and the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) communiqués of 27 and 30 December 2013, respectively, the Chairperson of the Commission urges the parties to engage in the envisaged all-inclusive political dialogue with the required commitment and leadership, in order to address the underlying causes of the conflict, and to recommit themselves to rebuilding their young nation. She reiterates AU’s commitment to continue supporting the IGAD-led efforts and to actively follow up on the relevant AU PSC decisions, notably through the early operationalization of the Commission of Inquiry to look into human rights violations committed in the course of the conflict, with the view to ensuring accountability and promoting reconciliation and healing.

WASHINGTON, January 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Press Statement
Marie Harf
Deputy Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
January 23, 2014

The United States welcomes the signing of a cessation of hostilit…

LONDON, United-Kingdom, January 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Foreign Secretary welcomes agreement to cessation of hostilities between South Sudanese Government and opposition fighters.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said:

“I welcome the signing of a ceasefire agreement in South Sudan, and the efforts of regional mediators that made this possible. The brutal violence of the last month has led to countless deaths and caused thousands of innocent people to endure unimaginable suffering. The government and opposition must ensure that their forces implement the agreement immediately and in full.

“It is now vital that both sides work to heal the divisions that led to this conflict, and to strengthen governance in South Sudan. A genuinely inclusive process of national reconciliation is now needed, to give the people of South Sudan confidence that such violence can never reoccur. The UK is ready to lend its full support to these efforts in South Sudan.

“I fully support the African Union’s decision to establish a Commission of Inquiry into alleged crimes committed during the conflict, and call on all sides to cooperate with it to ensure that those responsible for abuses are held accountable.”

WASHINGTON, January 24, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Statement by the President on South Sudan

I welcome today’s signing of a cessation of hostilities agreement in South Sudan, which is a critical first step toward building a lasting pea…

OSLO, Norway, January 23, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — “Norway welcomes the ceasefire agreement in South Sudan. It is crucial that the parties now keep strictly to these agreements. All hostilities must cease at once and civilians must get access to humanitarian assistance,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende.

The conflicting parties – the Government of South Sudan, and a delegation representing former Vice President Riek Machar – have today taken an important step towards reaching a peaceful solution to the conflict. The ceasefire agreement was brokered by mediators from the regional organisation Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), with Ethiopia playing a facilitator role and hosting the talks in Addis Ababa.

“The ceasefire agreement is essential for ensuring that humanitarian assistance can reach the many people affected by the conflict, who are in dire need of protection, food, drinking water, medical assistance and shelter. The UN and its peace mission UNMISS are playing a key role in the efforts to stabilise the situation in South Sudan. I would like to express Norwayʼs full support of UNMISS in this context,” said Mr Brende.

The current crisis in South Sudan began in mid-December last year, as a result of growing internal divisions in the ruling party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM). The hostilities have resulted in widespread devastation and massive humanitarian needs. According to UN estimates, several thousand people have been killed and almost half a million have been forced to flee from their homes.

“The parties must quickly negotiate the next step, which is to establish a broad and inclusive political process, with civil society organisations – including women’s rights organisations – playing a central role. A process of this kind can pave the way for more robust democratic development, allowing the underlying causes of this serious crisis to be addressed. Norway stands ready to support these efforts,” said Mr Brende.