Category: APO-OPA

NEW YORK, January 23, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF VALERIE AMOS TO VISIT SOUTH SUDAN

WHO: Valerie Amos, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and
Emergency Relief Coor…

WASHINGTON, January 23, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The World Bank Group announced today that it will mobilize US$100 million in emergency development funds to help restore key government services and provide much-needed food, healthcare, and other vital supplies for the people of the Central Africa Republic (CAR) after violence overwhelmed their country in recent months, and displaced more than 25 percent of the population.

Briefing its Executive Board, the World Bank’s Vice President for Africa said that the funds would be released in the course of 2014 and only in line with a steadily improving peace and security situation in the country. Even before the latest crisis struck, CAR had one of the world’s highest poverty rates (62%) and suffered from a long history of political volatility and upheaval.

“The people of the Central African Republic are facing one of their most profound tragedies in recent memory, which requires urgent support from the international community. We are moving quickly to mobilize US$100 million to help reestablish key government services and get people the life-saving supplies they need to survive this ordeal and resume their lives. We pledge to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of CAR in their time of need, and beyond,” says Makhtar Diop, the World Bank’s Vice President for Africa.

Nearly one million people in the Central African Republic fled their homes after political and sectarian violence erupted in March 2013 following the overthrow of President Francois Bozize. More than 1,000 people have been killed in the violence and an estimated 100,000 are seeking refuge at the international airport in Bangui, the country’s capital. The U.N. has reported that 2.2 million people are in desperate need of live-saving assistance.

Along with the African Union, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), and other development partners, the World Bank Group continues to monitor the security and development situation closely. The Bank will restructure its portfolio to help provide basic health services and food supplies, and mobilize additional IDA resources to re-establish essential government operations. The earliest support will speed help to the many internal refugees and other people displaced by the conflict in the capital and countryside.

The Bank’s undisbursed portfolio in the Central African Republic stands at about US$200 million, delivered through the World Bank’s fund for the poorest, the International Development Association or IDA*.

The Bank Group will move quickly with its partners and civil society organizations to set up emergency health services and public works programs to prevent outbreak of diseases among the many displaced and provide people with jobs and desperately-needed income.

Over the coming weeks, the Bank Group will also support feeding programs to stem the devastating effects of displaced communities and the collapse of agricultural production during the crisis. As basic government activities resume, the Bank will work closely with CAR and its communities to look at how to re-establish government functions and basic services, ensure timely salary payments, and rebuild public institutions.

“Staying committed to the development needs of the people and government of the Central African Republic will be essential as the country moves through this tragic chapter towards rebuilding livelihoods, communities, and revitalizing the national economy,” said Greg Binkert, the World Bank’s Country Director for the Central African Republic.

In addition to its immediate emergency support, the Bank will continue to work with CAR on existing projects and programs including the US$132 million Transport-Transit Facilitation trade and road connectivity project; the US$11.7 million Emergency Urban Infrastructure project; the US$5.5 million Emergency Power Response project; and the US$3.3 million regional Central Africa Backbone project, which will build capacity and increase access to regional broadband network services for Chad, Cameroon and CAR.

*The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing zero-interest development financing for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 82 poorest countries, 40 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change for 2.5 billion people living on less than $2 a day. Since its inception, IDA has supported activities in 108 countries. Annual commitments have increased steadily and averaged about $15 billion over the last three years, with about 50 percent of commitments going to Africa.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 23, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Mr. Thomas Asare, Director of Planning Budget Finance and Accounting, at the African Union Commission gave a press briefing on Implementation- International Public sector and Accounting System (IPSAS) on 22nd January 2014 at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, within the framework of the 22nd AU Summit holding from 21 – 31 January 2014.

Director Asare said, the African Union adopted IPSAS (international public sector accounting standard) in January 2013 as the applicable accounting standard to be implemented at all the organs of the Union. He explained that, the African Union commenced IPSAS implementation in July 2013 with training sessions conducted for AU organs with a view to raise IPSAS awareness and to stimulate brainstorming on the operational implications and domestication of this concept. He further gave an over view of the impact of IPSAS on the organs of the AU and transition to issue IPSAS financial statements.

“IPSAS is going to touch on the assets of the Union and all assets owned by the Union have to be reflected on our financial statements”, he said. He added that, “there are plans to roll out the Systems Applications and Products (SAP) data processing, a single enterprise resources planning (ERP) system to all the organs as a Union wide information system for covering planning, finance, procurement, human resources and administration, to manage and report on its activities, streamline its business process and enhance its financial transparency”.

According to Director Asare, financial statements of the organization prepared under the detailed requirement of IPSAS will allow for improved comparability over financial periods as well as the financial statement amongst organs and other entities applying IPSAS.

Overall the application of independent international accounting standards will lend increased credibility to financial statements of the African Union”, he concluded.

GENEVA, Switzerland, January 23, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — United Nations Special Rapporteur on slavery, Gulnara Shahinian, will undertake a follow-up mission to Mauritania from 27 to 30 January 2014, to assess new developments since her first country visit in 2009 and the initiatives taken by the Government in response to her recommendations*.

“This visit will allow me to discuss the adoption of the road map to ending slavery in Mauritania, which was prepared in cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,” Ms. Shahinian said.

“Its adoption and implementation would be a milestone towards the eradication of slavery in the country,” stressed the independent expert charged by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor contemporary forms of slavery, its causes and consequences.

The Special Rapporteur’s mandate on contemporary forms of slavery includes issues such as forced and bonded labour, worst forms of child labour, servile marriages and domestic servitude.

During her four-day visit to Nouakchott, Ms. Shahinian will hold discussions with government representatives, as well as non-governmental organizations, trade unions, community members and others working in the area of combatting all forms of slavery. The Special Rapporteur is visiting Mauritania at the invitation of the Government.

The visit’s findings and recommendations will be presented at a forthcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council in September 2014.

A press conference will be held in Nouakchott at the conclusion of the Special Rapporteur’s visit – on Thursday, 30 January 2014 with additional information to follow.

(*) Check the 2010 report on Mauritania by the Special Rapporteur Gulnara Shahinian: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Slavery/SRSlavery/Pages/CountryVisits.aspx

KHARTOUM, Sudan, January 23, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — [as delivered]

Good Morning and Happy New Year everyone.

It has been nine months since I took office as the Head of UNAMID. A number of significant events have taken place in Darfur and the region, which will impact the Mission’s work in this year. In this first press conference since assuming office, I would like to focus on some of these past developments and highlight the way forward for UNAMID in 2014, which I hope will be the year of peace in Darfur.

In 2013 the conflict in Darfur surpassed a decade. There was a steep escalation of tribal conflicts and the battle between Government forces and armed movements continued unabated, both with devastating consequences on the civilian populations in the region. It was also a sad year for UNAMID. Sixteen of our personnel lost their lives in the line of duty in attacks against peacekeepers – attacks which constitute war crimes and clear violations of international humanitarian law.

Despite these setbacks, UNAMID continued to forge ahead to implement its mandate in one of the most trying environments. The Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) will continue to be the framework based on which peace will be achieved in Darfur as mandated by the African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council. In 2013, I reached out to potential regional partners for their support and to appreciate their commitment to the peace process. I also met with the non-signatory movements, first in Arusha to understand their position and to provide them with a platform to share their grievances. In Addis Ababa, in partnership with the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development and under the auspices of the African Union, we met again to increase the Movements’ understanding of the humanitarian, security and political situation in Darfur and to encourage their participation in negotiations with the Government. At the same time the Government of Sudan was constantly appraised about the steps being taken by the Mediation; so also the State of Qatar which continues to show strong support for the quest for peace in Darfur.

As the Mediation explores ways to persuade the non-signatory movements to join the peace process, the DDPD welcomed one more signatory in 2013 alongside the Government and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), the Justice and Equality Movement-Bashar, who despite the massive setback they suffered when their entire leadership was decimated in May 2013 pledged their support to the forces of peace.

Of course, the Darfur Regional Authority (DRA) and its institutions are now established and operational. UNAMID’s partnership with the DRA in supporting the implementation of the DDPD continued. One of the crucial areas that the Mission has actively worked with the DRA is in the conduct of workshops and conferences for diverse actors to identify the root causes of tribal conflicts that have raged throughout the region and to instill a culture of peace and co-existence among the communities.

In the year 2013 the much awaited International Donors’ Conference for Darfur was held in Doha where significant pledges were allocated for development projects all over Darfur under the Darfur Development Strategy. The Special Prosecutor for the Special Court for Darfur was appointed in June 2013 to oversee gross violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed in Darfur since February 2003, as stipulated in the DDPD. The preparations for the Darfur Internal Dialogue and Consultation took a further step in December last year with the meeting of its three Facilitators – UNAMID, the Government of Qatar and the African Union. This is a grassroots process that widens ownership of the peace framework, builds confidence and encourages reconciliation as well as unity among the people of Darfur.

We congratulate the Government of Sudan and the LJM for signing a bilateral agreement on security arrangements and UNAMID stands ready to support the Parties in the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process of the ex- combatants. In the same vein we also look forward to the final security arrangements that are being developed between the Government and the new signatory to the DDPD, JEM-Bashar. These are critical steps that ensure security and stability in the region paving the way for actual and much needed development in Darfur.

Despite these significant strides the Mission has made on various fronts, I acknowledge the inherent difficulties that the Mission and Mediation face in implementing its mandate as we enter 2014.

The Mediation will scale up its efforts to pave the way for serious talks between the non-signatory movements and the Government within the framework of DDPD. My message from the beginning has been unequivocal in that – after 10 years of conflict, 10 years of violence – the military option is out and will not solve the problem of Darfur, and to truly meet the needs of the people one espouses to represent, the way forward is only through dialogue and negotiation. The Mediation will explore every means possible – national, regional and international partners – to influence all sides to join the negotiation table to achieve the true comprehensive peace that the people of Darfur deserve.

While overall peace and security is critical, the actual needs of the people on the ground can only be addressed by instituting a strong development agenda that improves the socio-economic conditions in Darfur and encourages the return of the vast internally displaced and refugee populations languishing for over a decade in camps scattered across Darfur and neighboring countries. Tangible progress in the development agenda is also linked to mitigating ethnic tensions that have surged over the year, resulting in intertribal clashes due to competition over dwindling resources. A development strategy that is inclusive provides for the basic needs of the population and accelerates economic and livelihood opportunities is urgently needed. The Darfur Development Strategy is an excellent blueprint to bring this to fruition and UNAMID will continue to support the DRA and the Government in realizing the short-term and long-term development goals articulated in the Strategy. To this end, technical and logistical support is given to the DRA to implement 1,071 development projects throughout Darfur.

These are some of the key mission wide strategies that UNAMID will focus on in the coming year. Despite the grievous losses the Mission encountered in 2013, we are ready to face the numerous challenges that will inevitably arise and we will in no way be deterred from our central goal of protecting the civilians of Darfur and assisting them in bringing about durable peace.

Let me be clear to the perpetrators of war crimes against the Mission – UNAMID is a here to keep peace and in line with the Chapter VII mandate accorded to us, will defend itself robustly when attacked. At the same time, we will continue to work with the Government of Sudan, specifically the Ministry of Justice to provide them with all the evidence necessary to bring the attackers to justice.

While we reflect on the activities of the past year and herald the New Year, I strongly believe the road to peace lies ahead and the time has come to take it.

Thank you and best wishes for a peaceful year.

GENEVA, Switzerland, January 23, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United Nations Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Ms. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, will conduct an official visit to the Seychelles from 27 to 31 January 2014.

“I would like to better understand the situation of trafficking of persons in the Seychelles, especially that of women, children, as well as men, and assess the State’s response to counter trafficking,” said Ms. Ezeilo.

The UN Special Rapporteur is mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to promote the prevention of trafficking in persons in all its forms and to encourage measures to uphold and protect the human rights of victims.

Ms. Ezeilo will meet with representatives of various Government agencies, as well as the United Nations and members of civil society organizations working to fight against trafficking in persons.

“My visit is an opportunity to have constructive exchanges with relevant authorities and key actors on the progress made and challenges Seychelles faces in addressing trafficking in human beings,” said Ms. Ezeilo, who will carry out this visit at the invitation of the Government

At the end of her visit on Friday 31 January 2014, the Special Rapporteur will hold a press conference at the Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecutions Intelligence Co-ordination Centre (RAPPICC), former Coastguard Road, Bois de Rose Avenue, Victoria, Seychelles, at 11.30am.

The Special Rapporteur’s final observations and recommendations will be presented at the 26th session of the UN Human Rights Council in June 2014.

NEW YORK, January 23, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Security Council, in its resolution 2127 (2013) of 5 December 2013, requested the Secretary-General to rapidly establish an international commission of inquiry for an initial period of one year, including experts in both international humanitarian law and human rights law, in order immediately to investigate reports of violations of international humanitarian law, international human rights law and abuses of human rights in the Central African Republic by all parties since 1 January 2013, to compile information, to help identify the perpetrators of such violations and abuses, point to their possible criminal responsibility and to help ensure that those responsible are held accountable. The Security Council called on all parties to cooperate fully with such a commission.

The international Commission will comprise a secretariat and three high-level experts: Jorge Castañeda of Mexico, Fatimata M’Baye of Mauritania and Bernard Acho Muna of Cameroon. Mr. Muna will serve as the Chairperson of the Commission.

Mr. Castañeda is an academic who served as Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico. He has worked at several universities and international foundations in Mexico and in the United States. He has authored more than a dozen books and is a regular contributor to international newspapers and magazines.

Ms. M’Baye is a human rights lawyer and chairperson of the women’s rights commission of the Mauritanian Association for Human Rights. She is Vice-President of the International Federation of Human Rights and has engaged extensively in human rights activism in her own country and at the global level.

Mr. Muna is a lawyer and advocate of the Supreme Court of Cameroon, as well as a former magistrate. He served as Deputy Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and was the President of the Central African Bar Association

The three members of the Commission are expected to travel shortly to New York to meet with the Secretary-General, and will then travel to Geneva and Bangui to carry out their work. The Secretary-General has been requested to report to the Security Council on the findings of the Commission of Inquiry six months and one year after the adoption of the resolution on 5 December 2013. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will provide technical support for the establishment of the Commission.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 23, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Council,

1. Takes note of the Report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the revised Concept of Operations for the AU Mission in Somalia;

2. Recalls its communiqué PSC/PR/Comm.(CCCXCIX) adopted at its 399th meeting held on 10 October 2013, endorsing the recommendations of the AU-UN Review of AMISOM and Benchmarking Exercise, as well as the relevant provisions of UN Security Council resolution 2124 (2013), adopted on 12 November 2013, on the development of a new Concept of Operations, with a view to enabling AMISOM to respond to the increasingly asymmetrical tactics used by Al-Shabaab;

3. Commends the Commission for its efforts in developing the revised CONOPS, endorses the said CONOPS and looks forward to its full implementation;

4. Requests the Commission to keep it regularly informed of progress made and challenges encountered in the implementation of the AMISOM mandate and its revised CONOPS;

5. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

GENEVA, Switzerland, January 22, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — As a semblance of normality returns to Bangui, violence grinds on elsewhere in the country, particularly the north-west. The ICRC and the Central African Red Cross Society are stepping up their efforts to bring aid to the victims.

Even though an unsure calm can be seen to be returning to the streets of the capital, where life is gradually returning to normal despite ongoing sporadic outbreaks of violence, armed men who are out in strength on the roads leading out of Bangui to the north and west continue to expose the population to attacks.

Over the past three days, Central African Red Cross volunteers have buried over 60 bodies in the area around Bossembélé, Boyali and Boali. The ICRC has removed 29 injured people from the same area. On 18 January, an aircraft chartered by the ICRC landed at Bangui with a 26-tonne load of medical supplies.

The violence is pushing ever more people to take refuge in the bush or in places of worship. The large numbers of displaced people in Bangui do not yet feel secure enough to return to their homes.

In the north of the country, hundreds of people from the capital, including armed men, continue to flow into the Vakaga region, near the borders with Sudan and Chad. For Gabriel Mukalai, head of the ICRC sub-delegation in Ndélé, “The presence of heavily armed men in the area, which has been spared the violence that has rocked Bangui and the rest of the country, is disturbing.”

“We are extremely concerned about the welfare of the people. We are calling on all those who have armed themselves to respect human life and dignity,” said Georgios Georgantas, head of the ICRC delegation in the country. “The transitional authorities of the Central African Republic and the international armed forces in the country must take immediate action to provide security. Until that happens, people will continue to live in fear.”

Treating the injured: a priority

“The priority is to administer first aid and to manage mortal remains with dignity. The number of casualties in Bangui has been going down, but needs are increasing elsewhere,” said Bonaventure Bawirutwabo, the ICRC’s medical coordinator in the country. “There is an acute shortage of suitable care facilities in the backcountry. That’s why we are arranging to have the most seriously injured people taken to Bangui’s community hospital, where one of our medical teams has been hard at work since the beginning of January.”

ICRC and Central African Red Cross personnel have gone to Bossembélé, Boyali and Boali, north-west of Bangui, to provide care on the spot for people with minor injuries and transfer the seriously injured to hospital. To facilitate the work of Central African Red Cross volunteers, the ICRC provided them with first-aid equipment and the supplies needed to recover and handle mortal remains.

Maintaining relief effort for thousands of displaced people

The priority for thousands of displaced people in Bangui as elsewhere in the country is to obtain shelter and other basic necessities. “People are fleeing the violence in great haste, often leaving everything behind,” said Mr Georgantas. “They need security, but they also need water, food and health care.”

Highlights of the past week’s activities:

• Three additional wells were built and water services provided for 10,000 people in the city of Ndélé.

• More than 210,000 litres of clean drinking water were delivered each day to Bangui airport in cooperation with the national water board to meet the needs of tens of thousands of displaced people living there.

• Some 15,000 litres of clean drinking water were delivered every day to Boy-Rabe monastery, where 30,000 people have taken refuge.

• Enough food was distributed to 7,000 people at the Carmel mission in Bimbo, south of Bangui, to cover their needs for one week.

• Operations were performed on 65 patients at Bangui’s community hospital by an ICRC surgical team.

• Nearly 950 patients, including 169 who came for ante-natal checkups and 13 to give birth to a child, have been seen since the beginning of the year by the medical staff of mobile clinics in Kaga Bandoro, in the centre of the country.

• Three visits to places of detention were carried out to assess conditions. Emergency action was taken in the Ngaragba detention centre, where food was distributed to 45 detainees.

KIGALI, Rwanda, January 22, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Two U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft operating at the request of the French government and African Union authorities continued airlifting a Rwandan mechanized battalion …