SECRETARY-GENERAL EXPRESSES ‘DEEP SORROW' OVER HEAVY DEATH TOLL IN CÔTE D'IVOIRE STAMPEDE

NEW YORK, January 3, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General has learnt with deep sorrow of the heavy human toll of the stampede, which occurred during the New Year’s festivities in Abidjan. Initial official reports indicated that 61 people were crushed to death and at least 50 others were injured, most of them young people.

He offers his sincere condolences and sympathy to the families and friends of the victims, and to the Ivorian people and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire.

The United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) has placed a medical team and all available logistical means at the disposal of the Government to help deal with emergency services, assistance to the victims and for the needs of the immediate investigation.

Nigerian journalists freed, but equipment still held

NEW YORK, January 3, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS) to return laptops and cell phones confiscated from two journalists who were illegally detained f…

In Zambia, musician accused in attack on photographer

NEW YORK, January 3, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in Zambia to thoroughly investigate accusations that a well-known rhumba musician attacked a freelance photographer on Friday at a…

UNAMID peacekeepers released

EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, January 3, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Two UNAMID police personnel, Mr. Hasan Al-Mazawdeh and Mr. Qasim Al-Sarhan, abducted on 20 August 2012 in the town of Kabkabiya, located approximately 140 kilometers west …

The African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 3, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra, will travel to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Kigali, Rwanda, from 2…

Canton Fair — "A Burgeoning Platform for Africa-China Trade"

GUANGZHOU, China, Dec. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire via African Press Organization (APO)/ — Trade between China and Africa has displayed sustainable growth despite the ongoing global financial crisis. According to Chinese customs data, Sino-African trade val…

The Nippon Foundation Delivers Relief Goods for Myanmar's Ethnic Minorities

TOKYO, Dec. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire via African Press Organization (APO)/ — Japan’s The Nippon Foundation, which had promised to donate $3 million in emergency aid to promote peace between the government of Myanmar and the country’s ethnic minorities, c…

Haier Ranked the #1 Global Major Appliances Brand for 4th Consecutive Year — Euromonitor

QINGDAO, China, Dec. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire via African Press Organization (APO)/ — Haier announced today that Euromonitor International, the global leader in consumer market strategy research, has again ranked Haier as the number one major appliance brand in the world with a 8.6% retail volume share in 2012 marking the fourth consecutive year Haier has been given this honor.

According to the report from Euromonitor, in terms of retail volume share, Haier gained the top position again in several product categories:

• Refrigeration Appliances

o Haier is the number one brand of Refrigeration Appliances in the world with 14.8% retail volume share in 2012, up 1.1 points from 2011.

o Haier is the number one manufacturer of Refrigeration Appliances in the world with 16.6% retail volume share in 2012, up 0.1 points from 2011.

• Freezers

o Haier is the number one brand of Freezers in the world with 18.6% retail volume share in 2012, up 1.9 points from 2011.

o Haier is the number one manufacturer of Freezers in the world with 18.8% retail volume share in 2012, up 2 points from 2011.

• Home Laundry Appliances

o Haier is the number one brand of Home Laundry in the world with 11.8% retail volume share in 2012, up 0.9 points from 2011.

o Haier is the number one manufacturer of Home Laundry in the world with 12.2% retail volume share in 2012.

• Electrical Wine Cooler/Chiller

o Haier is the number one brand, as well as the number one manufacturer of Electrical Wine Cooler/Chiller in the world with 15.3% retail volume share in 2012.

According to the report, the need for global household appliances continues to decrease due to the effects of financial crisis and the European debt crisis. However, Haier has won global consumers’ favor with its differentiated products, and its global market share has increased continuously. The report indicates that, Haier again ranked as the number one major appliances brand in the world, with a 0.8% growth for Haier in global brand market share from 2011.

The reason of Haier’s growth in spite of global slowdown is following the trend of Internet. In the Internet era, in order to achieve higher click-through rate, Haier has developed a win-win mode of Individual-Goal Combination, and it also has created its organizational structure to a closed-loop network. The goal of Haier is to build a platform, in which consumer needs and global professional resources can be matched.

About Euromonitor

Euromonitor International Limited, founded in the UK in 1972, is the world’s leading independent provider of business intelligence on industries, countries and consumers. The Global Major Appliances Brands 2011 rankings are based on 2011 data from trade sources and national statistics.

About Haier

Founded in Qingdao, Shandong province, China, in 1984 under the leadership of Mr. ZHANG Ruimin, its current Chairman and CEO, Haier is the No. 1 major home appliances brand in the world and China (Source: Euromonitor International Limited; retail volume sales in units based on 2011 data). Haier Group employs more than 80,000 people around the world and distributes products in more than 100 countries and regions with global revenues reaching US$23.3 billion in 2011. Haier’s subsidiary, Qingdao Haier Co. Ltd (600690:SH), is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Haier’s subsidiary Haier Electronics Group Co Ltd. (01169:HK) is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Contact:

Ms. Junli Yan

Genedigi Group

Telephone: +86-10-5769-1086

Email: rachael.yan@genedigi.com

New boat tragedy in the Gulf of Aden

GENEVA, Switzerland, December 21, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — “The plight and suffering of Somali boat people must stop”, says the UN Independent Expert on the situation of Human Rights in Somalia, Shamsul Bari, following a recent boat disaster in the Gulf of Aden, which claimed the lives of 55 Somali refugees and migrants.

The 55 people from Somalia and the Horn of Africa drowned or went missing on December 18, after their boat capsized off the Somali coast.

“This tragic incident shows the level of desperation of the people living in areas of Somalia which are still stricken by insecurity and the lack of enjoyment of basic economic, social and cultural rights,” said the human rights expert.

“Despite the recent security developments in the post-transition period, it is critical to find lasting and sustainable peace in Somalia to stop people from putting their lives at risk by undertaking dangerous journeys across the Gulf of Aden,” noted Bari.

“I urge Somali authorities at the national, regional and local levels to renew their efforts to address the root causes of the smuggling and trafficking in persons in Somalia, with the collaboration of the international community and the United Nations,” he said.

“In particular, I urge UN organizations on the ground to increase their efforts in raising awareness about the dangers of the perilous journey across the Gulf of Aden,” Bari said.

AU Commissioner discuss with the Ambassador of the Republic of Japan Ways of Ensuring Political Stability in African Through Sustainable Governance

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, December 21, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Today, the Commissioner for Department of Political Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) H.E Dr. Aisha Abdullahi met with the Ambassador Extraordinary of the Republ…