Category: APO-OPA

ROME, Italy, December 20, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — In a field in North Darfur, farmer Salaheldin Suleiman Hilal looks pleased. He’s finished harvesting his golden sorghum crop and unlike previous years he lost none to grazing animals….

SINGAPORE, Singapore, December 20, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Her Excellency Youngor Telewoda, Ambassador of the Republic of Liberia, presented her credentials to President Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam in a ceremony at the Istana today.

The curriculum vitae of Her Excellency Youngor Telewoda is attached.

BORN: 3 September 1952, Firestone, Margibi County, Liberia

AGE: 60

MARITAL STATUS : Single

EDUCATION: High School Diploma, College of West Africa, Monrovia, Liberia, 1967 – 1970

Bachelor of Business Administration (Management), University of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia, 1971 – 1974

Master of Business Administration, Pace University, New York, USA, 1976 – 1979

Diploma in Project Planning and Budgeting for Rural Development in Third World Countries, University of Bradford, England, April – July 1982

CAREER:

1981 – 1984

Assistant Budget Director (Administration), Bureau of the Budget, Executive Mansion, Monrovia, Liberia

1983 – 1985

Principal Budget Analyst (Technical Services), Bureau of the Budget, Executive Mansion, Monrovia, Liberia

1985 – 1987

Counsellor (Economic Affairs), Liberian Permanent Mission, United Nations, New York

1988 – 1992

Minister Counsellor, Liberian Permanent Mission, United Nations, New York

1993 – 1997

Chargé d’ Affaires, a.i, Liberian Embassy, Brussels, Belgium

1997 – 2002

Minister Counsellor/Deputy Chief of Mission, Liberian Embassy, Brussels, Belgium

Jan 2000 – Sep 2002

Minister Plenipotentiary, Liberian Embassy, Brussels, Belgium

Sep 2002 – Sep 2003

Chargé d’ Affaires, a.i, Liberian Embassy, Brussels, Belgium

Sep 2003 – Dec 2010

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Belgium, The Netherlands, The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and the European Union

Sep 2011 to present

Ambassador to Japan

20 Dec 2012

Ambassador to Singapore

NEW YORK, December 20, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Mohammed Loulichki ( Morocco):

The members of the Security Council were briefed on 19 December 2012,…

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, December 20, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, is following with deep concern the situation in the Central African Republic, notably marked by the occupation of the cities of Ndélé (in the north-central), Sam Ouandja Bamingui (in the north-east) and Bria (centre) by a coalition of rebel forces.

The Chairperson of the Commission strongly condemns the occupation, that constitutes a flagrant violation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in Libreville, and jeopardizes all peace consolidation and disarmament, demobilization and re-integration (DDR) efforts in the north-east. She urges the rebel coalition to withdraw immediately and unconditionally from all occupied cities and to cease all armed activities. She reiterates the determination of the AU to impose sanctions against the groups and their leaders responsible for armed attacks.

The Chairperson of the Commission further urges the rebel groups to embark resolutely on the path of dialogue and to take part in the DDR process in the north-east. She calls on the Government and all political actors, as well as politico-military movements, to promote dialogue, to place the interests of their country above all considerations and to refrain from any action that might compromise the gains of the fragile peace process and post-conflict reconstruction in the country.

The Chairperson of the Commission welcomes the contribution of the Government of Chad towards the stabilization of the security situation in the CAR and encourages ECCAS member countries and the international community, as a whole, to support the CAR in its efforts to consolidate peace and extend the necessary humanitarian assistance to affected populations.

LILONGWE, Malawi, December 20, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed today the first review of Malawi’s economic performance under a program supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). The Board’s decision enables the immediate disbursement of an amount equivalent to SDR 13.02 million (about US$20 million), bringing total disbursements under the program to an amount equivalent to SDR 26.04 million (about US$40.1 million).

In completing the review, the Executive Board approved a request for a waiver of the nonobservance of the end-September 2012 performance criterion on the level of net domestic assets of the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM). The three-year ECF arrangement for Malawi in the total amount of SDR 104.1 million (about US$156.2 million) was approved on July 23, 2012 (see Press Release 12/273).

Following the Board’s discussion, Mr. Naoyuki Shinohara, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, issued the following statement:

“Drought in parts of Malawi lowered overall growth in 2012, and threatened the subsistence of nearly 2 million people. A spike in food prices and the continuing depreciation of the kwacha contributed to a surge in inflation. The external economic environment has also been more difficult than anticipated. Despite these challenges, performance under the Fund-supported program has been satisfactory.

“Tight monetary and fiscal policies are needed now to stabilize the exchange rate and curb inflation. Accordingly, the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has appropriately discontinued a temporary facility for uncollateralized lending to banks and increased the policy rate in early December. Fiscal policy is also playing a role, including with the reactivation of the automatic adjustment mechanism for fuel prices which has cut untargeted subsidies that mainly benefit the better off. The bulk of the additional external financing provided by Malawi’s development partners will allow the government to increase outlays on social protection programs without increasing domestic borrowing, although the authorities are well advised to save a portion of those grants to build up international reserves from very low levels.

“The RBM has stepped up its oversight of banks with a view to addressing emerging threats to the stability of the financial system. It is paying particular attention to ensuring that banks facing persistent liquidity problems implement restructuring plans that put them back on a sound financial footing.

“The authorities are making good progress in implementing a wide range of structural reforms. On the budget side, reforms focus on strengthening tax and customs administration, as well as improving public financial management though greater expenditure control and the prevention of arrears. The authorities have also committed to removing regulatory hurdles to improve the investment climate and foster sustained and broad based growth.”

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina-Faso, December 20, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed the fifth review under a three-year arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) for B…

WASHINGTON, December 20, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Testimony
Johnnie Carson
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs
Testimony Before the House Armed Services Committee
Washington, DC
December 19, 2012

Chairman McKeon, Ranking …

BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, December 20, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and VicePresident of the Commission issued the following statement today:
“It w…

ABUJA, Nigeria, December 20, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Directors of youths affairs in ECOWAS Member States began a meeting on Monday, 17th December 2012 in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin to propose how to improve the efficiency of the y…

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, December 19, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union, Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra, met, on Monday 17 December 2012, at the AU Headquarters, the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS(UNAIDS), UN Under-Secretary General Michel Sidibe, to discuss avenues of cooperation between the Commission and UNAIDS in the implementation of the United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolutions 1308 (2000) and 1983 (2011) on the issue of preventing sexual violence and the spread of HIV/AIDS in conflict and post-conflict situations.

Mr. Sidibé briefed the Commissioner on the recent developments on HIV response globally, especially on HIV/AIDS and Security in Africa and how AUC can catalyze the implementation of UNSC resolution 1983. He exchanged with the Commissioner about the upcoming meetings on AIDS and Security that will take place in Addis Ababa. Ambassador Lamamra expressed the readiness of the AUC to develop its cooperation with UNAIDS to enhance the ongoing efforts of the AU, in particular within the framework of the operationalization of the African Standby Force (ASF), Post- Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PRCD) activities, strengthening the AU Missions in Somalia (AMISOM), and other African led missions.

On the way forward, the two sides agreed that the Commission will appoint a Focal Point to liaise with the UNAIDS Office in Addis Ababa, headed by Ms. Rosemary Museminali, UNAIDS Representative to the AU and UNECA, to follow up on the practical aspects of the implementation of the cooperation between the two Institutions.