Baroness Anelay and Angelina Jolie Pitt welcome ICC verdict

Baroness Anelay welcomes the International Criminal Court’s verdict that Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, former Vice-President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity Human Rights Minister and Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Baroness Anelay, said: “I welcome the guilty verdict in this groundbreaking case. […]

IMF Staff Completes 2016 Article IV and Review Mission to Chad

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Mauricio Villafuerte visited N’Djamena from March 7–20, 2016 to hold discussions on the third review of the government’s economic program supported under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement and conduct the 2016 Article IV consultation. The ECF arrangement was approved in August 2014 (see Press Release No. […]

West Africa mobile money workshop “to transform financial services and advance regional integration.”

The Bank of Sierra Leone (BSL) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) International Growth Centre (IGC) has ended a three-day West African Sub-regional workshop on mobile financial services on Wednesday, March 16. The workshop is aimed at finding ways of integrating the marginalised and poor people […]

AU Peace and Security Council Concludes its Field Mission to Guinea-Bissau

Within the framework of its mandate to promote and enhance peace and security in the continent, the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) undertook a Field Mission to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau from 17 to 19 March 2016. The mission was in implementation of the Council’s various decisions on the situation in Guinea-Bissau, […]

International Criminal Court: Bemba verdict a historic step forward for victims of sexual violence

“Today’s unanimous guilty verdict by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Jean-Pierre Bemba is an historic moment in the battle for justice and accountability for victims of sexual violence in the Central African Republic and around the world,” said Samira Daoud, Amnesty International Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa. “Not only is it […]

Quote attributable to Geraldine Mattioli-Zeltner, International Justice Advocacy Director at Human Rights Watch

Background on the Bemba case at the International Criminal Court: Jean-Pierre Bemba was arrested in May 2008 in Belgium and transferred to the ICC in July 2008. His trial started in November 2010. Bemba, as well as the Office of the prosecutor, can file an appeal against the judgment. The sentence against him, as well […]

Official launch of the Microfinance Companies Capacity Improvement Project (MICCIP)

The Ghana Association of Microfinance Companies (GAMC) which is benefiting from a grant of €1.5 million from Agence Française de Développement (AFD) towards the Microfinance Companies Capacity Improvement Project (MICCIP) is pleased to announce the official launch of the project. The MICCIP consists of strengthening GAMC’s capacities and that of its training centre in the […]

Jean-Pierre Bemba convicted of crimes against humanity and war crimes in a landmark verdict

Today, the Trial Chamber III of the International Criminal Court (ICC) convicted former Vice-President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jean-Pierre Bemba, for crimes against humanity and war crimes perpetrated in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002 and 2003. Our organisations strongly welcome this historical verdict at the ICC which for the first time […]

Some African leaders to blame for conflicts – Obasanjo

Some of Africa’s leaders are responsible for instability on the continent because they have failed to manage diversity in their societies, the former Nigerian President, General Olusegun Obasanjo, has said. By the same token, he noted, outside interference in Africa has been responsible for conflicts, citing the NATO air strikes in Libya in 2011 that […]

ICC: Zeid welcomes judgement in Jean-Pierre Bemba case

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Monday welcomed the judgement delivered by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the case of Jean-Pierre. Mr Bemba, a Congolese national, was found guilty of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including rape, murder and pillage, committed in 2002-03 in the Central African Republic […]