Africa 

UN human rights chief calls on Mali to reverse ‘regrettable’ expulsion order

“I deeply regret the decision by the Malian authorities to declare my representative, Guillaume Ngefa, as persona non grata and to order him to leave the country in 48 hours,” Volker Türk said. Mr. Ngefa, Director of the Human Rights Division of the UN Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and Representative of the High Commissioner in Mali, had been declared… Read More
Africa 

South African peacekeeper killed after helicopter comes under fire mid-flight in DR Congo

In a statement issued by his Spokesperson, UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the attack, which left the South African ‘blue helmet’ dead, and another wounded. Emergency landing According to news reports, the severely injured peacekeeper was able to continue flying, and along with the rest of the crew, managed to land at the airport of the provincial capital, Goma. There is… Read More
Africa 

Ethiopia: Northern aid access improving but some areas still hard to reach

Associate Spokesperson Florencia Soto Niño​ told correspondents at the regular noon briefing in New York that aid distribution had expanded in the Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions, but some pockets remained that have not yet been accessed. Relief for 3.8 million people  “Since the Cessation of Hostilities agreement in mid-November, more than 127,000 tons of food have been brought into… Read More
Africa 

Nigeria: UN genocide expert warns against worsening security situation

Alice Nderitu expressed her strongest condemnation for the 24 January airstrike in which at least 40 herders, mainly ethnic Fulani, were killed, and scores of other civilians were injured.  The incident occurred in a village on the border of two states, Nasarawa and Benue. She recalled that another airstrike in 2017, resulted in 54 civilian casualties at a camp for… Read More
Africa 

Pope Francis in DR Congo: WFP highlights Africa’s biggest hunger crisis

Millions of Congolese face severe food insecurity, particularly in the northeast, where fighting has uprooted millions of people. As part of his three-day DRC visit, the Pope is expected to meet families displaced by conflict in the east.  This staggering number includes more than half a million uprooted from their homes in recent months, the UN World Food Programme, WFP has… Read More
Africa 

Fake medicines kill almost 500,000 sub-Saharan Africans a year: UNODC report

A lack of access to healthcare and medicines has been fuelling a host of opportunists aimed at filling the gaps, the report Trafficking in Medical Products in the Sahel shows. But, this supply and an imbalance in demand, has triggered deadly results. Bitter pill of trafficking In sub-Saharan Africa, as many as 267,000 deaths per year are linked to falsified and substandard antimalarial medicines,… Read More
Africa 

Peace in South Sudan hinges on local accountability, landmark Peacebuilding Commission meeting hears

“Our priority in 2023 is to take a ‘peace to people’ approach with the Government’s facilitation,” Stephen Par Kuol, Minister of Peacebuilding of South Sudan, told the Commission, via video link. Addressing the ambassadorial-level meeting on building peace in communities through local governance and community reconciliation in South Sudan, he said efforts included tackling such persistent challenges as intercommunal violence,… Read More
Africa 

Mali: Independent rights experts call for probe into Wagner Group’s alleged crimes

The rights experts – who include the UN Working Group on Mercenaries – said that a “climate of terror and complete impunity” has surrounded Wagner’s activities in the northwest African country. Systematic killings “We are particularly worried by credible reports that over the course of several days in late March 2022, Malian armed forces accompanied by military personnel believed to… Read More
Africa 

Mali: ‘Critical year’ begins in country’s return to constitutional order

The envoy was addressing ambassadors at what he called a “unique juncture” in the efforts to promote lasting peace and security in the West African country.    “Mali is ushering in a critical year in terms of returning to constitutional order,” he said, with several votes scheduled starting in March.   Work in progress  Mr. Wane heads the UN mission… Read More
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