Africa Archives - Page 3 of 5

Top UN official for Africa calls for added action to stop piracy’s spread

·June 22, 2023·3 min read

Despite gains made in tackling sea-faring criminal groups, “piracy incidents continue to threaten the safety of maritime traffic in the region,” said Martha Pobee, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations. Effective deterrents Since her last briefing on maritime security in November, she...

Central Africa faces ‘turning point’ amid multiple crises

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·June 6, 2023·3 min read

“Central Africa is richer in opportunities and resources than it is in challenges”, but, the coming months will mark “an important turning point” for the region, where crucial political and electoral processes must take place by the end of the year, said Abdou Abarry, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for...

UN and partners seek $7 billion to prevent catastrophe in the Horn of Africa

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·May 25, 2023·2 min read

More than 43 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia continue to suffer through one of the worst droughts in recent history, caused by five consecutive seasons of poor rains. Years of conflict and insecurity have sparked mass displacement, while skyrocketing food prices and most recently, the fighting in Sudan,...

Background to a crisis: In Sudan, the stakes are high for the whole of Africa

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·April 28, 2023·1 min read

A turbulent transition to civilian rule has been underway in Sudan since the ouster of former President Omar Hassan El-Bashir in April 2019. The civilian-led transitional Government put in place later that year, through a power-sharing agreement between military and civilian leaders, was toppled by a military coup in October...

Boost for developing nations as mRNA technology hub moves to the next phase in South Africa

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·April 22, 2023·2 min read

Over 200 international participants working with the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme had their first face-to-face meeting, in a bid to make one of the most revolutionary medical technologies which led the field in vaccine development against COVID-19, more widely and fairly available, in the places where it is most needed. ‘Lifesaving’ breakthrough:...

Southern Africa: Cyclone Freddy aftermath brings diseases, healthcare gaps

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·March 24, 2023·1 min read

The devastation caused by the cyclone in Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique has increased the spread of cholera and malaria, as well as malnutrition. Meanwhile, more than 300 health facilities have been destroyed or flooded in the three countries, limiting health care access. The cyclone’s destruction increased public health risks including...

Horn of Africa hunger emergency: ‘129,000 looking death in the eyes’

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·March 11, 2023·1 min read

In an appeal for $178 million to support humanitarian assistance across the seven affected countries in the Greater Horn region, veteran WHO worker Liesbeth Aelbrecht warned that the situation was worse than anything she’d seen in more than two decades in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. “These 48...

Refugee agency appeals for $137 million to help displaced in Horn of Africa

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·March 1, 2023·2 min read

Today in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, more than eight million people require food assistance and around 332,000 “urgently need food, otherwise their lives are at risk”, said UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado. A full eight in 10 of the displaced are women and children, the UNHCR official continued, while UN migration agency, IOM, warned...

Horn of Africa: $84 million appeal to support migrants along risky route to Yemen

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·February 20, 2023·1 min read

The Regional Migrant Response Plan, launched this week, will address the dire needs and protection risks facing people along the treacherous Eastern Route towards the Arabian Peninsula. Other objectives include scaling-up delivery of lifesaving and resilience-building initiatives and implementing long-term sustainable solutions for both migrants and host communities. Dangerous journeys ...

Despite challenges, Africa ‘poised for progress’ – Guterres

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·February 18, 2023·2 min read

Mr. Guterres praised the many African Union (AU) initiatives aimed at bringing about this vision for the continent – including Agenda 2063 a blueprint for the Africa of the future, and the Decade of Women’s Financial and Economic Inclusion – and the decision to focus on the African Continental Free...

Guterres in Africa: End political stalemate in Libya now, UN chief urges leaders

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·February 18, 2023·3 min read

“What is urgently needed is the political will to break the protracted political stalemate and achieve progress on multiple fronts,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at the latest meeting of the High-level Committee on Libya, taking place in Addis Ababa. Progress is sorely needed towards holding elections and advancing gains...

WHO reports exponential rise in cholera cases in Africa

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·February 12, 2023·2 min read

Across the continent, cases in January were 30 per cent higher than for the whole of last year. Most new infections and deaths have occurred in Malawi, which is facing its worst outbreak in 20 years. 10 countries affected Overall, 10 African countries are affected by cholera. The waterborne disease...