The report entitled, Journey to Extremism in Africa: Pathways to Recruitment and Disengagement, underscores the importance of economic factors as drivers of recruitment. Desperation factor Lack of income, the lack of job opportunities and livelihoods, means that “desperation is essentially pushing people to take up opportunities, with whoever offers that”,...
In her briefing, Giovanie Biha, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Officer-in-Charge of the UN Office for the region, UNOWAS, urged ambassadors to continue to support a strategy centred on building resilience, promoting good governance, and strengthening peace and security. Ms. Biha presented the latest UNOWAS report covering trends...
The blast in Boksburg severely damaged the roof of the emergency department at the Tambo Memorial hospital there, killing and injuring dozens while also reportedly destroying houses and cars. Initial reports estimated around 27 deaths, but that figure had risen to 34 by the past weekend, according to regional health...
Around 20.2 million children are under threat of severe hunger, thirst and disease – compared to 10 million in July – as climate change, conflict, global inflation and grain shortages devastate the region. “While collective and accelerated efforts have mitigated some of the worst impact of what had been feared,...
More than 35 million people, including 6.7 million children, are currently unable to meet their basic food and nutrition needs, according to latest analysis from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme (WFP). Numbers could rise unless urgent and long-lasting solutions...
“When I see Africa, I see hope and potential”, he told journalists at a press stakeout in Addis Ababa. “I see countries working together, including here at the AU, to foster peace and development.” Focusing on the huge untapped potential of African youth, he said their “limitless energy” and “new...
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden, with around 96 per cent of all cases and deaths in 2020. As a result of drug resistance, medicines to treat the life-threatening disease become ineffective. Worrying signs Malaria is caused by parasites that are transmitted...
In his message commemorating the Day, Secretary-General António Guterres warned that countries across Africa are facing “a perfect storm”. He cited armed conflicts; rising food and energy insecurity; “skyrocketing” inflation and debt; shrinking fiscal space; and mounting climate catastrophes. Yet despite these challenges, the top UN official reminded that Africa includes some...
The funding will be used to scale-up life-saving reproductive health and protection services, including establishment of mobile and static clinics in locations such as displacement sites. Overall, more than 36 million people across Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya require humanitarian assistance because of the drought. Safeguarding critical services Conflict, locust infestations...
Humanitarians must urgently prepare to continue their life-saving work in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, as the drought – the longest and most severe in recent history – is set to run well into the coming year. Even though nearly 21 million people are highly food insecure – with some areas...
The alert comes amid the worst floods in a decade, which have swept across Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Cameroon. UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado said that hundreds of people had died in Nigeria, where floodwaters in the northeast swept through sites for internally displaced people and host communities...
Accompanying Somalia’s newly-appointed drought envoy on his first field visit, the United Nations’ top humanitarian official for the Horn of Africa country warned on Tuesday of the devastating outlook for millions of affected Somalis, amidst heightened risks of famine....