Author: Database of Press Releases related to Africa

NEW YORK, September 29, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Human Rights Deepak Obhrai delivers an address at a high-level meeting on the Sahel, on the margins of the 68th Session of …

OTTAWA, Canada, September 29, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and for International Human Rights, today issued the following statement:

“Canada is deeply concerned by continuing reports of violence that has led to the loss of life and property damage in Sudan.

“Canada condemns the ongoing use of violence to suppress peaceful protest. The rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are cornerstone democratic principles. There are reports of live ammunition fired on protesters, arrests of political opposition members and increased media censorship; such actions are unacceptable.

“Canada calls on the Sudanese government and local authorities to respect protesters’ human rights. Canada urges all parties to refrain from violence and allow peaceful expression to take place.

“Canada remains committed to the cause of achieving stability and security across Sudan and South Sudan.”

OTTAWA, Canada, September 29, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Check Against Delivery

Canada is concerned by the ongoing needs of vulnerable populations in the Sahel region, who face chronic hunger and malnutrition, and by the security situation, which is compounding an already complex situation in the region.

Last year’s food and nutrition crisis, which affected more than 18 million people throughout the Sahel, is still fresh in our minds.

Canada was one of the key providers of assistance in the Sahel region during the food and nutrition crisis, providing $65.4 million to partners addressing critical food, nutrition and livelihood support needs.

Poverty reduction remains the objective of Canada’s development assistance in the region, which directly contributes to improving peace and security.

In this context, we will continue to work with other donors as well as with our humanitarian and development partners in order to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable, particularly women and children, in the Sahel region.

As we speak, states across the Sahel are facing many common challenges to stability and peace.

Where governments are unable to exercise their authority, criminal networks and ideologically driven transnational groups, some with connections to al Qaeda, foment instability. While African economies are among the fastest growing in the world, demographic and economic pressures, as well as ethnic and class rifts, are deepening in many states of the Sahel.

Canada is encouraged by the initial success of MINUSMA [the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali] in the implementation of its mandate, particularly on the political and security fronts, alongside France’s Operation Serval. This UN mission is playing a key role in the stabilization of Mali and, by extension, contributes positively to security in the Sahel region.

As per its mandate, MINUSMA contributed to creating the conditions for the holding of successful presidential elections and has made progress in restoring the capacity of the Malian security forces.

The inauguration of Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta as the new president of Mali in September was another important step in Mali’s return to democracy, and the Malian people can take pride in their commitment to democratic values. It also marked an important step toward reconciliation, strengthened democratic governance and the protection of human rights for all Malians.

However, while the armed groups that triggered the Malian crisis are no longer operating freely in northern Mali, the threat posed by them must not be underestimated as they seek new safe havens in neighbouring countries and could have the potential to destabilize the region one more time.

Canada has also been strongly engaged in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel.

Canada, through the Global Peace and Security Fund, has disbursed approximately $400 million in security programming in the Sahel and North Africa, largely in support of UN peacekeeping operations in Sudan and South Sudan.

Since 2010, the Canadian Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program has provided $24 million in funding for training, equipment, and technical and legal assistance to Sahel states so that they can prevent and respond to terrorist activity. Canada is also proud to co-chair, with Algeria, the Global Counterterrorism Forum Sahel Working Group, which is strengthening the civilian capacities of Sahel countries to combat terrorism.

During a recent visit to Algeria, our minister of foreign affairs, John Baird, announced $1.2 million in new funding toward counterterrorism initiatives aimed at strengthening border security and judicial systems in North Africa and the Sahel. These initiatives will be implemented by experienced partners such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Civil Aviation Organization.

As the development challenges and security threat in the Sahel evolve, Canada will continue to support Sahelian countries.

Thank you.

BRUSSELS, Kingdom of Belgium, September 29, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, issued the follo…

OTTAWA, Canada, September 29, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Check Against Delivery
Canada has been a close partner of IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development] since its inception and works closely with the IGAD Secretariat and oth…

WASHINGTON, September 29, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/– Press Statement
Jen Psaki
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
September 27, 2013

The United States condemns the Government of Sudan’s brutal crackdown o…

TUNIS, Tunisia, September 27, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The eighth African Economic Conference (http://www.afdb.org/en/aec) will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from October 28-30, 2013 under the theme “Regional Integration in Africa”. The conference is organized each year by the African Development Bank (AfDB) (http://www.afdb.org), the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Logo AfDB: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/african-development-bank-2.png

This year’s African Economic Conference will bring together top policy-makers, heads of state, leading researchers and experienced development practitioners from Africa and around the world to discuss issues arising from African countries’ efforts to pool resources and integrate their economies for the development of their regional and individual economies. The conference will examine the efforts being made in different sectors and areas, including finance, road transport, power pools, water resource management, fiscal convergence and labour mobility. Discussions will focus on issues specific to middle-income countries and those peculiar to fragile states. The 2013 AEC will also be discussing the constraints effective integration faces – the poorly developed network of regional infrastructure, especially in transport, energy and communications, and the unsuitable array of legal, institutional and regulatory frameworks, all of which cannot be ignored. Finally, delegates will look into solutions to facilitate regional integration.

The AEC will also provide a unique forum for in-depth presentations of policy-oriented research by both established academics and emerging talents from the continent. The conference will be opened by Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa; Helen Clark, Administrator of UNDP; Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank; and Abdalla Hamdok, Deputy Executive Secretary of ECA.

Registration is now open. Registration will be essential for entry, please register online http://www.afdb.org/en/aec/online-registration/ before Tuesday, 15 October 2013.*

What:

8th African Economic Conference

When:

Monday, October 28 – Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Where:

Montecasino Entertainment Complex, Johannesburg, South Africa

Who:

Opening: Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa

Helen Clark, Administrator, UNDP

Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank

Abdalla Hamdok, Deputy Executive Secretary, ECA

For media information, please contact:

AfDB: Olivia Ndong Obiang, o.ndong-obiang@afdb.org, tel. +216 95 99 97 70

ECA: Mercy Wambui, mwambui@uneca.org, tel. +251 92 10 14 767

UNDP: Nicolas Douillet, nicolas.douillet@undp.org, tel. +1 212 906 5937

2013 African Economic Conference website: http://www.afdb.org/en/aec/

* Due to the limited space available, no late registrations will be allowed. Once the maximum media delegate participation has been reached, registration will be closed.

For any queries on registrations, please contact:

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Ms. Lynette Mwaikinda

African Development Bank

Tel +216 71 10 18 20

E-mail : aec@afdb.org

AEC EVENT ORGANISERS

Ntokozo Ndlovu

Stoned Pebble Consulting – Events

Tel: + 27 (0) 11 791 0231

Mobile: + 27 (0) 72 017 8396

Email: ntokozo@stonedpebble.co.za

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the African Development Bank (AfDB).