Addis Ababa/Nairobi/Geneva, 10 February 2021 – The President of the world’s largest humanitarian network has ended a visit to Ethiopia’s Mekele city in Tigray region with a plea for increased humanitarian response to better meet the needs of people affected by recent fighting. Speaking at the end of his five day visit to Ethiopia, Francesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said: “I am very concerned about the conditions that I saw during my visit, including people internally displaced by the fighting,…
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UN: Eritrean Refugees in Tigray Face Humanitarian Crisis
GENEVA – The U.N. refugee agency is warning that thousands of Eritrean refugees in northern Ethiopia’s conflict-ridden Tigray province are in desperate need of aid and protection. The agency is renewing its appeal to the government for access to the refugees. Before the start of Ethiopia’s military offensive in Tigray in early November, the U.N. refugee agency cared for some 96,000 Eritrean refugees in four camps. Since then, the agency has lost control of the camps and of its ability to provide essential aid to the refugees. Since early January,…
Read MoreUNICEF Angola Humanitarian Situation Report No.4 for the period 1 January to 31 December 2020
Highlight • 390,841 children under five years in humanitarian situations screened for malnutrition in the most drought- affected Provinces of Huila, Cunene, Namibe and Cuando Cubango, of 35,230 children with SAM were identified and admitted for treatment in UNICEF supported nutrition treatment centres. • 3,923,505 children aged 0 to 59 months vaccinated against Polio, 142,672 children aged 6 to 59 months against Measles and 2,058,855 children aged 6 to 59 months supplemented with vitamin A. • 350,396 people accessing the agreed quantity of water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene.…
Read MoreNine African nations, Iran in debt to UN lose voting rights
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 20 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres said nine African nations and Iran should lose their voting rights as required under the UN Charter after defaulting on payment of their dues to the United Nations’ operating budget. Guterres listed the minimum amount that the 10 countries need to pay to have their voting rights restored in a letter to General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir. Iran topped the list and needs to pay $16,251,298 followed by Somalia, which must pay $1,443,640, Comoros $871,632, Sao Tome and Principe $829,888,…
Read MoreWest and Central Africa: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (13 – 20 January 2021)
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC RISE IN FOOD PRICES DUE TO ESCALATING CONFLICT According to the latest “Price monitoring Bulletin” produced by the Central African Institute for Statistics, Economic and Social Studies (ICASEES), an alarming increase in prices of basic food items has been recorded in the capital and rural towns of CAR. Prices of oil, onions, fish, and meat have increased by over 50 per cent in some places. The price of cassava, the main staple in CAR, has also increased by almost 60 per cent in rural areas. The rise…
Read MoreRights Groups Doubt Cameroon Military’s Massacre Investigation
YAOUNDE – Rights groups in Cameroon doubt the military’s claim it will properly investigate the latest alleged massacre of civilians by its troops. Activists and witnesses say the military killed 10 villagers Sunday, including women and children, while attempting to fight separatists. Cameroon’s military denies it was responsible, a line that has been questioned in past cases. Thirty-seven-year-old teacher Jacob Mende says he fled Cameroon’s southwestern village of Mautu after witnessing the military on Sunday shooting civilians. “Cameroon military invaded the village of Mautu,” he said, speaking via a messaging…
Read MoreRights Group Urges Lifting Ugandan Social Media Ban
Amnesty International is calling for Ugandan officials to lift bans on social media imposed ahead of Thursday’s election. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced on Tuesday that the government had shut down social media. On Jan. 9, Facebook deleted dozens of pro-Ugandan government accounts, saying they were “fake.” Museveni characterized Facebook’s action as arrogant. “It is alarming that the Ugandan authorities have suspended social media networks including Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp and restricted people’s right to freedom of expression and access to information,” said Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director…
Read MoreGlobal Humanitarian Overview 2020 Monthly Funding Update – 31 December 2020
Global Humanitarian Overview 2021 The Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) for 2021 was launched on 2 December 2020 in Geneva, with subsequent presentations on the same day in Berlin, Brussels, London and Washington D.C. The 2021 GHO requirements – $35 billion – are the highest ever. The UN and partner organizations aim to help 160 million of the 235 million most vulnerable people who face hunger, conflict, displacement, and the impacts of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic in 56 countries. This year, the GHO is presented on a dedicated and…
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