Governance

The African Union’s Peace and Security Council is meeting Friday to discuss the escalating war in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. The conflict-resolution body is to receive a briefing from AU special envoy Olusegun Obasanjo, who has been leading efforts to mediate talks between the Tigray rebels and Ethiopia’s federal government. The United Nations Security Council was also set Friday to discuss the conflict in Ethiopia at a private meeting requested by Gabon, Ghana and Kenya this week. Both meetings are being held a day after Ethiopia announced it will send representatives to AU-sponsored peace talks on October 24. Leaders of

As the cold season starts in landlocked Afghanistan, concerns are mounting about widespread hunger, particularly in the rugged parts of the country where the first snowfall blocks the roads. This year there is hope that 30,000 metric tons of wheat coming from another war-torn country, Ukraine, will mitigate the hunger for some Afghans. The U.N. says hunger is nearly universal in Afghanistan with 97% of its population now living below the poverty line. “Despite its own suffering in the face of Russia’s brutal invasion, Ukraine has donated 30,000 metric tons of grain through the WFP to alleviate Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis,”

PRETORIA, President Cyril Ramaphosa will host President Brahim Ghali of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) for a State Visit on Oct 18.   The Presidency said that the visit aims to strengthen the already existing good political relations fortified by the strong historical ties dating back from the years of the struggle against colonialism and apartheid.   “The two Presidents will exchange views on recent developments related to the question of Western Sahara, including the mobilization of regional, continental and international support toward finding a sustainable resolution to the Western Sahara conflict in line with the provisions of the

The international community sent a clear message to Moscow on Wednesday, declaring the country’s so-called referendums and attempted annexation of parts of Ukraine illegal and invalid under international law.   In its strongest show of support for Ukraine since Moscow’s February 24 invasion, the U.N. General Assembly voted 143-5, adopting a resolution condemning and rejecting Russia’s move to annex Ukrainian territory. Thirty-five countries abstained, but those votes do not count toward the two-thirds majority needed for adoption.   Voting with Russia were Belarus, North Korea, Syria and Nicaragua.   In a tweet, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the states for

Ukrainian psychologist Tatyana Bogkova was on a birthday trip in Poland with her mother and 4-year-old daughter when Russian troops invaded her homeland earlier this year. With shells raining on Kharkiv city and her policeman husband staying to fight, the 32-year-old chose to take refuge in Spain, where she quickly translated her CV and took language lessons in hopes of a job. She is still searching. “I am not afraid of any job, but I would like to do what I learned,” Bogkova said in a Madrid cafe near a Catholic Church aid center, which together with a family offered

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 28 September 2022—During the high-level week of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly leading African Ministers of Health joined UNAIDS, PEPFAR, global health institutions and partners in New York in rallying to sustain their commitments to end AIDS and accelerate their response to current and future pandemics. The high-level side event on “Political Leadership in the HIV Response”, highlighted continued progress on combating HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, which has been largely sustained despite the added challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.   Ambassador Dr. John Nkengasong, United States Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Health

The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, is warning that the displacement crisis in the Horn of Africa and Sahel is getting worse as the impact of climate change and conflict are forcing more people to flee in search of safety and humanitarian assistance.Climat…

President Joe Biden has made a final decision to not designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, the White House said Tuesday, saying that such a move could backfire and have unintended consequences for U.S. support of Ukraine amid Russia’s invas…

The former Irish President has called on African nations to pile on the pressure on rich, heavily-polluting countries to fulfill their climate pledges to the continent during a visit to Uganda.Mary Robinson, who is also chair of the Elders group of glo…

UNITED NATIONS— The UN Security Council on Tuesday renewed the travel ban and asset freeze imposed on individuals and entities obstructing implementation of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, until Aug 31, 2023.Unanimously adopting reso…