Media News

Chad
The United Nations is trimming the number of peacekeepers in Chad following an appeal from the Chadian government. The number of troops currently stationed in Chad, who serve at the U.N. Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad, will be decreased to 1,900, from 3,351. The mission was established two years ago as violence escalated in Darfur and refugees fled to Chad.

Congo
The United Nations Security Council has rescheduled its trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo for May 14-16 after delays caused by the ash complicating air travel after an Icelandic volcano erupted earlier this month, Reuters reports. The trip, originally slated for April 17-20, is meant to explore the DRC appeal for the quick pull-out of U.N. peacekeepers as the nation prepares for the 50th anniversary of its independence this year, and for 2011 elections. Meanwhile, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees denounced the large number of rape cases in the African nation. No less than 200,000 cases of sexual violence were recorded in the last decade, UNCHR said.

Eritrea
Farmers in Eritrea Afabet region are redoubling their efforts on food security by boosting fruit and vegetable harvests. The Ministry of Agriculture has provided the farmers with select seeds, as well as training courses on effective farming tasks.

Ethiopia
An Ethiopian government-backed safety net program is helping 21,600 farmers in Abichu Gnea Woreda carry out various development activities covering soil and water conservation, irrigation, fodder, vegetable and fruit development, agriculture, and apiary. The government has earmarked worth 10 million birr (USD734,000) for the program.

Meanwhile, newly released data by the Ministry of Health suggests that some 1,150 health stations were built across Ethiopia in the last five years, up from less than 600 health stations in 1983. The government said it had deployed more than 35,000 health extension workers in rural and urban communities.

Ivory Coast
The United Nations Operation in Cote dIvoire recently concluded a three-week training course for the West African nation police and gendarmerie trainers. Twenty-nine Ivorian police officers participated in the training, which was conducted by the U.N. police for specialists from the forensic and technical police.

Somalia
The top United Nations representative to Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, urged the African nation lawmakers to set aside differences over issues such as their own salaries and address more urgent matters, including the implementation of an agreement between the transitional federal government and the opposition Ahlu Sunna wal Jama. The U.N.-backed International Contact Group on Somalia praised the transitional government initial steps to reach out to opposition blocs keen on supporting the peace process.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government charged 11 suspected Somali pirates for attacking two U.S. Navy ships off the African coast on March 31. The suspects were brought to U.S. after being held on U.S. ships for weeks off the Somali coast.

South Africa
In what the United Nations calls the largest and fastest scaling-up of AIDS services ever endeavored by a country, South Africa plans to test 15 million people for HIV by 2011, a six-fold increase in just two years, and provide antiretroviral treatment to 1.5 million people by June 2011, up from 1 million the past year. To achieve this target, the South African government will help its 4,333 public clinics to dole out AIDS medicines. The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS lauded the new campaign, and expressed hope that it will set off a new dialogue on HIV prevention and safer sex. UNAIDS also welcomed the South African government move to reduce the cost of antiretroviral treatment.

Sudan
The International Criminal Court reaffirmed a previous decision to dismiss criminal charges against Darfur rebel leader Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, who is accused of orchestrating an attack against African Union peacekeepers in Darfur Haskanita camp in September 2007 that killed 12 people. According to ICC, there was not sufficient evidence to hold Abu Garda criminally liable for murder, attacks against a peacekeeping mission and pillaging charges. Meanwhile, the Joint Special Representative of the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur, Ibrahim Gambari, met with the chief executive of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, to discuss greater cooperation between the two institutions to boost early recovery and development initiatives in Darfur.

Southern Sudan is one of the areas where the United Nations Development Program has been scaling up its malaria interventions particularly for pregnant women. Under UNDP malaria control program, which was funded by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the U.N. agency helped the country health ministry produce updated statistics and trained health care personnel. The program was formally closed last month. UNDP next Global Fund-backed project in Sudan will commence in June 2010 to help construct and rebuild teaching institutions, training workshops, laboratories, blood banks, antenatal clinics, and community centers.

Tanzania
National food security conditions in Tanzania are projected to improve from April to September following forecasts for above-normal masika and msimu rains, more labor opportunities, and better rangeland conditions, according to the February/March 2010 rapid vulnerability assessment by the Famine Early Warning System Network. Moderate food insecurity, however, will persist in some regions of the nation due to poor harvests, spread of crop diseases, projected inadequate rainfall and anticipated above-average food prices.

Compiled by developmentex.com