News: Africa

Thousands flee, many killed as Lord's Resistance Army steps up attacks

SC.WebAdmin — Fri, 14 May 2010 15:17:11 +0000

Source: UNHCR UNHCR is alarmed at reports of a rise in the frequency and brutality of attacks by the rebel Lord's Resistance Army against civilians in three African countries.

In Brief: A regional take on food security

SC.WebAdmin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:00:09 +0000

JOHANNESBURG Friday, March 19, 2010 (IRIN) - A study commissioned by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has been taking stock of food security initiatives in Eastern Africa, and the authors urge those involved in such efforts to "think regionally".

GLOBAL: Trying to make food cheaper

SC.WebAdmin — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 11:00:09 +0000

JOHANNESBURG Tuesday, March 16, 2010 (IRIN) - The price of maize, sorghum, wheat and other staple grains is likely to climb again in many food-importing east African countries, agricultural economists warn.

SOUTHERN AFRICA: Snapshot of food security

SC.WebAdmin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:00:02 +0000

JOHANNESBURG Friday, February 05, 2010 (IRIN) - Economic conditions in most southern African countries declined as a result of the global recession, pushing many more people towards greater food insecurity. According to a new food security update which focused on some southern African countries, food prices have risen and are still climbing in several countries.

Audio slideshow: FLEEING THE HORN - Somali conflict forces thousands to leave

SC.WebAdmin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:25:00 +0000

At least 17,000 illegal migrants from the Horn of Africa leave their countries for South Africa annually, most of them transiting through Kenya, according to the U.N.'s International Organisation for Migration. Many of them pay thousands of U.S. dollars to people smugglers to reach their destination.

The majority come from Somalia where violence has killed some 21,000 civilians since the start of 2007 and uprooted a further 1.5 million people. The Horn of African nation has not known peace for two decades.

African Union adopts major convention to protect and assist the internally displaced

SC.WebAdmin — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:09:14 +0000

Source: UNHCR African leaders adopt a seminal convention that will provide legal protection and assistance to millions of internally displaced people.

AFRICA: Climate change could worsen displacement - UN

SC.WebAdmin — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:22:44 +0000

Source: IRIN With increasing natural disasters, including floods, storms and droughts, hitting the continent, more people in Africa are likely to be displaced, creating a challenge for governments, the UN warns.

UN human rights chief hails new African convention for internally displaced people

SC.WebAdmin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:14:28 +0000

Date: 22 Oct 2009
Source: UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

African Union set to adopt groundbreaking Convention on the internally displaced

SC.WebAdmin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:02:07 +0000

Source: UNHCR The African Union opens a visionary summit meeting to address the festering problem of forced displacement on the African Continent.

INTERVIEW-Challenge to enforce Africa pact on displaced

SC.WebAdmin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:21:09 +0000

Source: Reuters * Pact of major political importance * Implementation a concern By Katie Nguyen and Frank Nyakairu KAMPALA, Oct 22 (Reuters) - An African Union (AU) pact providing rights for millions of ...

Africa's internally displaced people

SC.WebAdmin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:54:00 +0000

Source: AlertNet

African countries are expected to adopt a convention granting rights to millions of ...

Horn of Africa: Poor crop prospects, conflict, displacement aggravate food insecurity

SC.WebAdmin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:15:58 +0000

Date: 21 Sep 2009
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization

The Africa Obama Didn't Visit - Antiwar.com

SC.WebAdmin — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:12:55 +0000

AFRICA: Coastal populations at risk as climate changes

SC.WebAdmin — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:00:15 +0000

NAIROBI Wednesday, May 20, 2009 (IRIN) - Several large African cities are at risk from rising sea levels and intense storms, experts warn.

AFRICA: Disaster preparedness “woefully inadequate”

SC.WebAdmin — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:00:06 +0000

NAIROBI Wednesday, May 06, 2009 (IRIN) - Ineffective disaster management systems, poor funding and lack of relevant data for planning risk-reduction activities have taken their toll on sub-Saharan African countries, specialists said.

Central African Republic: ICRC brings aid to 1,700 newly displaced people

SC.WebAdmin — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:15:22 +0000

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) - Switzerland Bangui (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has just completed a distribution of food and other basic necessities to nearly 1,700 people who fled the villages of Moudou 1, Moudou 2, Kengar and Bocayanga, in Kabo sub-prefecture between Kabo and Moyenne Sido, approximately 375 kilometres north of Bangui.

WEST AFRICA: When there is no village doctor

SC.WebAdmin — Wed, 06 May 2009 02:00:12 +0000

DAKAR Wednesday, February 04, 2009 (IRIN) - An international financial recession threatens to worsen the “severe medical workforce crisis” faced by almost 60 African and Asian countries, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO). The fewer health workers there are, the less chance a woman has to survive childbirth and a child his or her infancy, according to WHO.

AFRICA: Pastoralists grapple with climate change

SC.WebAdmin — Wed, 06 May 2009 02:00:12 +0000

NAIROBI Wednesday, January 28, 2009 (IRIN) - As many as 250 million people in Africa may not have enough water to meet their basic needs by 2020 because of climate change, a specialist in poverty, environment and climate change said on 27 January.

AFRICA: Migrants and meningitis – a moving threat

SC.WebAdmin — Wed, 06 May 2009 02:00:12 +0000

AGADEZ Tuesday, April 21, 2009 (IRIN) - Health workers in northern Niger, a popular crossing for sub-Saharan migrants travelling to northern Africa and beyond, have reported an increase in migrants hospitalised for meningitis at the state’s regional hospital.

SOUTHERN AFRICA: Red Cross to start Zambezi initiative

SC.WebAdmin — Wed, 06 May 2009 02:00:12 +0000

JOHANNESBURG Monday, April 06, 2009 (IRIN) - As the Zambezi River's waters continue to rush over the broken banks in northeastern Namibia, swallowing villages, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has announced that it will launch an initiative to build the resilience of people affected each year by seasonal flooding.