UN and Africa

First closure of civilian protection site in South Sudan

Hundreds of families who had been sheltering at a UN camp in South Sudan are returning home due to improved security.  That's according to the UN mission in the country, UNMISS, which for the first time has closed one of its protection of civilian sites, or POCs.  These locations provide sanctuary for internally displaced people (IDPs) who have fled conflict which broke out four years ago.  Irene Lasu has been speaking to Sam Muhumure, the mission's Senior Coordina

More than two-thirds of emergency response fundinggoing to Africa

More than two-thirds of UN emergency response funding is still likely to go to alleviate humanitarian crisis in Africa.  That’s according to Chief of CERF, Lisa Doughten, who said after the recent annual pledging conference for 2018 at UN Headquarters that a total of $383 million had been registered for next year.  With funding this year likely to be the highest since CERF’s inception in 2006, she said next year’s total was especially important since global needs have “skyrocketed”.  A total of $22.5 billion is requ

Raising the profile of UN Volunteers in Sudan

Building roads, empowering young people and contributing to peace and development efforts: those are just some of the duties performed by more than 200 international and local volunteers working with the UN in Sudan.  Roughly half of these UN Volunteers are serving at the joint African Union-UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), in areas such as human rights, child protection and community stabilization.  However, whether they are l

Space technology helping UNDP improve the livesof people in need

Space-based applications and technologies are helping the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)  to deliver its projects in a faster, more efficient and safer way, according to a senior official there.  Bruce McCarron, the Director of UNDP’s Office of Operations, Legal and Technology Services, cites the example of using satellite imagery to monitor the reconstruction of buildings in Mali, destroyed by extremists.  Mr McCarron was speaking at a conference, held

"New set of tools" needed for modern peacekeeping: Dallaire

A "new set of tools" is needed to make UN peacekeeping fit for today’s more dangerous and complex world.  That's according to perhaps the most renowned of all former UN Force Commanders, Canadian Lt General Roméo Dallaire, who was in charge of the blue helmets serving in Rwanda in 1994, during the genocide there.  Matt Wells spoke to Lt-General Dallaire at the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference held in Vancouver, Canada and asked him how UN peacekeeping had changed since his time in Rwanda during the 1990s.

“We will succeed” pledges force commander of deadly Mali mission

The man in charge of blue helmets serving at the United Nation’s deadliest peacekeeping mission, which is facing serious shortfalls in equipment and personnel, has pledged to succeed - if he’s given the tools to do the job.  Force Commander of the UN Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), Major General Jean-Paul Deconinck, was speaking on the first day of the UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial conference held this week in Vancouver, Canada.

Army officers urged to protect South Sudan’s children

Soldiers in South Sudan have been reminded of their responsibility to protect children from violence, neglect, exploitation and abuse.  The army officers took part in a two-day workshop organized by the UN mission in the country, UNMISS, where they were urged to show leadership by ensuring their troops protect children caught in conflict.  South Sudan’s army, known as the SPLA, has been accused of grave violations against children, including rape, killings and recruit

UN chief reaffirms international support to the Central African Republic

The UN Secretary General António Guterres visited the Central African Republic in October 2017.  There he met with CAR President Faustin Archange Touadera, religious and civil society leaders, UN MINUSCA peacekeepers and with a range of civil society groups, including youth and women representatives.  A UN operation has been in the CAR since 2014, following violence between mainly Muslim and Christian communities, leaving one in four citizens displaced.

Industrialization in Africa will help eradicate poverty, transform economies

Urban demand could be “a lever” for industrialization across Africa.  That’s according to Giovanie Biha, Deputy Executive Secretary at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), which has launched a report on industrial development on the continent.  With an increasing fraction of the population living in cities, Africa faces growing challenges in terms of services and infrastructure.  Ms Biha spoke with Priscilla Lecomte about how th

Legal vacuum “an obstacle to advancing gender equality”: UN Peacekeeper