The death of Boutros-Ghali marks “the passing of an era” a former UN spokesperson says

The death of the veteran Egyptian diplomat and former UN Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, marks “the passing of an era”. That’s according to fellow Egyptian Ahmad Fawzi, who served as his Deputy Spokesperson in the early 1990s and was recruited to the UN by Mr Boutros-Ghali.Mr Fawzi, who is currently the Director of the UN Information Service in Geneva, said that he’d been a “formidable leader” at a “difficult time” for the world body. Matthew Wells spoke to Mr Fawzi, and asked him to describe how they first met.

Rwanda pledges not to close its borders, expel Burundian refugees

Rwanda has pledged not to close its borders or forcibly repatriate Burundian refugees, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The agency sought clarification from the government after statements were issued implying the refugees would be relocated to a third country. Over 70,000 refugees from neighbouring Burundi are registered with UNHCR. Martina Pomeroy, an external relations officer with the agency spoke to Priscilla Lecomte about their initial concerns.

Lesotho’s economy nearing the edge of a “fiscal cliff”

Lesotho’s economy is slowing down, which could indicate significant fiscal problems to come. That’s according to the International Monetary Fund’s mission chief to the southern African country. Like many in Sub-Saharan Africa, Lesotho achieved strong economic growth between 2010 and 2014, averaging 4.6 per cent, but that’s since dropped to 2.6 per cent. Fiscal problems in South Africa make Lesotho particularly vulnerable to drops in revenue that could persist over time. David Dunn, IMF mission chief for Lesotho, explains the impact of such close ties between these two economies.

Presenter: Jocelyne Sambira

Production Assistant: Sandra Guy

Duration: 10'00″