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UN and Africa: focus on DR Congo, climate pollutants and Somalia

UN and Africa: focus on DR Congo, climate pollutants and Somalia

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UN to conduct inquiry into deaths of DRC experts

The United Nations has confirmed the deaths of two members of a Security Council expert group who had been missing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for more than two weeks. Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalán, accompanied by four Congolese nationals, were in the Kasaï Central region when they disappeared on 12 March. Their remains were discovered on Monday by peacekeepers with the UN mission in the country, MONUSCO. Dianne Penn reports.

Helena Molina Valdes (L) and Rita Cerruti (R). UN Photo/J.Sambira

African countries taking action to reduce short-lived climate pollutants

African countries are taking action to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) by switching to cleaner fuels and improved stoves, Rita Cerruti and Helena Molina Valdes of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) have said. Speaking on the margins of a High-Level UN event on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Agenda, Ms Valdes, Head of the CCAC Secretariat and Ms Cerruti, the Coalition's Co-Chair, said these pollutants have a short lifespan in the atmosphere but they are more potent than carbon dioxide or CO2. The Paris Agreement on climate change, which calls for cuts to CO2 carbon emissions, to lower global warming, officially entered into force last November. A month before that, in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, more than 190 countries had agreed to reduce global levels of hydrofluocarbons (HFCs) used in refrigeration and air conditioning. Jocelyn Sambira spoke to the two experts about efforts that are underway in Africa to do away with these powerful climate warmers.

A mother gives her daughter a drink of rehydrating salts at a hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia. March 2017. UN Photo/Tobin Jones

Prevent famine in Somalia from “ever happening again” urges UN mission head

Following successful elections, the longer-term objective for Somalia and the international community “has to be” to prevent famine from “ever happening again”. That’s the view of the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, UNSOM, Michael Keating.He was at UN Headquarters in New York, to address the Security Council on conditions in Somalia, which despite major political advances, still faces major challenges from drought, and the extremist militants of Al-Shabaab. He told Council Members Somalia was experiencing a “moment of both tragedy and hope”. Alban Mendes de Leon spoke to him after the meeting.

Presenter: Jocelyne Sambira

Production Assistant: Sandra Guy

Duration: 10'00″

Audio Duration
10'
Photo Credit
MONUSCO/Myriam Asmani