Africa

© UNHCR/Aristophane Ngargoune

Violence in Sudan’s Western Darfur forces 2,500 into Chad: UN refugee agency

11 August 2020
Migrants and Refugees

Recent clashes in Sudan’s Western Darfur region has driven more than 2,500 people across the border into neighbouring Chad, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has reported.

© UNHCR/Komi Mensah

Countries urged to target smugglers after 27 migrants die at sea

7 August 2020
Migrants and Refugees

Two UN agencies are calling for greater action to dismantle smuggling and trafficking networks following the deaths of 27 migrants off the coast of Mauritania, northwest Africa.

© UNICEF/Michele Spatari/AFP-Services

South Africa: UN health agency sends experts to help battle against COVID-19

5 August 2020
Health

 new “surge team” of leading UN health experts is on its way to South Africa to ramp up the COVID-19 response there, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.

© UNICEF/Shehzad Noorani

Across Sudan, heavy rains and flash floods destroy houses, wash away crops – UN relief wing

4 August 2020
Humanitarian Aid

Hundreds of houses have been destroyed and vital infrastructure damaged due to riverine and flashfloods after heavy rains across large parts of Sudan, the United Nations relief wing has reported. 

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

UN censures ‘heinous attacks’ in Lake Chad Basin

4 August 2020
Peace and Security

The Secretary-General strongly condemned “heinous attacks” against civilians in the Lake Chad Basin, a UN spokesperson said on Monday.

WFP/Claire Nevill

Ravages of acute hunger will likely hit six in 10 in Zimbabwe: WFP

30 July 2020
Humanitarian Aid

The World Food Programme (WFP) is urgently seeking more international support to prevent millions of Zimbabweans plunging deeper into hunger. The COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated an already severe hunger crisis in Zimbabwe, UN humanitarians warned on Thursday.

Frontex/Francesco Malavolta

Thousands suffer extreme rights abuses journeying to Africa’s Mediterranean coast, say humanitarians

29 July 2020
Migrants and Refugees

Thousands of refugees and migrants in eastern and western Africa, are dying while others face harrowing abuse in their attempts to reach the continent’s Mediterranean coast in search of a better life, a joint UN/Danish Refugee Council report said on Wednesday.

WFP/Greg Barrow

Forced labour, prostitution and child marriages: rescuing victims of trafficking in Malawi

29 July 2020
Human Rights

Human trafficking is a problem in Malawi, with teenage boys forced to work as farm labourers, and young women to sexual exploitation in nightclubs or bars. The UN is supporting the Malawian governments to end the practice and protect vulnerable people.

UNAMID/Hamid Abdulsalam

UN-African Union mission condemns recent spate of deadly attacks in Darfur

28 July 2020
Peace and Security

The joint UN-African Union Mission in Darfur, UNAMID, is calling for the Sudanese Government to arrest those responsible for the recent spike in violent attacks against peaceful protestors, civilians and displaced persons in various locations across the province.

World Bank/Trevor Samson

Trade pact could boost Africa’s income by as much as $450 billion: World Bank

27 July 2020
Economic Development

The African Continental Free Trade Area represents a major opportunity for countries to boost growth, reduce poverty, broaden economic inclusion and help “expand opportunities for all Africans”, hailed a World Bank official on Monday, which if fully implemented, could boost regional income by around $450 billion.