Undercover officers in the Democratic Republic of Congo discovered a baby gorilla in a suspected trafficker’s bag under a pile of clothes, according to the head of Virunga National Park. The gorilla is said to be in poor health but is responding well to treatment. Gorillas are worth up to $20,000 on the black market, according to the official. CNN
The African First Ladies Health Summit in Los Angeles, California USA brought together 15 spouses of African heads of state. The women joined together with health care policy experts and aid organizations to address issues such as: HIV/AIDS, maternal/child health, and girls’ education. The summit was jointly organized by US Doctors for Africa (USDFA) and African Synergy Against AIDS and Suffering. AllAfrica
Flooding in Bujumbura, Burundi displaced more than 8,000 people and damaged more than 1,200 homes. An excess of rain combined with a lack of drainage channels caused the flooding. Victims are currently depending on charity for food and shelter, and certain areas remain inaccessible. All Africa
Increasing conflicts in the northwest Central African Republic (CAR) has forced nearly 24,000 people to leave their homes and seek refuge in the bush or neighbouring Chad. Refugees and internally displaced persons began returning to their homes in 2008 when rebel groups and the government signed peace agreements. A new rebel group known as the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace is at the root of the renewed violence, reports AllAfrica.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) 31 March called for greater international cooperation at sea, following the disastrous sinking late Monday of one boat carrying hundreds of refugees. The number of dead is not known, but feared to be above 300. Earlier this week, says the UNHCR, its office in Rome reported that 244 illegal migrants arrived by boat in Sicily and another 219 in Lampedusa.
The organization noted that this is the only the start of the smuggling season. “This is the latest tragic example of a global phenomenon in which desperate people take desperate measures to escape conflict, persecution and poverty in search of a better life,” says High Commissioner António Guterres.
President Ravalomanana dissolved the government of Madagascar and handed over ruling power to the military under pressure from the army which then put Mayor Andry Rajoelina in the presidential seat. Rajoelina promises to hold elections within the next two years.
“If the military hands over power to the mayor, it is not constitutional,” Jean Ping, the African Union Commission Chairman. Ping says ti will be considered a coup d’etat by the African Union.
Madagascar army troops took over presidential offices in Antananarivo, the capital, at 18:00 local time 16 March, under orders from the country’s opposition leader Andry Rajoelina. President Marc Ravalomanana offered to test support for the government through a referendum, but he was refused. The president was not in the palace at the time of the attack. According to the UK’s Guardian, he is reported to be in another palace on the island. CNN, AllAfrica
Farmers in 42 countries in Africa should benefit from a $17.5 million project that will take soil samples, analyze them and provide farmers with advice on how to improve soil that is deficient. The project is being funded by the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation and Agra (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa). The soil will be sampled by Ciat (Centre for International Tropical Agriculture). BBC Ed. note: Agra is an African-led partnership, chaired by Geneva-based Kofi Annan, former UN secretary general.
The United Nations passed a resolution Tuesday that will allow military patrols from several countries to chase pirates on land if they are “in hot pursuit.” Some 40 vessels have been attacked, particularly around the Horn of Africa, in 2008. CNN
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe thanked outside aid sources for helping with the cholera epidemic in his country, which he now says is “stopped,” with more than 800 people having died from the disease. The United Nations disagrees, saying the number of sick and dying is rising, and it called 10 December for a campaign to raise $6 million in emergency funds to fight the epidemic. All Africa, PlusNews Global (Aids and HIV news) Reuters
Photo: Measles Initiative
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Deaths due to measles fell significantly, 76% between 2000 and 2007, the World Health Organization reported Thursday, largely due to “intensified vaccination campaigns including several countries with hard-to-reach areas.” in what the organization calls the Eastern Mediterranean region, which includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan and Somalia, a remarkable 90% drop in deaths due to measles was registered, from 96,000 to 10,000 in seven years.
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Switzerland has decided to continue providing financial help in the form of donations that will not be repaid, to Burkina Faso, a country the Swiss consider an international aid priority. Since 1998 the country’s GDP has grown by 5.7% annually, thanks in large part to economic reforms and help from the World Bank, the IMF and donor countries.
Title: Medusa in Africa
Location: Geneva
Link out: Click here
Description: An introduction to African art and African sculpture.
Start Date: 14 Nov 2008
End Date: 30 Dec 2008
London, England and Geneva, Switzerland (Le Temps, Fre) – Kofi Annan’s new Africa project, to be called Africa Progress Panel, has been created and is living in temporary quarters in London. The undefined project that made world headlines shortly before Annan left office as head of the United Nations is beginning to take shape, says Le Temps, with ads run in The Economist last week for management positions. The new group is based in London but will move to Geneva at an unspecified date. On its new web site the organization describes its objectives: "to focus world leaders’
attention on delivering on their commitments, particularly the good
governance and economic support which is imperative for achieving the
Millennium Development Goals. Panel members will draw on the expertise
of institutions working on African issues to present a rigorous and
independent assessment of progress."
The panel members are: Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the UN and Nobel Laureate; Michel Camdessus, former managing director of the International Monetary Fund; Peter Eigen, founder and chair of the Advisory Council, Transparency International; Bob Geldof, musician and founder/chair of Band Aid, member of the Commission for Africa; Graça Machel, women and children’s rights activist, president of the Foundation for Community Development; Robert E Rubin, chairman of the Executive Committee, Citigroup, former US secretary of the Treasury; Mohammad Yunus, economist, founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Laureate.
