UN News Centre - Africa

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has condemned ‘in the strongest terms’ recent attacks involving humanitarian workers in the northern town of Kaga Bandoro located in the Nana Gribizi prefecture of the Central African Republic (CAR).

Addressing the General Assembly today, Kokou Kpayedo, the Permanent Representative of Togo to the United Nations, reiterated his country’s voluntary commitment in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and stressed that enhanced cooperation in responding to security threats and ensuring reform of the Security Council are needed to secure their wide implementation.

Highlighting at the United Nations today his country&#39s initiatives to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of Tanzania emphasized the importance of collective efforts at local, national and international levels to achieve the goals in a timely manner.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, two small island nations in Africa today stressed that among the many challenges they face, harnessing the transformative power of the seas and building the ocean-based economy is of fundamental importance for their countries’ survival and sustainable growth.

Telling the United Nations General Assembly that over the 25 years of Eritrea’s independence it has faced a “concerted onslaught” of difficulties – incessant hostility, occupation, and sanctions – the country’s Foreign Minister today said that resilient Eritrea and Eritreans, at home and abroad, were nevertheless able to fend off the attacks on their nation and protect their hard-won freedom.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has taken note of the ruling of the Constitutional Court of Gabon on the appeals lodged against the preliminary results of the 27 August 2016 presidential poll, as well as its confirmation of Ali Bongo Ondimba as President-elect, according to a statement issued by a UN spokesperson today, which adds that the Organization will continue to support the democratic process in the West African country.

In his address to the General Assembly today, Ibrahim Ahmed Abd al-Aziz Ghandour, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sudan, said the 2030 Agenda and other frameworks before the United Nations are vital for all countries and he hopes that calls for reform will be heeded so the Organization becomes a true platform for implementing principles of international legality and “a bulwark for justice.”

As Botswana prepares for its 50th Anniversary, on 30 September, Vice-President Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi, described to the United Nations General Assembly the journey of how the country went from one of the world’s poorest nations to a middle income country.

South Sudan’s vice-president today assured the General Assembly of further steps toward deploying 4,000 more United Nations peacekeepers after this summer’s resurgence of a civil war that has engulfed the world’s newest country for most of its five years of life.

Peace and security are vital conditions for security and development, leaders from Africa’s Sahel region told the United Nations General Assembly today, laying out their plans to end conflict, counter terrorism and press ahead with meeting the Gaols of the 2030 Agenda.

More support from donors is urgently needed to expand efforts seeking to improve the lives of those affected by the humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad Basin region, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General said today, imploring the international community to rally behind a new call for action.

Comoros President Azali Assoumani today called for swift implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to eliminate poverty, hunger and a host of other social ills by 2030, telling the United Nations General Assembly this is the surest way to end of the flood of refugees currently afflicting the world.

In relation to proposed presidential elections, two United Nations human rights experts today urged the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to put an immediate end to its disproportionate use of force against peaceful assembly and expression.

Among the African leaders taking the podium at the United Nations General Assembly today, Guinea’s President stressed that Africa needs deep structural transformations and a vibrant private sector to reduce vulnerability and build up the continent’s resilience.

The promotion of peace and stability in Mali is crucial to its people, for the region and for the world, United Nations Secretary-General Bank Ki-moon said today, urging the parties involved in the country’s reconstruction to implement the foundations that have been laid out regarding the way forward.

Taking the podium today at the General Assembly, Faustin Archange Touadera, President of the Central African Republic (CAR), paid tribute to the entire United Nations system and all those in the wider international community that helped his country return to stability and constitutional legality, as he set out his four-pronged framework to continue the momentum towards lasting peace.

At the UN General Assembly this afternoon, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Equatorial Guinea, Agapito Mba Mokuy, said the world is witnessing an overwhelming and incessant wave of immigrants who are fleeing from conflict zones, particularly in Iraq and Syria, as well as in Africa, towards Europe, in the hope of finding a tranquil area in which to live.

United Nations Secretary-General today expressed deep concern about the violent clashes between protestors and security forces in Kinshasa, and several other locations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Condemning recent violence in Ndomete and Kaga Bandoro in Central African Republic (CAR), the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the country (MINUSCA) called on local communities to remain calm and underlined its right to take appropriate measures to prevent destabilization of the situation.

The United Nations and humanitarian agencies in Libya today issued an urgent appeal for $10.7 million to meet life-saving emergency assistance for close to 80,000 people located within the Libyan city of Sirte until the end of the year.