Africa

AFRICA NEEDS TO REMOVE OBSTACLES TO TRADE, SAYS AMOAKO

(Reissued as received.)

KAMPALA, 18 May (ECA) –- African countries must do more to maximize the benefits of trade for development, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), K.Y. Amoako, said today.

PRESS STATEMENT ON CÔTE D‘IVOIRE BY SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT

Following is today’s press statement on Côte d’Ivoire by Security Council President Munir Akram (Pakistan):

SECRETARY-GENERAL DISMAYED AT PUBLIC ATTACKS AGAINST UN MISSION BY ERITREA

Following is the text of a statement attributable to the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

BURUNDI:  NUMBER OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN CAMPS HALVED

NEW YORK, 14 May (OCHA) –- There are as half as many people in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Burundi as there were two years ago, according to a new survey led by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).  The results of the survey show that the number of the displaced dropped from 281,000 in 2002 to some 140,000 today.

SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY STUDIES JOINS NETWORK

OF UN CRIME PREVENTION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMME

(Reissued as received.)

welcoming positive developments in africa, Secretary-General calls

for fairer trade, greater aid, debt relief in africa day message

Following is the text of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message on Africa Day, 25 May:

MINISTERS TO DISCUSS TRADE POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT AGENDA IN AFRICA

(Reissued as received.)

Addis Ababa, 11 May (ECA) -- African ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development will meet in Kampala, Uganda, 21-22 May, to discuss how best to maximize the contribution of trade to national economic growth and the obstacles to Africa’s participation in global trade.

UN RESPONDS TO FLOODING IN ZAMBIA

(Reissued as received.)

NEW YORK, 10 May (OCHA) –- The United Nations and other humanitarian agencies are responding to humanitarian needs created by floods in Zambia that now affect more than 20,000 people.

SECRETARY-GENERAL DEEPLY CONCERNED OVER REPORTS

OF GROWING COMMUNAL CLASHES IN NIGERIA

Following is the text of a statement attributable to the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned over reports of growing communal clashes in Nigeria, and condemns the attacks in the village of Yelwa in PlateauState where hundreds of people lost their lives last week.

VIOLATIONS IN DARFUR, SUDAN MAY CONSTITUTE WAR CRIMES, CRIMES

AGAINST HUMANITY, UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE REPORT SAYS

(Reissued as received.)