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.

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.

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.

CONDITIONS FOR CONGOLESE EXPELLED FROM ANGOLA STABILIZING

NEW YORK, 7 May (OCHA) -- The humanitarian situation of tens of thousands of Congolese expelled from neighbouring Angola over these past few weeks appears to be stabilizing.  The number of expellees entering into one of the main entry points has decreased from a rate of hundreds to dozens of persons crossing each day.

SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON EXTRAJUDICIAL, SUMMARY

OR ARBITRARY EXECUTIONS TO VISIT SUDAN

(Reissued as received.)

VIOLATIONS IN DARFUR, SUDAN MAY CONSTITUTE WAR CRIMES, CRIMES

AGAINST HUMANITY, UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE REPORT SAYS

(Reissued as received.)

MASSIVE DISPLACEMENT OF POPULATION REPORTED IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

(Translated from French.)

press statement on ethiopia, eritrea by Security Council president

The following is the text of a statement to the press on the situation in Ethiopia and Eritrea by the President of the Security Council, Munir Akram (Pakistan):

OCHA URGES RESPONSE TO NEEDS OF VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE

 

IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

NEW YORK, 29 April (OCHA) -– The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Democratic Republic of Congo is calling for an increase in the capacity of health partners already working on the ground and the financing of new partners with expertise in sexual violence and the prevention and transmission of HIV/AIDS.