Africa

The International Organization on Migration reports that nearly 9,000 migrants were rescued over the past long weekend by individual NGOs and by the international flotilla in the Mediterranean Sea.  The rescued migrants were mostly Africans, but there was also a large number of people from Bangladesh.

The International Organization for Migration warned today that hundreds of migrants are being held under “slave market” conditions in North Africa.  Describing the situation as “dire”, the agency also reported several cases in which migrants have been kidnapped in exchange for ransom.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki announced today the appointment of Jeremiah Nyamane Kingsley Mamabolo of South Africa as Joint Special Representative and Head of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).

Following is UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s message to the closing of the eighteenth session of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM), delivered by Frank Schroeder, in Dakar on 26 March:

Briefing on the heels of the Security Council’s recent visit to Africa’s Lake Chad Basin — beset by development challenges, looming famine and the brutal tactics of Boko Haram — the mission’s co-Chairs emphasized today the need for an enhanced and holistic response to the subregion’s largely neglected crisis.

The Secretary-General’s new report “Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: A New Approach” focuses on victims’ rights and dignity; more transparent reporting and investigation; multi-stakeholder network support for prevention and response efforts; raising awareness and sharing best practices.

Following is UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed’s briefing to the Security Council on the Lake Chad Basin, in New York today:

The Central African Convention for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition and all Parts and Components that can be used for their Manufacture, Repair and Assembly (Kinshasa Convention) enters into force today, today.

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, in a statement issued today, condemned the firing yesterday of a rocket from Gaza towards Israel. This is the third such incident in the past 30 days after a period of almost four months of quiet.  Such provocations seek only to undermine peace, he said.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres: