United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has asked member nations to cooperate with Tanzanian Mohamed Othman as he continues a comprehensive investigation into the death of former UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld – a case that is now more than a half-century old. Othman, the former chief justice of Tanzania, leads an inquiry…
Journalists in the Democratic Republic of Congo say they have reviewed a video that appears to document the violent deaths of United Nations experts Zaida Catalan and Michael Sharp in March. Government officials made the video available to reporters in Kinshasa on Monday, stressing that the dress and manner of…
At a time when attacks on humanitarian aid workers and UN experts are painfully top of mind – as illustrated by recent events in Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan – a provocative new report from Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) questions how the mission and safety of…
The bodies of two United Nations experts missing since March 12 in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been positively identified, the UN said in a statement late Tuesday. The remains of Zaida Catalan of Sweden and Michael Sharp of the United States were discovered by United Nations Mission in…
A global human rights organization is calling on the United Nations Human Rights Council to begin an inquiry into violations in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is an epicenter of the violence and political crisis that also has afflicted North Kivu, Kinshasa and other regions….
A spokesman for MONUSCO, the United Nations (UN) mission in Democratic Republic of Congo, said the UN is doing “everything that is possible” to locate two experts on a humanitarian mission who were abducted near the village of Ngombe over the weekend. Charles Bambara confirmed on Monday that the two…
An independent United Nations expert called Friday for stronger oversight of traditional medicine in African countries, in order to limit the threat to people living with albinism. Ikponwosa Ero, a Nigerian with albinism and internationally recognized human rights advocate, called for a two-track strategy that would address the urgent need…
It’s World Wildlife Day on Friday, and African nations join the world with activities planned across the continent and its diverse habitats. This year’s theme for the United Nations event is “Listen to the young voices,” and most of the programs center on the hopes of African youth for a…
Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed was sworn into office at the United Nations on Tuesday, then emphasized the importance of achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a speech that followed the ceremony. Mohammed, the former Minister of Environment for Nigeria, was sworn in by UN Secretary General António Guterres. She has…
Morocco announced it will withdrawal forces from the Guerguerat region of Western Sahara, a move expected to reduce tensions between the government and armed elements of the Polisario Front maintaining their decades-long call for an independent state. Reuters reports the decision came just days after a phone call between King…
With the Democratic Republic of Congo’s government transition process at a standstill, the African Union (AU) and other international partners said Thursday that all parties to the negotiated December 31 agreement need to return to the ongoing dialogue and begin the formal framework leading to new elections. The AU, along…
As the humanitarian situation in South Sudan further deteriorates, the United Nations and partner organizations are appealing for help in dealing with the looming risk of famine and the ongoing suffering. Humanitarian groups estimate there are now 7.5 million people across South Sudan needing assistance and protection. The conflict that…
Late Sunday night, the United States Embassy in Yaounde sent out its “congratulations to the indomitable Lions” message to celebrate the Africa Cup of Nations victory in Cameroon. It was an exciting match, and both Christian Bassogog’s MVP award and the the 2-1 victory over Egypt he helped to deliver…
New United Nations Secretary General António Guterres has reiterated the U.N. position on protecting refugees, joining the chorus of international voices concerned over President Donald Trump’s stance on those seeking help from the United States, and other countries with similar closed-border policies. “Refugees fleeing conflict and persecution are finding more…
Willy Nyamitwe, the highly vocal spokesman for Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza, has again taken to social media – this time to condemn a Washington Post story on poorly vetted United Nations peacekeepers from Burundi, and to blame Rwanda for advancing it. “A story sponsored by Rwanda cannot be reliable,” was Nyamitwe’s…