The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Begins Unprecedented Emergency Food Relief Operation in Drought-Hit Malawi (20.07.2016)

Maize Malawi

Malawi is one of the countries in southern Africa worst affected by El Niño-related drought.

NEW YORK, United States of America, July 20, 2016 – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has begun a new round of life-saving relief operations in Malawi where as many as 6.5 million people – nearly 40 percent of the population – may require emergency assistance in coming months. This is set to become the largest ever emergency food relief operation in the country’s history.

Malawi is one of the countries in southern Africa worst affected by El Niño-related drought. Its food security crisis is not only due to this year’s unprecedented drought but to the impact of severe flooding and prolonged dry spells last year.

Across southern Africa, as many as 18 million people will require emergency assistance in El Niño affected countries between now and March, with needs peaking in January. Of these, WFP is planning to reach 11.9 million people with food assistance. Malawi is one of half a dozen nations in the region which has declared drought-related disasters in recent months.

Malawi’s already strained food security situation is worsening following the most recent harvest which suffered widespread failure, particularly in the south. Some 80 percent of the affected people are smallholder farmers who rely on what they can produce to feed themselves and their families. This is a country with high levels of stunting – low growth for age – as a result of malnutrition, as well as high rates of HIV/AIDS infections and related deaths which have left many orphans and child-headed households.

“This is a dire situation, one that the world needs to take notice of right now before it’s too late”, said WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin who today concluded a three-day visit to Malawi. “I’ve talked with women in rural areas who told me they have enough food for just a few more weeks, after which they will have nothing. We must urgently assist the people of Malawi and those affected by the drought in neighbouring countries, before food insecurity spirals into hunger and starvation.”.

WFP concluded its last round of food and cash-based relief in Malawi in April. Seasonal relief for the poorest and most vulnerable is normally offered between January and March at the height of the lean season – that period preceding the harvest during which domestic food stocks become increasingly depleted.

Following floods and drought last year, WFP responded to needs during the last lean season as early as October.  This year, however, emergency relief is starting now – that is because the lean season has already begun in many districts or is soon to start in others. The number of people currently in need in Malawi is two and a half times higher than last year, already a bad year.

For part of her visit, Ms. Cousin travelled with Dr. Jill Biden, Second Lady of the United States, who has been visiting Malawi as part of a three-nation African tour focusing on economic empowerment and educational opportunities for women and girls, and on partnerships on global health and food security.

Dr. Biden and Ms. Cousin together visited a primary school in Zomba district where students receive WFP school meals which are funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. They met farmers whose harvests have suffered badly because of the drought. The WFP Executive Director also met Vice President Saulos Chilima and other government officials.

It’s very important that we save lives in emergency situations.” said Cousin. “But it’s also vital to offer people hope and opportunities so that they’re better able to withstand shocks and cope for themselves in the future. That’s why we’re working with government and other partners including the UN Food and Agriculture Organization on programmes like school meals and support for smallholder farmers – these are initiatives that change lives in the long-term.”

WFP’s regional funding requirements for the most drought-affected countries from now until April next year is US$ 535 million; US$217 million of this is required to cover Malawi’s needs alone. There is a particularly urgent need for funding for Malawi to ensure that food stocks can be procured, transported and pre-positioned before seasonal rains start in November, making many roads in remote areas impassable.

Press Statement: Office of the Public Prosecuter will look into the ‘Chickengate’ at IEBC scandals of 2009-2011 (19.07.2016)

Kenya EEAC IEBC

Opinion: Trump can promise roses, but that will still not be the truth!

Trump broken flag

There are these days when I wonder when people will see what I see, as I see a fraudster, a liar and charlatan who has used his name to trade on misfortune of American citizens, both in Businesses and now in Politics. Now he promises jobs and tighter borders, giant walls and more xenophobia and fear of the ones migrating to the American Nation. That is the state of affairs that Trump promises; while also glorifying himself as a Demi-God.

That is why he hates to be questioned and even mentioned in a sinister way, even if it is true. As he congratulates himself and believe that killing families creating genocide is the way of making sure the Syrian civil war will be settled. This from the man who imports all kind of crap in his own name, while saying that American business is screwed by the Chinese and Mexicans; as he himself is earning money on branded goods from the same destinations.

So the man who now chosen another controversial VP Mike Pence, the current Governor of Indiana, who has become famous for establishing very harsh regulation on births and rights for abortion in his state, while also in his one-time governorship he even created more controversy with regulating stronger LGBT rights and their freedoms in public spaces as toilets and such, which have already been under-fire in other states. So the man that carries the water and makes sure the hair is straight of Trump has some dark horses in his home-run. The ironic part is that GOP or Republican Party can finally have candidate in Indiana that might beat the Democratic Party nominee in coming election. That should been a consideration while vetting the man behind Trump, but he picks from his guts; not his wits!

Trump John Barron

Trump promise the most beautiful and wonderful piece of everything, depending on the crowd and the state, higher lowest-minimum wage or polices for trade. They are shallow words and proving the insecure man that he is. The vain and simplistic, as he still in July 2016, ever since running for over a year, still hasn’t released his Tax-Returns; because he doesn’t have the character to drop his true value or his pocket-change as the reveling truth would show that he is not as rich as he claims or narrowly near the billions that supposed be there. If that we’re so he wouldn’t need to beg Koch brothers or go on ferrying for donor funding instead of campaigning in swing-states!

The whole ordeal, the whole empty pledges the smearing and rubbish throwing against both opponents in own party and everybody else in general; while praising dictators like Gaddafi, Kim Yung-Un and Vladimir Putin; claiming that America Nation and Economics is in shambles, blaming media for being biased while speaking like Fox News anchor on steroids. He could be dancing over the Media’s, that have been banned from following the campaign trail; which means a dozen media-houses for writing what he would call spiteful articles or portrait on screen.

So for me as European it is weird that he is even considered, with his track-record and scams are getting away from becoming a Nominee in General Party towards a General Election, while he has the balls to pick a VP that is Midwestern prototype of himself, just more clean and speaks the ordinary coded political language, instead of the bashing guts without any common knowledge the Donald!

Trump Team

But this is just my two-cents and I have described the man before, as Paul Manafort who got Corey Lewandowski fired and traded space to speak astonishingly about the efforts of Trump. Manafort is the key player in the Campaign Team behind Trump, he must know it’s a fools race right now and therefore taking his bet behind a narcissist who has no quarrels except for his own gains. So the real political place of the man is like balancing a donut over a tornado. The one day he might be Pro Trade-Zones and the next day lenient taxes instead to gain business.

So the pledges and promises are as shallow of the character of Trump, the fake and weak-tea that he offers shouldn’t be taken for the gold-covered label he uses on his company and walls of his Twinkie-Tower in the Rotten Apple. We can surely know that the America that we heard about as kids is gone, like wave it will come and go apparently. The land of liberty and equality must been torn to pieces to accept the candidature of a man of this stature. The land of tolerance and melting-pot must be drowned in redneck bashing KKK nonsense, instead of the Boondocks cartoons and Dave Chappell skits. This must be the reality as ‘Friends’ and ‘Seinfeld’ has stopped making more sitcom episodes, instead some other random crap made by Netflix and HBO.

So the world cannot be same… as the world is seeing the ability and possibility for a candidate like Trump, for a man with the world-view and rhetoric being capable of thrashing both seasoned and ambitions politicians with loyalties inside the Grand Old Party (GOP). Certainly the roses he promises are more old sour croutons instead. Peace.   

Sanctions crippled our capacity to own our international obligations, Zimbabwe’s finance minister (Youtube-Clip)

Zimbabwe’s finance minister Patrick Chinamasa on Sunday blamed international sanctions for the financial meltdown that has forced the government to delay wages of soldiers and civil servants as President Robert Mugabe faces rare popular protests. Speaking at the African Union summit in Kigali, Rwanda , Chinamasa said that his country was stifled by the economic sanctions imposed in the early 2000s on his country by the West.This,in retaliation to the alleged violations of human rights by Harare…” (Africa News, 2016)

Juba Crisis continues as Editor of South Sudan Tribune get detained for an article

sudantribune.com

There are certainly a crisis in Juba, as the escalated to old-days in the Capital of South Sudan. As the President Salva Kiir and VP Dr. Riek Machar have started to fight each other, as their trust level is beyond the reasonable level. There been dialogue and even negotiations between the old Generals; who has had different subject and loyalties to different tribes. Still the surge for power and generate it all. Is the reason why the President was offended by what the Editor-In-Chief Alfred Taban of South Sudan Tribune wrote on the 16th July 2016, as I have the copy of the article that he wrote and published! That apparently hurt the Executive who have been vigilant against the SPLM-IO Riek Machar and his loyal soldiers, as the Government forces have attacked the Opposition on their bases.

Still the newly fresh cease-fire, while the Government has even detained SPLM-IO MPs who was living in Hotels in Juba into jails after the recent skirmishes and attacks, proves the unstable situation and the little peace. This together with UNMISS staff leaving the capital, International Red Cross, Embassies and other foreign dignitaries, as well as Indian Army and Ugandan Army coming into Juba to clear the town.       

We can expect in this unfree and unstable situation that the free press and liberty seems to also be under fire, but when you acting on the terms of State of Emergency. So that with even government forces go into the UN World Food Program warehouse and looted it. As there been reports over the last year of the lacking levels of food and fleeing from violence. The insecurity together with the now the proof of lacking freedoms, shows that the Troika’s faith in the newly formed Transitional Government of National Unity (TGNU) after the Peace Agreement of 2015, where the new National Assembly and Government should mend the wounds of the newest conflict between the leaders. That proven again when the President cannot handle being questioned by the media and their men with the pencil and thoughts into paper; this should be a worry as the soldiers are fighting and the disarray of society that are for grabs, by men more used to the battlefield then building the state. That should be reminder of the fragile state and the quest to build the newest African Nation, that the South Sudanese people deserves, with leaders who works continuously to achieve progress for the citizens; instead they are fighting for their own plate and not for the people, that should be a warning sign for the international community who supporters the development and continuation of the Kiir Government.

Take a look at the Article that made a fellow human-being detained as he wrote critically about the leadership of South Sudan:

Sudan Tribune Article

PS: Peace.

Message from the Governor of Mityana to Mr Longo (Youtube-Clip)

Acie Lumumba Speaks On Botched Court Hearing (Youtube-Clip)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG4UBd-FrrE

WFP Condemns Looting Of Food Warehouse In Juba, Still Assists Thousands Affected By Fighting (14.07.2016)

05-14-fao-south-sudan

NEW YORK, United States of America, July 14, 2016 –  The World Food Programme is outraged by the looting of its main warehouse in Juba. Despite that serious setback, WFP staff have already been distributing vital food assistance to people displaced by the violence in the South Sudanese capital.

At WFP’s request, UNMISS peacekeepers did an assessment of the warehouse on the western edge of Juba on Wednesday and reported extensive looting of food. WFP staff have not yet been able to reach the warehouse to confirm the extent of the losses.

Before the fighting started at the end of last week, more than 4,500 metric tons of food was in the warehouse, enough to provide lifesaving food and nutrition assistance to about 220,000 people for a month. It also held trucks, generators and other relief items.

“WFP strongly condemns the theft of food intended for the poorest and most vulnerable people of South Sudan,” said WFP Deputy Regional Director Vernon Archibald.  “While the extent of the looting is not yet clear, we fear that the loss of these vital food supplies will severely hamper WFP’s ability to assist the tens of thousands of people who have fled their homes because of the violence.”

Regardless of the theft, Country Director Joyce Luma noted that WFP has already provided urgently needed food assistance to thousands of displaced people sheltering at UN peacekeeping bases, using stocks from a smaller warehouse in another part of town.

“In addition to providing food assistance to displace people in Juba, which is our normal role, WFP has also sheltered some 3,000 people in our main office compound, mostly women and children who fled for their lives as fighting raged around us,” said Luma.  “A new mother fled to our compound with her baby son just hours after giving birth.”

Luma added, “At the same time we cannot forget that the dire humanitarian crisis in other parts of South Sudan has not abated, and our teams throughout the country are still providing lifesaving support to millions of people who face severe hunger.”

The warehouse on the west side of Juba serves as WFP’s main logistical hub inside of South Sudan, and is used to supply WFP operations in the rest of the country.

“In past incidents of large-scale looting, WFP has been able to negotiate the return of looted food when those who took it recognized the importance of the humanitarian assistance that WFP provides,” Luma said.  “We hope that the parties responsible for this devastating loss will show their humanity and return the relief supplies so they can be used to assist thousands of innocent civilians who have been caught up in this brutal conflict.”

Church Leaders Statement on National Crisis in Zimbabwe (14.07.2016)

Zim Church Statement July 2016 P1Zim Church Statement July 2016 P2

Seychelles Calls for Greater Monitoring of AU Expenditures (14.07.2016)

Faure Sey

VICTORIA, Seychelles, July 14, 2016Seychelles has called for greater operational accountability of the African Union through thorough monitoring and evaluation mechanism.

Speaking at the 29th Executive Council of the African Union in Kigali, Rwanda today, the Head of the Seychelles Delegation, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Barry Faure, said that Seychelles was happy to support greater African ownership of African Union programmes but that stringent monitoring of the AU budget was of “paramount importance”.

He further called on the Union to “spend the resources efficiently and with utmost prudence”.

The Secretary of State added that Seychelles welcomed the re-alignment of the AU budget with the aspirational development program Agenda 2063 as the African Union tries to reduce its dependency on external funding.

The Seychelles delegation is currently attending the 27th Assembly of the African Union in Kigali, of which the gathering of Foreign Ministers forms part.

During this Summit the gathering of Heads of State are expected to address key development issues including but not limited to continental integration and the free movement of people.

Secretary of State Faure is heading the Seychelles delegation to the Executive Council and Assembly and is accompanied by the Permanent Representative to the African Union and Resident Ambassador in Addis Ababa, Mr Joseph Nourrice, Resident Seychelles Ambassador in Pretoria, Mr Claude Morel, and Principal Counsellor in the Seychelles Embassy in Addis Ababa, Mrs Amanda Bernstein.