Zimbabwe: Bulawayo – ‘We will be implementing a water shedding programme in November 2016 if we do not have any substantial inflows in the dams’ (12.10.2016)

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Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on Guinea-Bissau [EN/FR] (11.10.2016)

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The Secretary-General welcomes the start of an inclusive dialogue among political leaders, civil society and religious communities of Guinea-Bissau today in Guinea. The dialogue is the crucial first step in implementing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) roadmap to end the political crisis, which political leaders agreed to in Bissau on 10 September 2016.

The Secretary-General thanks the ECOWAS Mediator for Guinea-Bissau, H.E. Mr. Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea, for hosting the parties and leading the regional effort to swiftly implement the roadmap. He further encourages all parties to engage in constructive discussions and seize this opportunity for a favourable outcome in the interest of the people of Guinea-Bissau. He calls on all parties to jointly achieve decisive progress within the coming days, in order to break the political impasse that has prevailed in the country since August 2015.

The Secretary-General has requested his Special Representative in Guinea-Bissau and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS), Mr. Modibo I. Touré, to continue to work closely with all stakeholders in Guinea-Bissau. This he will do in close collaboration with ECOWAS, the African Union and other key partners, including the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries and the European Union as they work towards political stability in Guinea-Bissau.

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Le Secrétaire général salue le début d’un dialogue inclusif entre les chefs politiques, la société civile et les communautés religieuses bissau-guinéens aujourd’hui en Guinée. Ce dialogue est une première étape décisive dans la mise en œuvre de la feuille de route de la Communauté économique des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) pour mettre fin à la crise politique, qui a été adoptée par les dirigeants politiques à Bissau le 10 septembre 2016.

Le Secrétaire général remercie le médiateur de la CEDEAO pour la Guinée-Bissau, S.E. M. Alpha Condé, Président de la République de Guinée, d’accueillir les parties et de mener l’effort régional pour mettre en œuvre la feuille de route rapidement. Il encourage toutes les parties à s’engager dans des discussions constructives pour accomplir ensemble des progrès décisifs dans les prochains jours, afin de mettre fin à l’impasse politique qui prévaut dans le pays depuis août 2015.

Le Secrétaire général a demandé à son Représentant spécial et Chef du Bureau intégré des Nations Unies pour la consolidation de la paix en Guinée-Bissau (UNIOGBIS), M. Modibo I. Touré, de continuer à coopérer étroitement avec toutes les parties prenantes en Guinée-Bissau. Il le fera en collaboration étroite avec la CEDEAO, l’Union africaine, et les partenaires clés, y compris la Communauté des pays de langue portugaise et l’Union européenne, dans leurs efforts en faveur de la stabilité politique en Guinée-Bissau.

The 631st Meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council on the Situation in Burundi (12.10.2016)

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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, October 12, 2016 -The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 631st meeting, held on 6 October 2016, adopted the following decision on the situation in Burundi:

Council,

1.    Takes note of the briefing made by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission for the Great Lakes region, Professor Ibrahima Fall, as well as the statements by the representatives of the Republic of Angola, as  member of the African Member in the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations (UN), the European Union and the permanent members of the Security Council namely France, United Kingdom and the United States of America;

2.    Recalls its previous communiqués and press statements on the situation in Burundi, in particular, Communiqué PSC/PR/COMM.(DLXXXI) adopted at its 581stmeeting held on 9 March 2016;

3.    Acknowledges that   the security situation in the country has improved, especially in the capital city Bujumbura and its surrounding areas. In this respect, Council urges the Government of Burundi to continue enhance security and safety, ensuring fundamental freedoms and civil liberties for all Burundians, including through reopening the space for the media;

4.    Strongly condemns all incidents of violations of human rights, arbitrary arrests and targeted killings by whomsoever in the country and urges the Government to take further stern and urgent measures to put these actions to a definite end;

5.    Reiterates the imperative of urgent resumption of the Inter-Burundian Dialogue under the aegis of the East African Community (EAC) as the only practical way forward to resolve the crisis in the country. In this regard, Council reaffirms the need fora consensual approach among all the Burundian stakeholders to address and resolve contentious issues relating to the situation in the country, and in so doing, to uphold the Constitution and the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement of August 2000;

6.    Underscores the need for the deployment of additional the AU human rights observers and military experts in line with the relevant decisions of Council, to monitor and report on the human rights and security situation in Burundi. In this respect, Council calls for full cooperation of the Burundian authorities and other concerned stakeholders in the country;

7.    Urges the Government of Burundi to speed up the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the AU Commission for the smooth deployment of the AU human rights observers and military experts in Burundi, as well as to start discussion with the UN on the modalities to deploy 228 UN police officers as adopted by the UN Security Council resolution 2303 (2016) of 29 July 2016;

8.    Further urges the Government of Burundi, in consultation with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the countries hosting Burundian refugees, to promote and ensure safe conditions for the return of refugees into the country and their resumption of normal life;

9.    Requests the AU Commission to continue to closely monitoring the situation in Burundi and to brief Council on a regular basis, in order for it to take appropriate decisions;

10.    Requests the Commission to take the necessary measures to invite the EAC Facilitator of the Inter-Burundian Dialogue, former President Benjamin Mkapa to brief Council on the status of the Dialogue;

11.    Further requests the Chairperson of the Commission to transmit this communique to the United Nations Secretary-General, for it to be circulated as an official working document to members of the UN Security Council in time for their meeting on Burundi scheduled for 13 October 2016;

12.    Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Zimbabwe Youth Council Statement on the Support Rendered by the Minister of High & Tertiary Education through ZIMDEF (11.10.2016)

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Somalia: International Community notes Nominations for Upper House and Urges Rapid Review in line with NLF Commitments, particularly on Woman’s Representation (10.10.2016)

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South Africa: SADC EPA agreement with the EU takes effect today (10.10.2016)

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Statement by the Spokesperson on Ethiopia’s announcement of a state of emergency (10.10.2016)

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The government of Ethiopia announced over the weekend a state of emergency for six months.

Fundamental human rights must be respected at all times as announced by Prime Minister Hailemariam. The suspension of political and democratic rights should be avoided.

Today’s parliamentary session offers the opportunity to open the way for an inclusive dialogue in response to the grievances of the population. This should lead to a comprehensive reform package.

Violence, whichever side it comes from, has no place in this endeavour.  Now it is time for all forces, inside and outside Ethiopia, to restore calm and join in ensuring that Ethiopia can pursue the path of democracy and development.

Zimbabwe: More on Bond-notes as they are coming while the banks are cash-strapped as ever…

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This week there are reports that some banks are only delivering cash of the value of $30 and most of it is in coins, not even bank-notes.

There are reports of cash crisis in Bulawayo, where the businesses and corporations are only allowed to take out cash in the values $100-300 at the banks.

The release of Bond-Notes has not delivered strength or given the citizens of Zimbabwe any more power in trading or living standards. The release of Bond-Notes only happens given the government new excuses to buy fresh cars.

Justas there are now reports of the Zimbabwe Development Fund used by the ZANU-PF and their Youth League to hold sham demonstrations in March as a counter to the #ThisFlag and #NERADemos. That proves what development funds are used to. What will so the vitalizing of the economy with the Bond-Notes?

This economy is so in shambles that the government has been reported sold over 25,000 baby Elephants to the Chinese, also tried to get farmers to swap from Maize to Millet to cash in on export of the crop instead of feeding their own.

All of this is happening as the nepotism of the government continues with the President son-in-law Simba Chikore getting a noble position in the faltering, but still viable Air Zimbabwe.

While this is happening the ironic so-called or somewhat of cornerstone of journalism are reporting about suit selling hawker in Harare, than all the cash-strapped issue the Republic has. But hey, the BBC has surely written enough about the Kardashians this week.

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This has been official reported:

“Zimbabwe’s vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa has just undone weeks of careful PR by the beleaguered central bank chief by saying the about-to-be-introduced bond notes will be a currency, if a report by the official Herald newspaper is to be believed” (…) “The Herald quoted the vice president on Friday as saying: “We need a mode of transaction which we can control in the country on the basis of security provided by the [African Export-Import] Bank 200 million.” (…) “will be able to have a currency that circulates within its jurisdiction” (…) “When reporter Bernard Mpofu telephoned Mangudya, he was reportedly told that his questions “did not help anyone” (News24/AllAfrica.com, 07.10.2016).

So the borrowed monies, that will add on debt to the nation and most likely give the country more inflation as the county is already cash-strapped by the little cash given to the citizens from the banks.

Next up is the 2008 formula and make emergency notes with Trillion upon Trillion in value to seal the inflation and debt level made by the government.

The Robert Mugabe only cares about himself and keeping his power at this point. Therefore he pays of his men with cars and bigger bonuses while the others who are not needed by him are in long lines asking for breadcrumbs and little given to them. Nearly none, and not even given to them what they have worked for because the banks doesn’t even pay out the salaries or needed cash to pay of their rent and food. Peace.

Burundi: Conseil des Ministres du Jeudi 06 Octobre 2016 – Ordre du Jour Revise (06.10.2016)

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Communiqué: la Délégation de l’UE au Burundi demande au Burundi Gov. de coopérer avec l’UA et le Conseil des DH (04.10.2016)

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