United States Africa Command

Public Affairs Office

14 April 2010

USAFRICOM - related news stories

TOP NEWS RELATED TO U.S. AFRICA COMMAND AND AFRICA

Africa Partnership Station Medical Humanitarian Outreach Team Provides Care and
Services in Liberia (DVIDS)
MONROVIA, Liberia – U.S. Navy and Army personnel, attached to a Humanitarian
Civic Assistance medical team, provided medical and veterinary assistance to Liberian
citizens from April 5-25 as a part of Africa Partnership Station West.

Obama addresses deteriorating Somalia security (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Tuesday gave Treasury officials
broader power to deal with a deteriorating security situation in Somalia.

Sending Mixed Signals from Washington (Modern Ghana)

The Confusion regarding the Sudan Policy Review by the Obama Administration was
not an accident. It appears to be a very thinly designed outlet to give Sudanese
President Bashir a chance to show to the United States that He is a Democrat. And He
has failed.

Red Cross Staff Kidnapped in Congo (New York Times)

PARIS — The International Committee of the Red Cross said Tuesday that an ―armed
group‖ had kidnapped eight of its staff members in the South Kivu region of the
Democratic Republic of Congo.

4 peacekeepers missing in Darfur (CNN)

Four U.N.-African Union peacekeepers are missing in the war-torn western Sudanese
region of Darfur, the peacekeeping force said Monday.

Sudan vote suspension another blow to chaotic polls (AFP)

KHARTOUM – Sudan's electoral commission announced on Tuesday that it was
suspending voting in areas struggling with logistical problems, in the first competitive
polls in two decades already marred by an opposition boycott.
Ban recommends extension of mandate of UN mission in Western Sahara (UN News
Centre)
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today recommends that the Security Council extend the
mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
(MINURSO) until 30 April next year, saying it is indispensable for the maintenance of
the ceasefire in the dispute.

Three-Day US Conference Spotlights Ethiopia’s Future (VOA)

A three-day conference that focused on good governance, peace and security as well
as sustainable development in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa ended over the
weekend in Arlington, Virginia.

UN News Service Africa Briefs

Full Articles on UN Website
Sudan: UN welcomes two-day extension of vote in national elections
UN to assist Uganda rebuild burned World Heritage List site
UN to begin first phase of pullout of blue helmets in DR Congo by July
Funding injection allows UN agencies to fight outbreaks of measles, meningitis
in Chad
Somalia: UN agency trains health-care workers in trauma, obstetric surgery
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST:

WHEN/WHERE: Thursday, April 15; 6:00 p.m.; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: US Institute of Peace: Rebuilding Hope
WHO: Screening of "Rebuilding Hope" a film following three of Sudan's "Lost Boys" on
a journey back home to find surviving family members, and rediscover and contribute
to their homeland, followed by a panel discussion featuring the film's director, Jen
Marlowe, and one of central characters in the film.
Info: http://www.usip.org/events/rebuilding-hope-washington-dc-premiere

WHEN/WHERE: Thursday, April 15; 9:00 a.m.; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: Implications for U.S. Security Interests in the Horn of Africa
WHO: Bruce Riedel, Senior Fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Peace at the
Brookings Institution; Keynote address by Daniel Benjamin, Coordinator for
Counterterrorism at the State Department; Panel discussion on "The Future of Yemen"
with Victoria Clark, author of "Yemen: Dancing on the Heads of Snakes"; Christopher
Boucek, Associate at the Carnegie Middle East Program; and former U.S. Ambassador
to Yemen Edmund Hull
Info: http://yemenconference.eventbrite.com/

WHEN/WHERE: Thursday, April 15; 10:00 a.m.; Washington, D.C.

WHAT: House Foreign Affairs Committee: Combating Climate Change in Africa
WHO: Jonathan Pershing, Ph.D., Deputy Special Envoy, Office of the Special Envoy for
Climate Change, United States Department of State; Mr. Franklin Moore, Deputy
Assistant Administrator
Bureau for Africa, Office of the Assistant Administrator, United States Agency for
International Development; His Excellency Leon M. Rajaobelina, Chairman of the
Board, Madagascar Foundation for Protected Areas and Biodiversity, (Former Malagasy
Ambassador to the United States); Fred Boltz, Ph.D., Senior Vice-President, Global
Strategies, Conservation International
Info: http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing_notice.asp?id=1170
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FULL ARTICLE TEXT

Africa Partnership Station Medical Humanitarian Outreach Team Provides Care and
Services in Liberia (DVIDS)

MONROVIA, Liberia – U.S. Navy and Army personnel, attached to a Humanitarian

Civic Assistance medical team, provided medical and veterinary assistance to Liberian
citizens from April 5-25 as a part of Africa Partnership Station West.

The 26-person team worked with the Armed Forces of Liberia, Vets Without Borders,
and local nongovernment organizations to provide care and service to those in need.

The HCA team set up shop at two specific centers: the Bardnersville and Duport Road
Health Center, and the Gracie A. Reeves Baptist Community Medical Center. The HCA
team worked alongside the clinic staff and the Liberian Animal Welfare Society and
provided care to over 300 patients and 100 animals on a daily basis.

"This project provides a great opportunity to reach out to local Liberians and not only
fosters good will and relations between the United States and Liberia, but builds on our
previous APS medical and veterinary services conducted last September," said Lt. John
Meeting, APS medical planner and officer in charge.

The APS medical team provided routine medical and dental care, as well as optometry
services where patients can have their eyes checked and receive eyeglasses if needed. A
biomedical repair and hemodialysis technician was also available to repair broken
medical equipment and restore much-needed services.

The veterinary team, consisting of U.S. Army vets and volunteers from Vets Without
Borders, provided rabies vaccinations and overall care for animals. They also worked
closely with the Liberian Ministry of Agriculture and the United States Agency for
International Development to improve veterinary laboratory and food protection
services within the country.
"It's really great to be part of something like this because the need here is so great," said
Lt. Paul Mayo, a Navy optometrist. "It is very rewarding to diagnosis and treat
preventable blindness early in a patient that might not otherwise receive this care."

"This is a good program for forging relationships between the U.S. and Liberia," said
Liberian army Pfc. Clonlakhar Klede, a medic attached to the HCA team. "I appreciate
the opportunity to train and learn with the U.S. military,"

"APS is all about building relationships," said Meeting. "This is a two-way learning
experience, they learn from us and we learn from them."

APS West is an international initiative developed by Naval Forces Europe and Naval
Forces Africa to improve maritime safety and security in West and Central Africa.
--------------------
Next commander of U.S. Air Forces Africa named (Stars and Stripes)

Brig. Gen. Margaret H. Woodward has been named the next commander of 17th Air
Force and U.S. Air Forces Africa, a command with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base,
Germany, the Defense Department announced late last week.

Woodward, the vice commander of 18th Air Force, Air Mobility Command, at Scott Air
Base, Ill., is poised to become only the second commander of 17th Air Force since the
command was reactivated at Ramstein in October 2008 as the air component of U.S.
Africa Command.

Woodward will replace Maj. Gen. Ronald R. "Ron" Ladnier, who will be retiring,
according to 17th Air Force officials.

No date has been set yet for the change-of-command ceremony.

More than 300 airmen are assigned to 17th Air Force. The unit is responsible for all Air
Force activities in the Africa theater, spanning 53 countries and more than 900 million
people, according to the 17th Air Force Web site.
--------------------
Obama addresses deteriorating Somalia security (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Tuesday gave Treasury officials

broader power to deal with a deteriorating security situation in Somalia.

Obama's action would allow the Treasury Department to sanction or freeze the assets of
individuals involved in piracy off Somalia's coast or militants who have done anything
to threaten the shaky nation's stability.
The piracy and eroding security in Somalia, where al-Qaida linked insurgents are
finding sanctuary, "constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national
security and foreign policy of the United States," Obama said in an executive order.

The order targets anyone who threatens the peace, interferes with the delivery of
humanitarian assistance or violates the United Nations arms embargo in the lawless
nation.

Earlier Tuesday, Treasury officials imposed new sanctions on nearly a dozen suspected
Islamist militants, including some linked to the al-Shabab terrorist group in Somalia.

Under the new sanctions, Treasury officials are targeting Somali Islamist leader Sheik
Hassan Dahir Aweys, who is on U.S. and U.N. lists of individuals with links to al-
Qaida. Last year Aweys said he was working to unite his Islamic Party with al-Shabab,
a Somali militant faction allied with al-Qaida.

Al-Shabab is battling to overthrow the weak, U.S.-backed Somali government. Somalia

has not had an effective government for about two decades.

The move by Treasury would freeze any of the Somali militants' assets in U.S.
jurisdictions. U.S. authorities say they are increasingly concerned that Somalia has
become a safe haven for Islamic extremists and a sanctuary for al-Qaida-linked training
camps.

The move to sanction the Somali militants comes as U.S. diplomats and defense leaders
are working with the shaky government in Mogadishu to determine how to support its
offensive against al-Qaida linked insurgents.

The Treasury Department said that it would also freeze the assets of: Abshir Abdillahi,
44; Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki, 66; Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamed, 33; Yasin Ali
Baynah, 44; Mohamed Abdi Garaad, 37; Yemane Ghebreab, 59; Fuad Mohamed Khalaf;
Bashir Mohamed Mahamoud, 28; Mohamed Sa'id, 44; and Fares Mohammed Mana'a, a
Yemeni who reportedly holds a diplomatic passport from Yemen. All of the ages are
estimates provided by the department.

Mana'a, one of the biggest arms dealers in Yemen, has been arrested and in the custody
of Yemeni authorities for more than a month.
--------------------
Sending Mixed Signals from Washington (Modern Ghana)

The Confusion regarding the Sudan Policy Review by the Obama Administration was
not an accident. It appears to be a very thinly designed outlet to give Sudanese
President Bashir a chance to show to the United States that He is a Democrat. And He
has failed.

Shortly after President Obama took Office there were inklings that a change in the
Policy in Sudan was in the works. One of the proposed actions was to remove Sudan
from the List of Countries that are State Sponsors of Terrorism. Early last year the
Israelis struck at Sudan on two different occasions targeting convoys that were
reportedly sending Arms to support Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Also the Sudanese
Government has supported the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) a Militia seeking to
overthrow the Ugandan Government. As long as these issues remain Sudan cannot be
removed from that list.

Another point of contention was the Comprehensive Peace Accord between Khartoum
and the Rebels in the South. This accord which was negotiated with the assistance of the
Bush Administration and signed in 2005 set forward the motions that would allow for
Presidential and Parliamentary Elections that are currently occurring. Another Critical
aspect would allow for Southern Sudan to have the opportunity to vote to secede from
the Country this coming January.

During the last critical days prior to the Elections once again the Administration was
sending out mixed signals regarding this critical event. First of all the Diplomats were
not speaking to each other. The US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice was concerned
over the reports of increasing violence in the Country. The Special Envoy to Sudan Gen
Gration said that these were ―minor difficulties‖ in what was expected to be a free and
fair election. A similar statement also came from the State Department itself. This is not
a good return for the $100 Million that the US Government allocated to defray some of
the costs of the poll as part of the CPA.

Candidates for the two main Opposition Parties decided to Boycott the Elections. This is
disheartening as it now appears that the reelection of President Bashir will be a fait
accompli now. This will raise questions regarding whether or not this was planned by
the Government. But if the poll results are as what many pundits believe what will be
the result? Better yet what will occur in the United States?

First of all a new administration has the right and privilege to conduct what ever
Foreign Policy it deems will advance the interests of the United States. The appearance
of the administration to support the Government of Bashir will anger not only those
from Darfur who have suffered for a decade but will also been seen as a slap in the face
of those from the South. The United States helped negotiate the CPA as an Honest
Broker. The actions of this Administration have undermined the CPA as much as the
Sudanese Government. There are also reports that some of the Northern Resistance
Groups will launch new operations if President Bashir is reelected.
Currently the LRA Disarmament Bill is in the House of Representatives. It is seen by
some as supporting the Efforts of President Museveni to remain in Power to fund his
Military Machine. In the Past the Sudanese Intelligence services have used the LRA as a
proxy force to exert influence. Earlier this week there were reports of a series of attacks
in Ezzo County which is in Western Equateur Province. Relations with the Central
African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be influenced by this
Legislation as well as Uganda.

Although there is a Peace Deal with Chad there are now reports that the followers of
Khalil Ibriham who was driven out of Chad earlier this year are regrouping in Darfur.
Kenya has close ties with the Southern Sudanese as well. On Friday some Kenyan
nationals began leaving the region as well. How will the Administation support these
key allies?

This also has the potential for becoming a Huge Issue for the Republicans in the Mid-
Term Elections this fall. There are some conservatives who are upset with the fiasco
regarding Missile Defense. Angry Activists who have been working on Darfur or other
Sudan related issues could form a coalition to punish the Democrats this fall for the
glaring weakness in Foreign Policy. There is also a small US Military team in Southern
Sudan training the GOSS Army in small unit tactics. Its possible that in the near future
that these troops will soon be in Harm's Way.

Indecision does breed crisis. And in Sudan it appears that shortly there will be one
erupting very soon. Hopefully this is not what the Administration wanted.
--------------------
Red Cross Staff Kidnapped in Congo (New York Times)

PARIS — The International Committee of the Red Cross said Tuesday that an ―armed
group‖ had kidnapped eight of its staff members in the South Kivu region of the
Democratic Republic of Congo.

In a statement on its Web site, the organization said from its headquarters in Geneva
that seven of the people seized were Congolese and one was Swiss. They are being held
in an area where chaos took root after the violence of the 1994 genocide in neighboring
Rwanda spread across the border to Congo.

In recent months, fighting in the area has forced thousands of civilians to flee their
homes.

The Red Cross statement said the hostages had been held since Friday by a group called
the Mai Mai Yakutumba. ―The staff were seized around 2 p.m. local time after
completing an assessment of the needs of displaced people in the area,‖ the statement
said.
It quoted Franz Rauchenstein, the head of the Red Cross delegation in Congo, as
demanding their release ―as quickly as possible.‖

―We are in contact with our colleagues, and their families have been briefed on the
situation,‖ the Red Cross statement said, without saying whether there had been contact
with the kidnappers.

―We continue to insist that the strictly neutral, impartial and humanitarian nature of
our work be recognized, and that our colleagues be able to return to their loved ones
soon,‖ Mr. Rauchenstein said.

The Red Cross said it maintained a permanent presence in South Kivu in the towns of
Bukavu, Uvira, Marungu and Fizi.
--------------------
4 peacekeepers missing in Darfur (CNN)

Four U.N.-African Union peacekeepers are missing in the war-torn western Sudanese
region of Darfur, the peacekeeping force said Monday.

The peacekeepers were last seen Sunday evening when they left Nyala, the capital of
South Darfur state. They were headed to their private quarters about 4.3 miles (7
kilometers) away, said UNAMID -- a United Nations and African Union force
designated to keep peace in the region.

"There have been no sightings of our staff and we are deeply concerned for their well-
being," said Ibrahim Gambari, head of UNAMID.

The mission said it was working with the Sudanese government and local authorities to
try to find the staffers.

Darfur has been beset by conflict since 2003. The joint mission began operations in
December 2007 and has been the target of several deadly attacks since then.

The force is expected to remain in Darfur until July.

The peacekeepers disappeared the same day that millions of Sudanese headed to the
polls for the country's first presidential and parliamentary elections in 24 years.

Last week, the European Union announced it was withdrawing its observers from
Darfur because of security concerns, and there have been tensions between government
and opposition activists during the election campaign, UNAMID said.
The violence in Darfur erupted in 2003 after rebels began an uprising against the
Sudanese government.

To counter the rebels, Arab militias with ties to the Sudanese government went from
village to village in Darfur, killing, torturing and raping residents there, according to
the United Nations, Western governments and human rights organizations. The militias
targeted civilian members of tribes from which the rebels drew strength.

The United Nations estimates that 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict in
Darfur, and 2.5 million have been forced to flee their homes. Sudan denies the death toll
is that high.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President
Omar Hassan al-Bashir, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity --
charges he denies.

He is running for the presidency in the current elections.

--------------------
Sudan vote suspension another blow to chaotic polls (AFP)

KHARTOUM – Sudan's electoral commission announced on Tuesday that it was

suspending voting in areas struggling with logistical problems, in the first competitive
polls in two decades already marred by an opposition boycott.

"We decided to freeze the election in some constituencies because of technical

problems" for two months, commission deputy secretary general Abdullah Ahmed
Abdullah told reporters.

Voting kicked off on Sunday to a chaotic start, prompting the National Election
Commission to prolong the voting process by two-days to end on Thursday.

Abdallah did not elaborate on the problems, but delays in distributing ballot and the
opening of polling stations had already prompted the NEC to announce a two-day
extension to the scheduled three days of voting.

That announcement followed appeals for a prolongation of polling from both the
southern former rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement and former US president
Jimmy Carter, whose Carter Center is monitoring the election.

Interview: Carter says Sudan elections face logistical problems, not fraud

Carter, who is leading a team of 70 observers across Sudan, said on Tuesday the two-
day extension was probably enough to allow everyone to vote.
"There are some problems but they are trying to be corrected and I think it's a very good
decision by the NEC to extend the voting for two more days," Carter told AFP in an
interview.

"I think these two extra days will probably be enough," he added."

The former president said there was "no evidence of fraud" in the process.

Related article: Dial 606 for your Sudan voting complaints

NEC also said voter turnout was 40-67 percent, based on preliminary estimates in seven
of 25 states.

Lam Akol, the only challenger to southern leader Salva Kiir for the post of head of the
autonomous south, accused the southern army of opening fire at a polling station in
Unity State, killing two voters and wounding a candidate. The report was not
confirmed by independent sources.

Sudanese had been trickling into polling stations on the third day of voting.

"There are few people this morning. There is no rush because people have two more
days to vote," said Fawzia Ahmed Mirghani, one of the few to turn up to vote on
Tuesday at Abdelbaset's polling station.

In the complicated ballot, which has baffled many voters, voters are asked to choose a
president, as well as local and legislative representatives.

In Shirikat, near the southern capital of Juba, the local polling station opened for just
one hour on Monday before closing again. By noon on Tuesday it had still not
reopened, an AFP reporter said.

During what has now become a five-day vote, more than 10,000 polling stations are
scheduled to open from 8:00 am (O500 GMT) to 6:00 pm daily.

The US State Department said snags were to be expected in the landmark election.

"Obviously, it's going to be difficult for Sudan to carry out (the elections). They haven't
done this in a while. So we will not be surprised if there are irregularities," State
Department spokesman Philip Crowley said in Washington.

"There's some evidence that there have been some difficulties in the first two days of
voting. But it is important that the election reflect the will of the Sudanese people,"
Crowley said.
Many Sudanese fear the worst and believe the announcement of the results of the ballot
could spark clashes in Sudan, whose recent history has been plagued by civil wars.

"If there are problems in the beginning, there will be problems at the end," said Salwa
al-Amir, 56, a retired air hostess.

Even before polling started, the credibility of the vote had been marred by a pullout of
the opposition, who accused President Omar al-Beshir's National Congress Party of
rigging the election.

Profile: Omar al-Beshir, Sudanese president wanted for war crimes

With the withdrawal of key presidential challengers, Yasser Arman of the former rebel
Sudan People's Liberation Movement and former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi,
Beshir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in war-torn
Darfur, looks to secure a comfortable win.

By contrast, legislative and local elections remain fiercely competitive in many parts of
the country.
------
Ban recommends extension of mandate of UN mission in Western Sahara (UN News
Centre)

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today recommends that the Security Council extend the
mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
(MINURSO) until 30 April next year, saying it is indispensable for the maintenance of
the ceasefire in the dispute.

In his report to the Security Council on the situation in Western Sahara, Mr. Ban also
recommends that the Council reiterate its call that both parties to the dispute, Morocco
and Frente Polisario, negotiate in good faith and without any preconditions, under the
auspices of Secretary-General’s personal envoy Christopher Ross.

Mr. Ban welcomes both parties’ commitment to the process of negotiations and their
willingness to engage in the preparatory informal format. He notes, however, that two
informal meetings held in August 2009 and February this year produced no movement
on the core substantive issues, and more work is needed before a fifth round can be
held.

Mr. Ban says that his special envoy’s efforts to promote a settlement have been
―laborious‖. ―Their pace and substance have been heavily affected by the parties’
reaction to events in the region and their unyielding attachment to mutually exclusive
positions,‖ the Secretary-General says.
―Nonetheless, he [the special envoy] continues to make intensive efforts to promote a
mutually acceptable political solution that will provide for the self-determination of the
people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements consistent with the principles
and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations. Such a solution is a prerequisite for
the return of the refugees to their homes and the reinforcement of stability,
development and integration in the region,‖ the Secretary-General adds.

Fighting broke out between Morocco and the Frente Polisario after the Spanish colonial
administration of Western Sahara ended in 1976. Morocco has presented a plan for
autonomy while the position of the Frente Polisario is that the territory’s final status
should be decided in a referendum on self-determination that includes independence as
an option.

MINURSO is tasked with monitoring the ceasefire reached in September 1991 and
organizing a referendum on self-determination.

In his report Mr. Ban remains concerned about the continuing violations of a military
agreement by the parties and notes that it is their responsibility to ensure that violations
are not committed by their military forces.

The Secretary-General expresses concern over the plight of the Western Saharan
refugees and urges both parties to confirm their agreement to the expansion of the
family visit programme and to accelerate their consultations with the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees on its implementation.

On human rights, Mr. Ban says that each side continues to accuse the other of violations
and urges both parties to remain engaged in continuous and constructive dialogue with
the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Mr. Ban says he is pleased about the decrease in the number of accidents due to
landmines and explosive remnants of war in the region, but notes that the higher
number of victims highlights the urgent need to increase coordination and operations.

He says that mine action activities by MINURSO, the Royal Moroccan Army and
Landmine Action have proved invaluable and contribute directly and positively to the
safety of the civilian population in the region, as well as of UN personnel.
------
Three-Day US Conference Spotlights Ethiopia’s Future (VOA)

A three-day conference that focused on good governance, peace and security as well
as sustainable development in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa ended over the
weekend in Arlington, Virginia.
Aklog Birara, a senior advisor at the World Bank and an organizer of the conference,
said it was a soul-searching conference, adding that Ethiopia’s future and that of the
Horn of Africa will largely depend on the talent pool of experts in the Diaspora.

―One of the features that really attracted me is the fact that it [conference] drew a
cross-section of experts -- foreign experts, Europeans, Americans, Ethiopians, and
Ethiopian-Americans from different backgrounds. Overall, there were more than 70
speakers on different topics,‖ he said.

The conference organized by Advocacy for Ethiopia (AFE) and the Ethiopian National
Priorities Consultative Process attracted specialists, former diplomats, human rights
activists, and scholars, as well as top officials of the international community.

Birara said the conference also focused on how countrymen living abroad can help
improve the lives of Ethiopians back home.

―The focus was on Ethiopia, the Ethiopian people, and the Horn of Africa
particularly. What is it that all of us can do that will make a difference in terms of the
ordinary people in Ethiopia. What is it that we can provide in terms of really
engendering hope (and) aspiration. Bridging relations, for example, across ideological
and ethnic lines,‖ Birara said.

The organizers believe that development in Ethiopia, the stability and its viability, as
well as peace and economic development in the region are tied to how Addis Ababa
and the international donor community can work together to address previously
unmet challenges.

They also said the stakes for Ethiopia and its population of 83 million people are
higher than at any other time in its history.

Birara said unity and dialogue among Ethiopians could help rebuilding efforts.

―One of the areas that we tried to explore was we can’t just be constant critics. How is
it that we can bridge relationships in order to contribute our part at least in building
durable, strong-pluralized institutions in Ethiopia? I think the fact is that we do not
reach out to one another across ethnic lines. Dialogue among us, you know. And also
dialogue between the opposition parties and government. We need to really
accentuate the reaching out,‖ Birara said.

He added that if Ethiopians fail to come together, the challenges facing the country
will persist.
------

UN News Service Africa Briefs

Full Articles on UN Website

Sudan: UN welcomes two-day extension of vote in national elections

13 April – The United Nations today welcomed the decision by Sudanese electoral
authorities to extend the voting period in the country’s historic elections until Thursday
to allow them to deal with the many technical challenges that have emerged during the
ballot.

UN to assist Uganda rebuild burned World Heritage List site

13 April – The United Nations will help Uganda mobilize resources to restore the
Tombs of Buganda Kings, a World Heritage List site, following their near-destruction in
a fire last month.

UN to begin first phase of pullout of blue helmets in DR Congo by July

13 April – The top United Nations official in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC) told the Security Council today that the first stage of withdrawing blue helmets
from the country by July is ―operationally feasible,‖ but the safety of civilians under
threat from militias and criminals remains a priority.

Funding injection allows UN agencies to fight outbreaks of measles, meningitis in Chad

13 April – The United Nations has allocated $2.7 million in emergency funding to two
of its humanitarian agencies so they can help combat fresh outbreaks of measles and
meningitis in Chad.

Somalia: UN agency trains health-care workers in trauma, obstetric surgery

13 April – The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) is training trauma
and emergency obstetric surgery workers in Mogadishu, the Somali capital where
fighting between Government forces and their supporters and Islamic militant rebel
groups killed or injured more than 900 people last month.