Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | The United Nations on Thursday launched what it called a “global first” to harness private-sector funding and expertise to help tackle humanitarian crises around the world. The Nigeria Humanitarian Fund Private Sector Initiative (NHF PSI) has been set up to strengthen the response to the …
Read More »UN to double food aid to Yemen
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) said Thursday it will nearly double food aid to Yemen to reach 14 million people a month — almost half the war-ravaged country’s population. Yemen is in the grip of the world’s worst hunger crisis as government troops backed …
Read More »France promises money, guns for C.Africa
Bangui, Central African Republic | AFP | France will give the Central African Republic, its restive former colony, aid of 24 million euros ($27.4 million) and weapons, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced on Friday. “France wishes to continue its historical partnership with the Central African Republic,” the minister told …
Read More »BUDUDA: At least 41 dead in Uganda landslide
Bududa, Uganda | AFP | At least 41 people were killed after a river in eastern Uganda burst its banks, sending a torrent of mud and rocks barrelling into homes, disaster officials and survivors said Friday. Rescue teams continued picking through the rubble late Friday, searching for survivors and victims …
Read More »WFP chief urges North Korea to grant more access
Seoul, South Korea | AFP | North Korea needs to allow more access and monitoring for international aid, the head of the UN’s World Food Programme said Tuesday following a four-day visit to the country. The WFP is one of the few aid agencies operating in the isolated country, which …
Read More »Ten aid workers ‘missing’ in South Sudan
Juba, South Sudan | AFP | The UN in South Sudan said Thursday a convoy including 10 aid workers had gone missing in the southwest of the war-torn country, presumed kidnapped. The convoy disappeared after departing from the town of Yei, in Central Equatoria, early Wednesday heading for Tore, according …
Read More »Aid conference for DR Congo expected to draw $530 mn in pledges: UN
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Donors gathered in Geneva Friday were expected to cough up pledges of $530 million (430 million euros) towards addressing a towering humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the UN said. The amount was less than a quarter of the some $2.2 billion the …
Read More »EU ‘extremely concerned’ after DR Congo shuns aid talks
Goma, DR Congo | AFP | The EU said on Sunday it was “extremely concerned” about DR Congo after the country announced it would decline a $1.7 billion international aid package. A war of words broke out between the United Nations and DR Congo after Kinshasa said on Friday it would …
Read More »War of words over DR Congo’s humanitarian crisis as children die
Kananga, DR Congo | AFP | A war of words has broken out between the United Nations and the DR Congo government which is shunning a donor conference in Geneva to raise $1.7 billion to tackle a humanitarian crisis that Kinshasa says has been vastly exaggerated by aid workers. Prime …
Read More »IMF releases additional $257 mn for Tunisia
Washington, United States | AFP | The International Monetary Fund on Friday released an additional $257 million in funds for Tunisia as part of its four-year, $3 billion loan agreement. The IMF board approved the second review of the country’s economic performance under the financial aid package that was initially …
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