Today at the G-8 Foreign Ministers meeting in London, the United States joined G-8 partners in support of the United Kingdom’s Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, and reaffirmed its commitment to work with the international community to strengthen global coordination and individual countries’ capacity to prevent sexual violence; promote justice and accountability; and provide care for survivors of such violence.

Djibouti:

New Arrivals: In February 2013, an estimated 7,648 migrants arrived on Yemen’s shores via Djibouti, a 30% increase from January. The migrants were 24% less than those who landed on the coast of Yemen via Djibouti in February 2012. Migrants journey from Loya Ade, to Tadjoura and onward to Obock. Obock remains the main departure point from Djibouti to Yemen.

Boats: A total of 100 vessels left via the Red Sea for Yemen carrying an average of 76 passengers per trip in the month of February.

Highlights

• On 7 April, the International Donor Conference for Darfur began in Doha, seeking $7.2 billion for recovery, reconstruction and development in Darfur.
• WFP starts food distributions to some 51,000 people in Blue Nile State for the first time since September 2011.
• Thousands of people take refuge near the UNAMID team sites in Muhajeriya and Labado towns in East Darfur following fighting between SAF and SLA-MM.
• Inter-tribal conflict leads to new civilian displacement in Central and South Darfur.

04/10/2013 14:56 GMT

by Abdelmoneim Abu Edris Ali

KHARTOUM, April 10, 2013 (AFP) - Sudan's defence minister, who is wanted for alleged war crimes in Darfur, said on Wednesday that improving relations with South Sudan will help to "end" a decade-old rebellion in the western region.

"The implementation of the cooperation agreements with South Sudan will affect security in Darfur," Defence Minister Abdelrahim Mohammed Hussein said in a national security briefing to parliament.

Displaced in South Sudan suffer from aftermath of LRA violence

A new report conducted by DRC/DDG in South Sudan shows that the population is still suffering from widespread and enduring social trauma as a result of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) violence, even though the militant group has disappeared from the country.

9 April 2013 – The international community is losing vast amounts of agricultural production due to the effects of continuing land degradation such as desertification, a new United Nations study has warned, adding that without sustainable land management, development initiatives the world over will be stymied.

Sudan needs a political framework to foster comprehensive peace. Neglecting it will doom peace and nation-building efforts

The crisis in Darfur is now a decade old, yet fighting continues. More people were displaced by a surge of violence in January than in the whole of 2012. Over half the population (3.5 million Darfuris) still receives food aid – about the same amount as five years ago when the Darfur crisis was said to be at its height. Even more telling of the suffering of civilians, 1.4 million of those receiving food aid are still living in "temporary" camps.

Hilde F. Johnson, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in South Sudan, condemns in the strongest terms the killing today of five peacekeepers and seven civilians working with UNMISS in an ambush by unidentified assailants near the settlement of Gumuruk, Jonglei State. At least nine additional peacekeepers and civilians were injured in the attack and some remain unaccounted for.

Ms. Johnson expresses her deepest condolences to the families of all the peacekeepers, colleagues and civilians killed in the attack.

Les habitants de cinq localités du territoire de Faradje, à plus de 800 Km au Nord-Est de Kisangani (Province Orientale) ont quitté leurs villages pour se refugier dans les localités voisines. Ils ont fui des incursions à répétition des hommes en armes identifiés à la rébellion ougandaise de la LRA depuis fin mars, a indiqué le commissaire du district du Haut-Uélé, Dieudonné Rwabona, ce lundi 8 avril.