Disaster

Relevant information, maps and updates related to this disaster.

Horn of Africa Crisis: 2011-2012 — more than 1,000 found

Nigeria is the only country that has approved a bill for a similar independent body to cut emissions and fight global warming

By Clar Ni Chonghaile in Nairobi

Even as drought persists in parts of Kenya's arid north, intense rains are claiming lives in other parts of the country – flooding slums in the capital Nairobi, sweeping away hikers in the Rift Valley, and destroying crops.

Many Kenyans shake their heads in dismay at the increasingly extreme and volatile weather, which is costing money as well as lives in east Africa's economic powerhouse.

05/25/2012 13:07 GMT

MOGADISHU, May 25, 2012 (AFP) - African Union and Somali troops have captured the strategic town of Afgoye from Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab insurgents, who mostly fled in advance of the assault, an AU army spokesman said Friday.

"We have crossed the River Shabelle and we are now there in Afgoye, we hold the town," spokesman Paddy Ankunda told AFP. "We have been fighting since Tuesday to achieve this objective and we have achieved it now."

Agence France-Presse:

©AFP: The information provided in this product is for personal use only. None of it may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the express permission of Agence France-Presse.

ISIOLO, 25 May 2012 (IRIN) - Thousands of infants born in remote northern parts of Kenya in the past six weeks risk contracting tuberculosis (TB) due to a vaccine shortage, with medics warning that the effects could be severe in areas where there is already little access to maternity and vaccination services.

Integrated Regional Information Networks:

A selection of IRIN reports are posted on ReliefWeb. Find more IRIN news and analysis at http://www.irinnews.org

Une sélection d'articles d'IRIN sont publiés sur ReliefWeb. Trouvez d'autres articles et analyses d'IRIN sur http://www.irinnews.org

This article does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. Refer to the IRIN copyright page for conditions of use.

Cet article ne reflète pas nécessairement les vues des Nations Unies. Voir IRIN droits d'auteur pour les conditions d'utilisation.

ADDIS ABABA, 25 May 2012 (IRIN) - Aid agencies are calling for more food assistance for areas in southern and northeastern Ethiopia where erratic rains have adversely affected the mid-February to May `Belg' crop.

"We have a very significant shortage of food in much of [the] `Belg' season dependent areas of the country particularly in SNNPR, [Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region]" Mike McDonagh, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Ethiopia, told IRIN.

Integrated Regional Information Networks:

A selection of IRIN reports are posted on ReliefWeb. Find more IRIN news and analysis at http://www.irinnews.org

Une sélection d'articles d'IRIN sont publiés sur ReliefWeb. Trouvez d'autres articles et analyses d'IRIN sur http://www.irinnews.org

This article does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. Refer to the IRIN copyright page for conditions of use.

Cet article ne reflète pas nécessairement les vues des Nations Unies. Voir IRIN droits d'auteur pour les conditions d'utilisation.

This is a summary of what was said by the UNHCR spokesperson at today’s Palais des Nations press briefing in Geneva. Further information can be found on the UNHCR websites, www.unhcr.org and www.unhcr.fr, which should also be checked for regular media updates on non-briefing days.

As part of our efforts to ensure continuity of life-saving services for more than 460,000 refugees in the Dadaab refugee complex in north-eastern Kenya, we opened yesterday (Thursday, 24 May) a new office in this part of the country.

Nairobi, 25 May 2012 – The Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga, briefed the press today on the recent progress on the Somalia political process. The SRSG had just returned from three days of meetings and deliberations in Addis Ababa with the principal signatories of Roadmap for the End of Transition in Somalia. The meeting cleared many of the obstacles that have blocked the drafting and adoption of the provisional new Somali constitution and ending the transitional period on 20 August this year.

Maize farmers in the South Rift region are counting their losses after this year’s crop was infested by a deadly fungus.

They expected a bumper harvest but are now clearing their farms in a desperate attempt to contain the fungal disease identified as the leaf stripe of maize.

The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service, the government plant doctors agency, has cautioned them not to feed their animals on the infested crop.

Instead, the research institution directed them to uproot and burn it.

By Catherine Carter

It’s the night before I fly back into Mogadishu. I’ve developed a funny and slightly macabre ritual – pizza and beer with my friends here, and a phone call, one by one, to all the close family back home. Just in case.

The security briefings are a sobering reminder of what our team face every day in Somalia.

The security manager Graham spreads out a huge map and points out the locations of recent bombings and shootings. He tells me that the bombs tend to be IEDs (improvised explosive devices).

Toggle text

and 8 others
The World Bank and Gender

Report

Overview

Press Release No:2012/474/SDN

Six Countries to Receive $177 Million to Increase Incomes, and Improve Food Security

WASHINGTON May 24, 2012 – Partners in the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), a fund that supports country-led efforts to fight hunger and poverty, today announced that six countries will receive grants totaling $177 million. The grants – to Burundi, the Gambia, Kyrgyz Republic, Malawi, Senegal, and Tanzania – will help each country increase food security, raise rural incomes, and reduce poverty.

This document provides an overview of developments in the Mediterranean Basin and other regions of interest from 15 May — 21 May, with hyperlinks to source material highlighted and underlined in the text. For more information on the topics below or other issues pertaining to the region, please contact the members of the Med Basin Team, or visit our website at www.cimicweb.org.

In Focus: Al Qaeda in Syria-A Shift in the Conflict?

By Linda Lavender

Millions of people living in the Baro-Akobo-Sobat (BAS) area of the Nile Basin are to benefit from a range of multi-purpose water resources projects to be planned by the Nile Basin Initiative. On May 4, the African Development Bank approved a €2 million grant from the African Water Facility to finance the development study needed to attract the investments required to implement them. The overall project is supported jointly by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development- Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility (NEPAD-IPPF).

DSG/SM/617
AFR/2394

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro’s remarks to the African Ambassadors’ Group on “Building on Africa’s Recent Progress”, in Washington, D.C., 23 May:

I am honoured to address this distinguished group. I feel very much at home. Every year on Africa Day, we recognize the people and promise of Africa.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

  • Relief agencies have expressed concern that intensified fighting in Abyan Governorate between Republic of Yemen Government (RoYG) security forces and militant groups may lead to civilian casualties and population movements out of the area. Relief agencies are preparing contingency plans to respond to potential humanitarian needs.

  • Second blast at camp in space of nine days

  • At least three wounded (Adds details, background)

By Noor Ali

ISIOLO,Kenya, May 24 (Reuters) - At least three people were wounded in a suspected grenade attack at a hotel in a refugee camp in northeastern Kenya, police said on Thursday, nine days after another attack in the same location.

The attack occurred at a hotel in Hagadera in the Dadaab refugee camp. North Eastern Provincial Police Commander Leo Nyongesa, said the blast had wounded two people who had been rushed to hospital.

Reuters - AlertNet:



For more humanitarian news and analysis, please visit www.trust.org/alertnet

Leaders of disparate Somali factions have agreed to a timetable that will elect a new president by 20 August.

The historic deal came after three days of heated discussion in Ethiopia, attended by the six signatories.

Read the story on the BBC

CBM through its partner SPARK facilitated the formation of groups of mothers with children with disabilities at the time of the drought by providing food rations and seeds to plant. Through the CBM post emergency community empowerment projects, the 38 members of the group have undergone various trainings to strengthen their capacity. The trainings included learning the importance of immunisation, nutritional needs for their children with disabilities, improved farming techniques and group dynamics.

Mothers day

Listen to the interview

The group of 8 large economies, known as the G8 is taking food security in Africa seriously, according to Kanayo Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Mr Nwanze on Wednesday briefed the press on the G8's New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition announced in Washington D.C. last week.

MILK MATTERS The Impact of Dry Season Livestock Support on Milk Supply and Child Nutrition in Somali Region, Ethiopia

By Kate Sadler, Emily Mitchard, Abdulahi Abdi, Yoseph Shiferaw, Gezu Bekele, and Andrew Catley May 2012