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Security Council calls on federal government and regional states to work together for inclusive elections.
In May, Burundi held a presidential election which was won by Evariste Ndayishimiye, candidate of the ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Forces for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party.
Ndayishimiye was hurriedly sworn in after the untimely death of president Pierre Nkurunziza in June.
Rights violations continue
The Council encouraged donor countries which had suspended aid to Burundi to continue dialogue towards resumption of development assistance.
A report by a UN watchdog in September said human rights violations were still being committed in Burundi, including sexual violence and murder.
The country was plunged into a crisis in April 2015 when Ndayishimiye’s predecessor Pierre Nkurunziza decided to run for a controversial third term, which he ultimately won in July 2015.
His candidature, which was opposed by the opposition and civil society groups, resulted in a wave of protests, violence and even a failed coup in May 2015.
Hundreds of people were killed and over 300,000 fled to neighboring countries.
Nine Minneapolis City Council members made a commitment this week to start the process of defunding and “dismantling” the police department, City Council President Lisa Bender said Sunday.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday the city would move some of its police department funding to youth and social services.
Going forward, the city will also remove street vendor enforcement from the New York Police Department’s responsibilities, so police can focus on the “real drivers of crime,” the mayor said.
On Sunday, the AMA’s board of trustees put out a statement denouncing “police brutality and all forms of racially motivated violence,” saying they opposed all forms of racism and committed to “actively work to dismantle racist and discriminatory policies and practices across all of healthcare.”
“AMA policy recognizes that physical or verbal violence between law enforcement officers and the public, particularly among Black and Brown communities where these incidents are more prevalent and pervasive, is a critical determinant of health and supports research into the public health consequences of these violent interactions,” Ehrenfeld and Harris said in the statement.
Communique of the Extraordinary African Union (AU) Bureau of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government video-teleconference meeting on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)
President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa, and Chairperson of the African Union (AU) convened a video-teleconference Meeting of the African Union (AU) Extraordinary Bureau of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, on 26 June 2020, to discuss developments pertaining to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
The Meeting of the Bureau was held pursuant to consultations undertaken by His Excellency, President Ramaphosa, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Union with the three Negotiating Parties concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), namely, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan.
The Bureau of the Assembly was addressed by His Excellency, President Abdel Fattah al Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt; His Excellency, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmad of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; and His Excellency, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok of the Republic of Sudan, with regards to their respective positions pertaining to the GERD matter.
In this regard, the Bureau of the Assembly agreed to augment the Tripartite Committee dealing with the GERD issue consisting of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan with the participation of observers, namely South Africa in its capacity as Chairperson of the AU, Members of the Bureau of the AU, and experts from the Commission, with a view to addressing outstanding technical and legal issues.
The Bureau of the Assembly and participating Heads of State and Government welcomed the intervention of H.E. President Ramaphosa and expressed their deep gratitude for his initiative to bring together the three Parties to the GERD in order to find a negotiated solution on outstanding matters.
Incorporating and tapping into African youth skills and talents require recent data on the current state of young people and the skills and talents they possess.
African countries, the African Union, the United Nations, the African Development Bank, the World Bank, think tanks, and other stakeholders that have an interest in harnessing the youth dividend to bring prosperity and sustainable development to the African continent post- COVID-19 need to have real-time data.
These surveys should seek to capture the unique challenges that African youth have faced before and during the pandemic and get feedback on the future aspirations of the youth, including the type of jobs and employment opportunities they will seek post-COVID-19.
Once African countries have data, it is crucial to put together task forces consisting of diverse experts, including young experts, to analyze the survey data and use the answers to come up with blueprints and white papers on how best they can use the talents and skills of young people to develop the continent while creating employment opportunities.
Efforts towards engaging, empowering, and tapping onto African youth skills, talents, and capabilities as countries continue to battle COVID-19 and work towards reopening countries must be intensified and accelerated at local, national, and regional levels.
The United Nations Human Rights Council opened a special, unscheduled debate on Wednesday to discuss the issue of racism and police brutality in the United States in the wake of the murder of black American George Floyd.
Black Lives Matter supporters march in France and across the world against police brutality
Protests against police violence and racism in US to go ahead in Paris despite Covid-19
African nations in the council have called for a international commission of inquiry that would report back in a year about US police brutality and systematic racism in the US and elsewhere, a call that those against the plan have cited as only to be used for more serious human rights violations.
Hours before the debate was about to start, Andrew Bremberg, US ambassador to the UN in Geneva, said that the US is not above scrutiny, but all the other countries where racism is a problem need to be noted as well.
Botswana submitted the draft resolution, and its ambassador to Switzerland, Athaliah Lesiba Molokomme, spoke during the debate, focusing on the uprising of people on the streets of the US and elsewhere, protesting against racism and brutality.
Philonise Floyd ended his comments on the state of racism in the US, saying that the slaying of his brother, George, was not unique.
Ugandas 18-year-long battle against the brutal Lords Resistance Army (LRA), an extremist rebel group based in Sudan, showed signs of abating in Aug. 2006, when the rebels agreed to declare a truce. Between 8,000 and 10,000 children have been abducted by the LRA to form the army of prophet Joseph Kony, whose aim was to take over Uganda and run it according to his vision of Christianity. The boys are turned into soldiers and the girls into sex slaves. Up to 1.5 million people in northern Uganda have been displaced because of the fighting and the fear that their children will be abducted. Kony and three other LRA leaders have been indicted on charges of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. The LRA and the government signed a permanent cease-fire in February 2008. Kony failed to show up to sign the landmark agreement several times in 2008, dashing hopes for formalized peace. The rebels, however, sought a cease-fire in January 2009, after the armies of Uganda, Southern Sudan, and Congo attacked their bases.
Parliament introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in November 2009. The legislation would implement the death penalty on gay individuals. The proposed bill met fierce condemnation from the European Union and the United States. Parliament did not act on the bill, and it became increasingly unpopular following the January 2011 murder of Ugandan gay-rights activist David Kato. In May, the government shelved the bill.
In July 2010, about 75 people watching the final game of the World Cup in a Kampala restaurant were killed in an explosion. The Somali militant Islamist group Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the bombing, saying the attack was aimed at discouraging countries from supporting the transitional government in Somalia. Al-Shabab has been battling Somalias weak, Western-backed government for power for several years. Uganda contributes troops to an African Union force that has been propping up the government in Somalia.
The Leaders of the Urban League Movement, including National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial, Urban League of Greater Atlanta President/CEO Nancy A. Flake Johnson, and all affiliate presidents, hereby issue the following statement in response to the civil unrest sweeping the nation: Our communities are overwhelmed with grief and people are angry. []
The post Statement from the Urban League of Greater Atlanta on Civil Unrest in the Nation appeared first on Atlanta Tribune.
Leaders of Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt agree Addis Ababa will not start filling its Nile dam before reaching an accord.
The first scheduled hearing on the Louisville Metro Council's investigation into Mayor Greg Fischer's administration and its handling of the protests after the killing of Breonna Taylor took place on Monday (August 3). The meeting was scheduled to last four hours, but was cut short after attorneys for the police refused to answer questions publicly. […]
The post Louisville police officers walk out of Breonna Taylor hearing appeared first on DefenderNetwork.com.
Alor Koul, chief administrator for Abyei, reacted positively Monday to word that the United Nations Security Council extended the mandate for Abyei for six months, but cautioned that renewing the U.N. mandate will not alone solve the dispute between Sudan and South Sudan over who controls the area.
The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously on Thursday to extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and urged Khartoum, Juba and local communities to take all necessary steps to ensure that the area is effectively demilitarized and to fully cooperate with UNISFA.
Yousif Malok, who is from the Ngok Dinka, and heads the Abyei Civil Society in Sudan, said he is not optimistic about UNISFA’s role in the region, saying the U.N. mission failed in the past to protect lives and property in the Abyei area.
Under the terms of U.N. resolution 2519, the Council extended the mandate for activities in the area bordering Sudan and South Sudan and reiterated its demand for both countries to provide full support for the mission, including removing any obstacles hindering efforts to protect civilians.
The Security Council first authorized the deployment of a peacekeeping force to Abyei in June 2011 following renewed violence, escalating tensions and population displacement in the area as Southern Sudan prepared to formally declare its independence from the Sudan.
SACRAMENTO In May, the Sacramento City Council voted to increase next year’s budget for the Sacramento Police Department by $10 million, bringing SPD’s total budget to $157 million. In the wake of community outcries following the killing of George Floyd, other cities including Los Angeles and Seattle are divesting from the police. People from []
Somali national army (SNA) has flushed Alshabab militants out of Luqa Jelow in the region of Hiran on Wednesday in a joint operation with Djiboutian troops who are under AMISOM.
The operation was mainly conducted in the areas of Luqa Jelow where Alshabab had taken control.
SNA 27th Division Commander general Salah Yakub praised the AMISOM troops and SNA for their work saying the operation ongoing until they capture the remaining areas which are still ruled by Alshabab.
Al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, was driven out of Mogadishu in 2011 and lost most of its strongholds, but still controls vast swathes of the remote areas.
The hunt continues
The hunt is continuing in the Sahel for the killers of eight people in Niger on Sunday.
The killers were believed to be armed motorcyclists who came through the bush on motorbikes, to arrive at the vicinity of the town of Koure. The eight victims consisted of six French nationals, and a Nigerian guide and driver. They were a team from the French humanitarian aid organisation ACTED.
The killings, an hour from the capital Niamey in a nature reserve considered relatively safe, shocked many; foreign nationals and members of aid organisations have previously not been considered in danger in such areas.
Troops in Niger backed by French air support are searching for the killers of the eight strong team.
Operation Barkhane
French soldiers have been engaged in Operation Barkhane , an ongoing anti-insurgent mission targeting Islamist groups in Africa's Sahel region, since 2014. It's previously concentrated on the tri-border region between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso with the backing of the G5 Sahel member nations after the group's formation a few months earlier.
G5 Sahel
The G5 Sahel was formed to closely link economic development and a united front of security against jidahist organisations between the members: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. The United Nations Security Council has also approved G5 Sahel counterterrorism operations.
Jihadists change approach?
The killings in Kouré have suggested to some analysts that jihadist groups are moving to different areas to avoid direct confrontation with the military forces of Operation Barkhane, despite the cooperative framework provided by G5 Sahel.
In Niger, as elsewhere in the Sahel, these groups thrive on a perception of the abandonment of rural populations and pre-existing conflicts between communities.
Although they have in the past been able to collaborate episodically on targeted attacks, the various jihadist groups in the Sahel have been fighting each other since early 2020.
In a recent report , the think-thank International Crisis Group explained that the conflict in the Tillabéri area is \"fundamentally motivated by inter and intra-community competition over rights and resources, a conflict that the Islamic state has been able to exploit to its advantage\".
Pompeo said on Wednesday that US authorities have made multiple formal requests for viral isolates and information about “patient zero”.
“Trying to obtain the earliest viral RNA in the pandemic is an important endeavour, but I just don’t understand the need to do that with the State Department first, and publicly with conspiracy theories that are still around,” said David Larsen, a public health professor at Syracuse University who has studied the spread of malaria and other infectious diseases.
Larsen said that there were other reasons for China to share the viral isolates beyond tracing the pandemic’s initial path, but argued that such exchanges would likely have been more productive if left to the two countries’ scientists instead of the US State Department.
“From a future prevention standpoint, it’s important to understand where the virus came from,” Larsen said.
“Our science is not very good at figuring out which viruses circulating in other animals might potentially jump over to humans and then become able to circulate among humans.”
Pan Africa Christian University has announced a pay cut of 80 per cent for its staff effective May to August due to coronavirus, which it says, has affected its revenue collection.
The institution joins a number of private and public universities that have announced pay cut for its staff following the closure of the institutions in March.
Private Universities Staff Workers Union Secretary-General Peter Owiti said several private universities have announced pay cuts for their staff.
Kenyatta University also announced suspension of payment of salaries to staff on contract due to decline in revenue collection due to corona virus which has paralysed services in the institutions.
Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) Vice-Chairman Joseph Mberia warned higher learning institutions against deducting staff salaries.
Today, they stand as beacons of light, shining examples to the next generation of what we can accomplish with our God-given talents, the freedoms we enjoy, the opportunities available in our nation and, yes, a whole lot of determination.
As for how I answer the house is a home question…
When I reflect on America’s history, I also think about my family and the legacy of my forefathers and foremothers.
George Washington viewed freedom much like Grandma did-as a fundamentally internal or spiritual power rather than as a physical or political state.
With that act, America became a home for my family, one that gives us freedom: the freedom to use our God-given abilities for our own benefit, and the freedom to pursue happiness according to our own lights.
The next generation has those freedoms, so let’s invest our time teaching them how make America their home.
The decision won by a veto-proof majority.
Sudan will on May 31 know whether the United Nations Security Council has accepted to deploy a new peace mission that had been requested by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
Dr Hamdok asked for a mission that would support the implementation of the Constitutional Declaration; implement peace accords in Darfur, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, mobilise international economic assistance for Sudan; and support drafting a new constitution.
The request comes as the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur ends in October, which could leave Sudan exposed to counter-revolutionary forces, given that there is still war in Darfur, the Blue Nile and Southern Cordofan regions.
However, experts on Sudan say that the request is a realisation that counter-revolutionary forces are rising, threatening the current governance arrangement between the military junta and civilians.
He said the transitional government is experiencing rivalry between the head of Sudan’s ruling council Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of the Sudan Armed Forces, and Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo better known as Hemedti of the Rapid Support Forces.
Early Thursday, the Minneapolis City Council approved a budget shifting close to $8 million from policing to social service programs including mental health response and violence prevention, CBS News reports. […]
The post #DefundThePolice: Minneapolis City Council Voted To Move Nearly $8 Million From Police Budget appeared first on Essence.
