The Permanent Mission of Eritrea to the United Nations hosted a side event at the UN on 17 July 2024 under the theme, “Empowerment for a Brighter and More Sustainable Future: Advancing SDGs 4, 5, and 6 for Quality Education, Gender Equality, and Access to Clean Water and Sanitation.”

Eritrea presented its 2nd Voluntary National Report (VNR) on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 6 (Water and Sanitation) on 12 July 2024. This side event provided an opportunity for further engagement with member states, highlighting the interconnections between the 17 Goals, sharing best practices, and finding innovative solutions to address developmental challenges.

Mr. Hagos Ahmed, Director of the Population and Social Statistics Division at the National Statistics Office and local focal point for the VNR, discussed the VNR preparation methodology and process, including stakeholder engagement, data sources, and the scope of the VNR. Mr. Samsom Berhane, Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Finance and National Development, discussed the way forward for the successful implementation of the SDGs in the remaining period of the agenda.

Mr. Mesfin Mehari from the Ministry of Education addressed progress on SDG 4 (Quality Education), Ms. Yohanna Tewolde from the National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW) discussed SDG 5 (Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment), and Mr. Michael Yoseph from the Water Resource Department focused on SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

Ms. Nahla Valji, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Eritrea, shared her reflections on the work being done in Eritrea to advance the SDGs and the UN’s partnership with Eritrea.

Many member states attended the event, including officials from the African Union and the UN system. Under-Secretary-General Christian Duarte, Special Advisor on Africa to the Secretary-General, congratulated Eritrea on its achievements, as did many other participants.

Eritrea’s delegation to the UN High-Level Political Forum also conducted a virtual seminar with the Eritrean community in Canada, engaging in a lively interactive discussion on Eritrea’s development trajectory. The Eritrean Diaspora remains engaged and ready to contribute to Eritrea’s development.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

In an alert, WFP expressed deep concern about “the escalation of fighting” in Sudan’s Sennar State. More than 136,000 people have already fled their homes, many for the second or third time since the conflict started.

To date, the UN agency has provided support to 46,000 people who fled to neighbouring Blue Nile state and to another 3,000 who’ve sought refuge in adjoining Gedaref state.

In an update, the WFP said that the violence had “severely affected” operations across the region, including White Nile, Blue Nile, Kassala and Gedaref states.

‘Completely cut off’

“Fighting in Sennar cut off key supply routes for food and fuel into the state, leaving residents unable to access basic needs,” WFP explained, adding that its logistics hub in Kosti in White Nile state “is completely cut off” from Port Sudan on the coast, after rival paramilitary force the RSF moved in on 29 June.

“The route from Port Sudan to Kosti (that) cuts through Sennar is currently inaccessible,” WFP continued, describing the route as “a lifeline to get assistance to hundreds of thousands of people in Sudan, including many communities at risk of famine in the Kordofans and the Darfur region”.

Staying with the west of Sudan, the UN food agency also reported that getting assistance into Darfur from neighbouring Chad has “halted”, too.

“The Adre crossing from Chad is still closed and the Chad to Darfur crossing via Tine is inaccessible due to heavy rains and flooding brought by the rainy season.

The last WFP aid delivery via Tine was in mid-July, the UN agency said. “This leaves many areas cut off from assistance,” it continued, in an appeal for all humanitarian corridors to be open so that aid teams “can reach all those in need”.

Support for millions displaced

So far this year, WFP has supported more than four million internally displaced people, refugees and vulnerable host communities across Sudan, including 1.4 million in June alone. But the needs are far greater, it warned.

“Sudan is the world’s largest hunger crisis. We need to be delivering food also on this scale.”

Talks end, call for ‘tangible progress on the ground’

In a related development in Geneva, UN-led talks between Sudan’s warring parties concluded on Friday. Leading the negotiations with representatives from the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, Ramtane Lamamra, held around 20 meetings in total with the delegations.

He said in a statement that he now counted on the parties “to promptly translate their willingness to engage with him into tangible progress on the ground” in Sudan, where around 10 million people have been uprooted by 15 months of war and humanitarians have warned that famine, disease and fighting are closing in on the population.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

The meeting of the African Union 6th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting bringing together Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Regional Mechanism (RMs) and member states kicked off on the 18th of July 2024 with the 45th Session of the Executive Council.

The two-day ministerial meeting will consider budget matters and adopt the African Union Budget for year 2025; discuss security status on the continent and peace financing mechanisms, progress on the implementation of the African Union theme of the year 2024 on Education, report on African candidatures within the international system; the participation of the African Union in the G20; the hosting the African Humanitarian Agency (AFHA), reports on various thematic committees, election and appointment of officials for the various AU Organs and institutions, among other key issues aimed at advancing the political and socio-economic development for improved welfare and wellbeing of the African citizens.

The ministers will also deliberate on the African Union theme for year 2025 focused on “Justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations”. The theme delves on the reparations owed to Africans, on the continent and in the diaspora, and addreses the harm caused through the transatlantic slave trade, slavery, colonialism and neo-colonialism.

As the African Union embarks on the implementation of the second decade its development framework Agenda 2063, H.E. Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, Chair of the Executive Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, underscored the need for the continent to collectively redouble its efforts to realize its ambitious goals and pave the way for Africa to become a beacon of peace, stability, mutual prosperity, and good governance.

He observed that, “this will undoubtedly be a formidable challenge, but with our steadfast commitment and collaboration with regional and international partners, we are poised to overcome it. I commend the promising opportunities presented through our organization’s participation in events like the G7 Summit, the Africa-Korea Summit, and our forthcoming membership in the G20 Summit. These engagements, alongside the outcomes of the Nairobi Summit on Fertilizers and Soil Health, underscore our dedication and potential in addressing pressing global issues. Read the full statement here.

With the Executive Council set to consider the African Union budget that caps assessed contributions from member states at USD 200 lower than the 2023 budget, the African Union Commission Chairperson H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat asserts that this will affect the effective delivery of the Union programmes. He noted, “this budgetary reduction poses two structural problems: firstly, the AU’s increasing dependence on our partners, which is regularly criticized, even within your Council, and secondly, the fact that the AU’s budget has been reduced to a minimum. […] In the same vein, may I remind you that during the launch of the second decade of Agenda 2063, Executive Council decided to set up a fund to support the implementation of the said decade. This decision calls for particular attention and concrete measures to break with the terrible paradox of the multiplication of creations without consequent implementation measures.”

Further, H.E Moussa Faki briefed on the African Union Peace Fund, highlighting its improved governance structures, prudent use of funds, and the recent innovative mechanisms instituted for African Union staff to make contributions to the fund. He noted, “among these contributors, the staff of the AU, and of the Commission in particular, are already well placed. The staff association recently launched a campaign for voluntary contributions to the Peace Fund. I warmly welcome this act, the symbolism of which testifies to the importance of the security issue on our continent, and eloquently indicates that peace deserves the sacrifices of all.” Read the full statement here.

As the continent continues its push for global financial institutions reforms Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, restated the commitment of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana and the African Union Champion for the establishment of the African Union Financial Institutions- that is the African Central Bank (ACB), the African Monetary Fund (AMF), the African Investment Bank (AIB) and the Pan-African Stock Exchange (PASE), to advocate for the promotion of economic integration and development across the continent. She added, “the strengthening of these institutions will collectively enhance economic stability, promote sustainable development and facilitate greater economic integration among AU Member States.”

The Minister also briefed on the progress Ghana has made in expanding access to education in the country. She highlighted that “the introduction of the Free Senior High School Policy in 2017 has significantly increased access to quality education. Since its inception, Senior High School enrolment has risen from 308,799 in 2016 to 507,519 in 2024, which has also positively impacted gender parity at the high school level. Our government recently launched the Ghana Smart Schools Project, which focuses on providing tablets to learners in Senior High Schools and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions across the country. In our efforts, we have not overlooked the importance of creative arts. Developing a strong creative arts sector fosters well-rounded citizens who are adept in creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking.” Read the full statement here.

To unlock Africa’s immense potential in its arable land, coveted natural and critical mineral resources, major energy renewable potential, a youthful population, and a sizeable market, Hon. Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, underscored the relevance of quality education. He noted that “potential does not drive growth or curb inflation. We must translate this potential into action, starting with transforming our education systems. Education must be integrated into our industrial policy. We must not shy away from this approach, as other countries do the same to mitigate external shocks. From the US Inflation Reduction Act to Made in China, to the European Chips Act, to name but a few. It should also go without saying that science, technology and innovation (STI) must be at the core of our development agenda. Without STI, we cannot avoid the middle-income trap, neither can we claim the 21st Century. As such, we must make deliberate effort to ensure that the three quarters of Africa’s youth without digital skills are equipped to meaningfully participate in the workforce of the future.” Read the full statement here.

The Ministerial meeting concludes on the 19th of July 2024 followed by the 6th Mid-Year Coordination. The meeting that brings together the Bureau of the AU Assembly and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), with the participation of the Chairpersons of RECs, the AU Commission and Regional Mechanisms (RMs), is the principal forum for the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to align their work and coordinate the implementation of the continental integration agenda, replacing the June/ July summits.

Follow the Opening Session of the meeting, 21st July 2024, 1000 hours GMT, LIVE ON-https://au.int/en/videos/20240721/6th-mycm-opening-session-mid-year-coordination-meeting

For details and updates of the meeting, visit https://au.int/en/summit/coordination/6

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

Responding to the news that authorities at Eswatini’s Matsapha Correctional Complex have denied food rations to jailed former parliamentarian, Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa Vongai Chikwanda said: 

“Amnesty International is deeply concerned that prison authorities are jeopardizing the health and well-being of former Eswatini MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza. 

“We have received troubling reports that authorities have denied Mabuza a proper meal for the last four days since his sentencing on 15 July 2024. Guards refused him breakfast on 17 July and have banned him from receiving food from outside the prison. Mabuza has relied on outside food throughout his incarceration because of a medical condition that necessitates a specific diet, according to a doctor’s report provided to the relevant authorities. 

“Authorities in Eswatini must immediately provide Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza with proper sustenance, including by allowing external food deliveries per his medical requirements, and necessary medical attention. Denial of food amounts to torture or ill-treatment that could have severe consequences on his health. 

“Eswatini authorities must immediately free Mabuza and fellow imprisoned MP Mthandeni Dube and drop all charges against them. Their baseless conviction and lengthy prison terms are an outrageous injustice.” 

BACKGROUND 

Police arrested Mabuza and Dube on 25 July 2021 during a wave of pro-democracy demonstrations and charged with inciting unrest under Eswatini’s Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 and the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act of 1938. 

A court convicted them on 1 June 2023. A judge sentenced Mabuza and Dube to spend 25 and 18 years behind bars, respectively, on 15 July 2024. 

Guards have repeatedly assaulted them in prison. In September 2022, members of the prison unit responsible for transporting them to and from court attacked them, while guards beat Mabuza after their 2023 conviction, according to reports. Authorities have not conducted investigations into either attack so far. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.