UN Humanitarian Coordinator and WHO condemn attack on Sebha Medical Center, Libya

APO News from Africa:

UN Humanitarian Coordinator and WHO condemn attack on Sebha Medical Center, Libya:

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator and the World Health Organization (WHO) condemn the armed attack occurring on 30 April in Sabha Medical Center in the South of Libya. While no hospital staff or patients were injured, the incident took place in a ward with women and children, causing fear and undue stress for those seeking medical treatment. Amidst the ongoing tension and escalation of conflict in southern Libya, it is of utmost importance that health services can be delivered safely.  
 

Repeated attacks on health facilities can lead to closure of health facilities, add to the sufferring of Libyan people, and further deprive the already limited access people have to medical care.
 
Sabha Medical Centre is working under very challenging conditions with limited supplies and resources to save lives and provide medical services to the whole South of Libya. In continuing their work to provide health care, they deserve greater protection. 

Across Libya, almost 75% of all health facilities are closed or only partially functioning and face vast shortages in health staff. Southern Libya is particularly affected and repeated attacks on health facilities will deprive thousands of people in the South of Libya of urgently needed life-saving health care.

WHO once again urges all parties in the conflict to respect the safety and neutrality of health workers and health facilities in line with International Humanitarian Law. All necessary precautionary measures should be taken to ensure that people’s basic right to health is protected, regardless of political affiliation or geographic location. The integrity and neutrality of health must be safeguarded for all.

A preliminary humanitarian assessment further indicates that 350 people have left their homes in the area of escalating hostilities near Tamanhint airbase. Their main needs are safe shelter, food and non-food items, and medical services.

Humanitarian actors, including the health sector continue monitoring the situation in Sabha and will continue to provide emergency assistance, as required.

Distributed by APO on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa

Kenya: 2017 elections: broken promises put human rights defenders at risk:

The abduction, torture and killing of renowned Kenyan human rights lawyer Willie Kimani in June 2016 shocked the entire world, provoking a wave of outrage at national and international level. This is only the tip of the iceberg of a widespread pattern of violence and harassment aimed at silencing dissenting voices and perpetuating impunity, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OMCT-FIDH partnership) has concluded after a recently conducted mission.

Kenya, a country that in 2010 voted a very progressive Constitution strengthening the country’s human rights framework in compliance with international standards, has in recent years chosen a different path. Unfortunately, so far the freedoms enshrined in the constitutional Bill of Rights have not been fully incorporated into domestic legislation, and, most importantly, are not upheld or implemented in practice.

“To date, the effective implementation of this progressive framework unfortunately remains a mirage and still needs substantial improvement”, declared OMCT Secretary General Gerald Staberock. “With all the right instruments put in place to bring about change, lack of implementation and political will appear to be the main reasons for such disillusionment”.

On the contrary, a report published today by the Observatory accounts for high levels of police and security forces’ violence, especially against human rights defenders involved in the fight against impunity for human rights violations. The mission report compiles several testimonies of incidents of violence, including cases of harassment, threats, torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

Moreover, human rights defenders are often criminalised on the basis of trumped-up charges, which aim at intimidating them through episodes of frequent arrests, detentions in police stations, long trials and punitive bail and bond terms. This inevitably prevents them from pursuing their legitimate human rights activities.

Adding to this, the lack of a clear legal framework regulating the civil society sector due to the failure to commence implementation of the Public Benefit Organisations (PBO) Act 2013 creates a legal limbo which obliges NGOs to operate in a hostile environment, characterised by the threat of arbitrary de-registration and asset freezes, continuous attacks and smearing campaigns.

“In such a context, and ahead of the upcoming general elections, it is urgent that Kenyan authorities publicly recognise the crucial role of human rights defenders as pillars of democracy and watchdogs of the rule of law. They must improve their safety, truly implement the police and security sector reforms, hold perpetrators accountable, acknowledge the misuse of criminal law to harass defenders, and finally commence the PBO Act of 2013”, concluded FIDH President Dimitris Christopoulos.

The full report is available online in English: on OMCT website here and on FIDH website here.

Distributed by APO on behalf of International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH).

Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa

Equatorial Guinea, Saudi Arabia Will Strengthen Relations with Economic Forum in Jeddah:

The governments of Equatorial Guinea and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will gather in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on May 10, 2017 for the first ever Equatorial Guinea-Saudi Arabia Economic Forum. H.E. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo will travel to Jeddah with a government delegation of key cabinet members to meet His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to discuss joint areas of cooperation. The economic forum seeks to identify investment opportunities and bolster trade ties between the two nations in core economic sectors such as mining, hydrocarbons, agriculture and fisheries.

The Equatorial Guinea-Saudi Arabia Economic Forum capitalizes on the success of the Fourth Arab-Africa Summit, which was organized by the African Union and held in Sipopo, Equatorial Guinea in November 2016 under the patronage of H.E. the President. The summit attracted heads of state and political leaders from the African continent and Middle East. As proud host of the Arab-Africa Summit, Equatorial Guinea has been successfully strengthening ties with the Arab world. In October 2016, it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Kuwait regulating bilateral relations between the two countries.

The forum is organized by the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons of Equatorial Guinea, with the participation of Centurion Law Group and Africa Oil & Power. H.E. the President will make the opening speech at the forum in Jeddah. He will be introduced by former Benin President Thomas Boni Yayi, who has served as an important ambassador of relations between Equatorial Guinea and Saudi Arabia. H.E. Agapito Mba Mokuy, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, will speak on Africa-Arab cooperation. H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, will present the key projects taking place in the petroleum and mining sectors. Also making presentations will be Mrs. Mariola Bindang Obiang, General Director of Holding GE 2020, a government agency charged with financing diverse projects and complementing and facilitating the Horizon 2020 economic diversification plan.

“There is already a strong foundation for a great relationship between Equatorial Guinea and the Saudi Arabia, one that is grounded in mutual respect and admiration,” said H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima. “We look forward to building on that foundation and fostering even better ties through new trade and investment opportunities.”

To learn more about the Equatorial Guinea-Saudi Arabia Economic Forum, please visit www.InvestInEG.com. To RSVP for the event, please contact SaudiArabia@InvestInEG.com.

Distributed by APO on behalf of Equatorial Guinea-Saudi Arabia Economic Forum.

Contact:
Aydanur Akkurt
Media Coordinator
SaudiArabia@InvestInEG.com 
+27 76 586 7717

Source: APO – Africa-Newsroom: latest news releases related to Africa