Since early March, an estimated 50,000 Sudanese, Chadian and Central African civilians have crossed the border into Chad. The refugees are mainly women and children, with 40 percent of those under the age of five. They are traumatized and exhausted by their recent displacement and are in need of basic healthcare, water, food, shelter and proper sanitation.

As the Tissi area has no functioning hospital, MSF teams are working to provide emergency and primary health care to the refugees and Chadian population. An emergency room has been set up in the town of Tissi to treat wounded patients, children under the age of five and pregnant women. In the last 4 weeks, MSF staff has held nearly 7 000 consultations in the area. Top morbidities observed are diarrheal diseases and respiratory tract infections. In addition, 32,000 children under the age of 15 have been vaccinated to contain a measles outbreak which killed 13 children before April. Within the broader needs for protection of vulnerable populations, women and girls are also facing an increased risk of sexual and gender based violence, with two cases of rape treated by MSF just in the past week.

In ten villages, returnees and refugees have received plastic sheeting, blankets, mosquito nets, jerry cans and soap. MSF drilled six boreholes north of Tissi to help provide the population with water. “With the rains starting, access to clean and drinkable water is of major importance,” says Delphine Chedorge, MSF emergency co-ordinator.

In some locations, such as Saraf Bourgou, north of Tissi town, Chadian returnees have left the area and re-settled back to their villages of origin. But the Sudanese refugees are in a more precarious position. “Health conditions of the population are at risk of potential deterioration because of limited access to water, food and shelter,” says Stefano Argenziano, Head of Mission for MSF.

As the rains set in there is fear that roads to the refugee camps will become impassable, the only airstrip in the area will become unusable, and aid may be cut off. “We will continue to provide healthcare to refugees and returnees in Tissi, but it will be a challenge, says Stefano Argenziano. We are doing everything we can to ensure that assistance will not be cut off.”

Security in this cross-border area stretched between Sudan and Central African Republic is volatile with circulation of armed groups, militias and bandits.

MSF is calling on the Chad government, the UN and the humanitarian community to ensure, throughout the rainy season, the security and continued support of the remaining refugees and returnees, who have settled in more than a dozen sites, along a 100 kilometre stretch inside the Chad border.

MSF has been working in Chad since 1980 and currently has projects in Am Timan, Abeche, Massakory and Moissala.

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Attended by more than 400 people from government, the private sector, academia and other friends of Africa, this event celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and its successor organization, the African Union.

In his address, Minister Blaney hailed the close, important and expanding relations between Canada and Africa, including many achievements in just the last year. Canada is committed to assisting Africa create the conditions for greater prosperity and security. Minister Blaney also noted the importance of the Francophonie on the continent as a forum to protect and promote values such as freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

From left to right: Kenneth Kaunda, first president of Zambia, Habiba Chakir, second vice-president at the Ottawa Diplomatic Association, and Minister Blaney.

Journalists interested in attending this event will be able to ASK QUESTIONS LIVE VIA THE INTERNET.

Speaker: Mr Charles Boamah, Finance Vice President of the African Development Bank (AfDB)

Date: Friday May 31, 2013

Time: From 14:00 GMT (Time Converter: http://goo.gl/Ib1wS)

Languages: English

How it works: This service is FREE and only requires a computer connected to the internet.

REGISTER: http://www.apo-opa.org/en/application?vc=AfDB

Technical Contact: +41 22 534 96 97, sec.sg@apo-opa.org

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Download the The Marrakech Declaration: http://www.apo-mail.org/The_Marrakech_Declaration.pdf

Logo AfDB: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/african-development-bank-2.png

Speaking alongside President Ali Bongo of Gabon during the Bank's annual meetings at an event to outline the implications of wildlife trafficking to Africa's development, AfDB President Donald Kaberuka and WWF International Director General Jim Leape will call for commitment at the highest level.

During the event the African Development Bank will launch the Marrakech Declaration (http://www.apo-mail.org/The_Marrakech_Declaration.pdf) (also available in French: http://www.apo-mail.org/Declaration_de_Marrakech.pdf) highlighting the out-of-control nature of illicit wildlife trafficking and urging “countries and their citizens to act urgently to fight illicit wildlife trafficking in Africa and across the globe”.

“Wildlife crime is a serious crime, and it is not just the rhinos and elephants that are in danger – there are grave implications also for national security, the rule of law and the wellbeing of communities across Africa. Action is needed now at the highest levels if we are to bring this crisis under control,” said Jim Leape.

“Illicit wildlife trafficking is a wrong that we must relentlessly resist – our people, our natural resources and our very economic development are at risk,” said Donald Kaberuka, AfDB President. “I call on leaders across Africa and beyond to invest in our region's future by doing all they can to strengthen law enforcement and criminal justice for these crimes.”

Wildlife crime also featured in a United Nations Security Council gathering yesterday in New York where UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon released a report on illicit wildlife trafficking being a serious crime needing urgent attention.

The AfDB annual meetings run until Friday 31st May in Marrakech, Morocco, under the theme of “Africa's structural transformation”. The AfDB-WWF side event on illicit wildlife trafficking takes place on Thursday 30th May at 19.00-20.30 local time.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

For further information:

Gemma Parkes, gparkes@wwfint.org, +41 79 253 6386

Notes to editor:

Download the Marrakech Declaration: http://www.apo-mail.org/The_Marrakech_Declaration.pdf (also available in French: http://www.apo-mail.org/Declaration_de_Marrakech.pdf)

More on today's event: http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?208786

WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. www.panda.org

The African Development Bank (http://www.afdb.org) spurs sustainable economic development and social progress, thereby reducing poverty, in its 54 regional member countries – by mobilising and allocating resources for investment, and providing policy advice and technical assistance to support development efforts. All multilateral development institutions embrace the Millennium Development Goals as guiding objectives – from eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, to ensuring environmental sustainability for all. http://www.afdb.org

Muluken Tesfahun, a reporter for the private weekly Ethio-Mehedar, is being held in a prison in the town of Asosa, capital of the Benishangul-Gumuz region, Getachew Worku, the paper's editor-in-chief, told CPJ. Muluken has not been formally charged or presented in court, Getachew said. The detention appears to run counter to constitutional guarantees that a person be brought to court within 48 hours of arrest.

"By arresting journalist Muluken Tesfahun for gathering information from the victims of forced relocation, Ethiopia is once again criminalizing independent journalism," said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. "Ethiopia should make good on its obligation as a member of the U.N. Human Rights Council to uphold citizens' rights by releasing Muluken immediately."

Local security forces picked up Muluken on Friday in the village of Dobi and confiscated his reporting equipment, the U.S. government-funded Voice of America reported, citing Getachew and members of the journalist's family. Ethio-Mehedar assigned Muluken to report on the return ofthousands of ethnic Amhara, Oromo, and Agew farmers who had been forcibly evicted from their land in mid-March, Getachew said.

Ethiopian state media have not reported in detail on the evictions, despite local testimony reported by VOA and accusations of ethnic cleansing made by opposition parties, according to local journalists. After weeks of silence, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn acknowledged the evictions in an April speech in the House of Peoples Representatives. The prime minister called the action "illegal," blaming it on lower-level officials and inviting the displaced to return. This month, Federal Affairs Minister Shiferaw Teklemariam announced the arrests of 35 Benishangul officials in connection with the evictions.

Neither federal or local authorities have provided an official explanation for the evictions, and it's not immediately clear they were directly related to construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam,which the government says will be Africa's biggest power plant. The dam's impact on water supply has renewed international tensions between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan.

The Ethiopian government has denied allegations of coercion, abuse, and violence in unrelated resettlement programs, in which authorities have displaced small-scale farmers in order to lease large tracts of land to foreign commercial farmers, according to international news reports.

With eight journalists behind bars, Ethiopia trails only Eritrea among Africa's worst jailers of journalists, CPJ research shows.

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Emmanuel Mbi, First Vice-President and COO of the African Development Bank, and Hohyun Jang, Deputy Director General for the International Finance Bureau at the Korean Ministry of Strategy and Finance, signed the agreement on the sidelines of the 2013 AfDB Annual Meetings in Marrakech. Endorsed by the AfDB's Board of Governors, Thursday in Marrakech, the agreement will flexibly respond to the various development needs of Africa.

Jang underscored that the GCA would help to effectively support inclusive growth and the gradual transition to green growth, two objectives of AfDB's Ten-Year Strategy (2013-2022). “I believe this is a win-win strategy, allowing the AfDB to use resources from a single-donor trust fund to support multi-donor trust funds.”

On behalf of AfDB President Donald Kaberuka, First Vice-President Mbi thanked Korea for its staunch support to Africa's development. “The signing of the GCA comes on the heels of the approval of the Bank's Ten-Year Strategy, and in addition to financing technical cooperation, will provide the framework to finance projects and programs in the Bank's Regional Member Countries; and to provide contributions to multi-donor and special funds managed by the Bank,” Mbi saidd.

He expressed satisfaction with Korea and the AfDB delivering on their commitment on “this agreement which was first requested by your Government during the Annual Meetings in Arusha in 2012.”

So far, Korea has managed the KOAFEC trust fund, which is a single donor fund. Through the GCA, Korea will contribute to special funds and multi-donor funds as well. The GCA will also allow us to participate in co-financing the AfDB projects and programs in addition to technical cooperation.

Since 2007, the Government of the Republic of Korea has contributed to the KOAFEC trust fund. These grant contributions amount today to US $48 million.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

This was the sentiment of Tony Elumelu's speech, described by many as “powerful,” which was delivered at the African Development Bank's (AfDB) Annual Board of Governors meeting held in Marrakech, Morocco. The speech was followed by a panel discussion moderated by the BBC presenter Zeinab Badawi with Ronald Lauder, founder of the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation.

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/ronald-s-lauder-founder-robert-s-lauder-foundation---donald-kaberuka-president-african-development-bank-group---toe.jpg (From left to right: Ronald S. Lauder, founder, Robert S. Lauder Foundation; Donald Kaberuka, President, African Development Bank Group; and Tony O. Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holdings, at the African Development Bank Annual Board of Governors Meeting at Marrakech, Morocco, on 28 May)

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Elumelu challenged the audience to consider a new approach to Africa's development – one that involved the private sector and was capable of kick-starting the economic ecosystem that underpins all sustainable development. He called this new approach Africapitalism, an economic philosophy which asserts that the private sector can solve Africa's most pressing challenges through long term investments that create economic prosperity and social wealth.

In front of a global audience that included African finance ministers, central bank governors, CEOs, and executives of global development finance institutions, as well as African business leaders, including some past presidents, development partners, and African and global philanthropic institutions, Elumelu spoke of the failure of traditional development interventions which have previously characterized development in Africa.

The president of the African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka, described the speech as, “rich in human quality and compassion,” and recognized that it “set out the challenge for home-grown African wealth, whether of billionaires or small businessmen, to invest in Africa.”

Elumelu, who is Chairman of Heirs Holdings (http://heirsholdings.com), a proprietary investment company and founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, called for the private sector to take on the responsibility of development using his personal experience at the United Bank for Africa (UBA).

He made a compelling case for Africapitalism by telling the story of how a USD5 million investment in UBA 17 years ago spawned a multinational, pan-African financial institution that has created 25,000 jobs, generated wealth in communities all across Africa, expanded finance for trade, created stronger financial infrastructure for investment and economic growth, paid taxes to national and local governments to support public services, and given millions of customers control over their financial lives.

He compared that investment to the annual flow of charitable aid into Africa – many times the USD5 million investment that started UBA – to show that private sector involvement was a far superior, more effective way of dealing with Africa's development challenges. Elumelu's investment company Heirs Holdings' recent USD300 million investment in a power plant in Nigeria was another example of a long-term, profit driven investment that would bring development to Africa.

Elumelu mentioned other strategic visionaries who were also playing a significant role in driving the continent's development through their business investments: Aliko Dangote and Mike Adenuga in Nigeria, Lucien Ebata in the DRC, Reginald Mengi in Tanzania, Patrice Motsepe in South Africa, Kofi Amoabeng in Ghana – these are entrepreneurs who are creating tens of thousands of jobs, empowering individuals, families and entire communities.

In a call to action for the continent's entrepreneurs and business leaders who have not yet embraced Africapitalism, he pleaded with them to ‘step up' and deliberately start investing in strategic sectors that would drive development.

“We need to do away with short-term thinking. We should be investing over time horizons measured in decades, rather than fiscal quarters. We must stop the practice of extracting wealth without reinvesting for growth. We should be strategically building domestic industries and manufacturing to support our national economies, and growing intra-African trade,” he said.

In concluding, Elumelu called on the philanthropic and charitable communities of Africa, the development banks and the private investors to embrace the philosophy of Africapitalism and recognize that the private sector's role in driving economic prosperity is the solution for development.

“Economic prosperity is the most valuable and lasting gift we can give to a continent with our challenges. We need to support solutions that are catalytic and sustainable. That should be the ultimate goal of our “development” mission.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Heirs Holdings.

The full speech is available for download at: http://tonyelumelu.com/content/tony-elumelus-speech-given-african-development-banks-annual-meeting-morocco

Media contact:

Moky Makura

Director, Marketing & Corporate Communications

Heirs Holdings

moky.makura@heirsholdings.com

+234 1 277 4641-5

With security still not fully restored in Bangui, the already difficult daily lives of the inhabitants of other parts of the country have worsened considerably over the past five months. Simply going to school or to a health centre, or to farmlands or the market has become more difficult. With the rainy season approaching, the ICRC has been delivering emergency aid and setting up mobile medical teams in some rural communities in the centre and north of the country since 18 May.

"Some families no longer have grain reserves, which were stolen or destroyed in the violence. Others can no longer go work their fields, which they had to leave behind as they fled the turmoil," said Georgios Georgantas, head of the ICRC delegation in the Central African Republic. "We have to expect that their situation will be further complicated by the arrival of the rainy season, which will make it difficult to move about for the next four months."

"Reaching the places people have fled to, in the bush, far from everything, despite the dangers along the way is a daily challenge," said Mr Georgantas. "Fortunately, the incipient improvement in security that has been observed these past few days along the main roads is enabling us to go where these people are. Given the scope of the needs, however, that's still far from enough."

In Ndélé and in towns around Kaga-Bandoro, food aid consisting of corn, niébé (a kind of bean), cooking oil and salt will be provided for almost 20,000 people for a month. Peanut, sesame, corn and sorghum seed will also be provided together with some farming tools in order to help the people resume planting.

More than 250 families that recently lost their homes will be given basic supplies to help them get back on their feet again. Among other things, they will receive clothing, blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen supplies, tarpaulins and soap – simple items that have become very precious for families that have nothing.

"Access to care has worsened considerably in the city of Kaga-Bandoro, and the situation is even more serious in remote areas of Nana-Gribizi prefecture," said Mr Georgantas. "Women are giving birth in the bush, and men, women and children are dying of minor illnesses for want of treatment."

With ICRC support, local health personnel can now reach people settled along trails linking the towns of Kaga-Bandoro, Mbrès, Ouandago and Dissikou, and provide them with essential health care.

In parallel, Central African Red Cross Society volunteers together with the ICRC continue to administer first aid to victims of the armed violence and to transfer the people most seriously injured to functioning medical facilities, in the capital as in the provinces.

Ever since the capital was shaken by armed violence at the end of March, and especially with the disruption of public services that followed, access to basic services for inhabitants of Bangui has been considerably reduced.

The ICRC has brought in 190 tonnes of water-treatment products from Cameroon, and the capital's distribution network of drinking water is now functioning properly.

Since 23 March:

● nearly 800 casualties have been provided with first aid by Central African Red Cross Society emergency personnel;

● over 200 of the most seriously injured people have been taken to medical facilities in Bangui and in the provinces;

● the ICRC has been continuing its dialogue with the authorities on the need to uphold humanitarian principles in their dealings with civilians and detainees;

● in Birao, in the far north of the country, a malaria prevention project has begun. In addition, access to water continues to improve with six wells being upgraded or sunk;

● the ICRC has maintained its presence in Bangui, Kaga-Bandoro, Ndélé and Birao, and in the south-east (Moki, Obo, Rafaï and Zemio).

The IOM team will use a mobile TB diagnostic van equipped with a GeneXpert MTB/RIF machine to reach at least 317,000 individuals in the Western Region of Ghana.

TB REACH is a global programme spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO) and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency.

According to WHO data, TB incidence and prevalence rates in Ghana in 2011 stood at 79 and 92 per 100,000 persons respectively, with a 78 per cent national detection rate of all forms of TB.

Over the next 15 months, IOM will partner with Ghana's national, regional and district TB control programmes in five locations (Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan, Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality, Ellembelle District and Jomoro District) in the Western Region.

"This region was selected because it is considered multi-cultural, it hosts two refugee camps, shares a border with Cote d'Ivoire and has an inflow of migrants from within Ghana and the region for employment in the mining and petroleum sectors," explains Dyane Epstein, IOM Chief of Mission in Ghana.

The TB REACH project has four main activities: enhanced coordination and monitoring among stakeholders; community mobilization and cough screening; mobile TB screening utilizing a GeneXpert machine; and capacity building of selected TB diagnostic centres.

"We hope that the new TB diagnostic van will enable us to deliver TB diagnostic services to communities and contribute to TB control measures in the region. IOM aims to achieve a three-fold increase in the number of new positive TB cases through active case detection," explains Dr. Aden Guliye, Head of the IOM Ghana Migration Health Unit.

"The National TB Control Programme supports this innovative approach to improve access to newer diagnostic tools through IOM's outreach services. We look forward to the intervention providing additional information on the use of GeneXpert and allowing us to scale up efforts to reach vulnerable groups," says Dr. Frank Bonsu, Programme Manager, National Tuberculosis Control Programme, Ghana.

The clinic was built as part of the European-Union (EU)-funded "Stabilizing at-risk communities and enhancing migration management to enable smooth transitions in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya (START)" project.

IOM carried out a rehabilitation and renovation of a building in the Twaisha compound, turning it into a clinic that will provide emergency and primary health care for around 7,000 stranded migrants a year. IOM has also provided essential medical equipment and furniture for the clinic.

The facility comprises a well-equipped laboratory, examination room, first aid and treatment room, and a pharmacy. In coordination with Libya's Ministry of Health, specialized healthcare staff have been assigned to the centre. Doctors at the clinic are expected to screen and treat 20-25 cases a day.

"There remain considerable needs for the provision of medical services to stranded irregular migrants in the country. The government will continue to work with IOM and EU in migration management areas, including capacity building to enable our staff and officials to address these challenges," said Masood Al-Raqoobi, Head of Libya's Directorate for Combating Irregular Migration.

IOM will further provide training on human rights and awareness of the rights and vulnerabilities of irregular migrants to Twaisha staff.

The 2,500 km long border, with 10 crossing points, is extremely diverse in terms of terms of geography, cross-border ties, numbers of travellers, and procedures related to temporary border passes that have been introduced pending the full implementation of the border resident card.

The implementation of the card will be governed by an existing agreement between Namibia and Angola, first signed in 1996 to facilitate the cross-border movement of border residents living within a 30 km radius of the frontier. It will grant access to areas within 60 km of the border for a limited period of time without a passport.

Due to the historical ties between the two countries, family linkages are strong across the border and the social and economic livelihood of border communities rely heavily on cross-border movement.

The roll out of the border resident card will help maintain and reinforce these ties, but will also benefit economic development in border areas.

It will also strengthen population registration, improve regulation of movement across porous borders, and potentially reduce human trafficking, in particular of children, who currently cross the border unregistered.

Namibia's Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, Ambassador Patrick Nandago, welcomed IOM assistance.

"The final assessment report will add great value to the future discussions with the Angolan counterparts on how to implement the border resident card. The implementation will require close coordination and collaboration between the two countries, strengthened by the support of immigration, constituency councils and traditional authorities on each side of the border," he noted.

Bilateral discussions on the border resident card are tentatively scheduled to take place during the next meeting of the Angola-Namibia Joint Commission on Defence and Security.

Ms. Kang met representatives of the internally displaced people (IDP) and host communities, who all appealed for peace. At a food distribution site she talked with displaced women who sought immediate emergency assistance to allow for their families to have shelter and food and for their children to be able to go to school.

In South Kivu, she also visited the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu founded by Dr. Denis Mukwege. Panzi specializes in medical and psychological treatment and legal assistance for women and girls who have survived rape and other sexual violence. With the Humanitarian Coordinator for the DRC, Mr. Moustpha Soumaré, she met with Dr. Mukwege and his staff, who expressed deep concern with the spike in sexual violence since 2012. Ms. Kang and Mr. Soumaré conveyed their solidarity with Dr. Mukwege who expressed his earnest hope for peace to prevail in eastern DRC and stressed the urgent need to put an end to the brutal violence that has gone on for too long.

While North Kivu has recently grabbed international attention, South Kivu is no less worrisome: attacks on helpless villages and looting, burning of houses, killings and sexual violence continues. There are more than 700,000 IDPs in South Kivu.

"We need continued support for the humanitarian response in all of eastern DRC, and we should not lose sight of the terrible humanitarian situation in South Kivu,” Ms. Kang said.

In Goma, North Kivu, she appealed Tuesday for an “end to the horrors” of the humanitarian crisis that has been ravaging eastern DRC for some 20 years.

Her visit to the DRC came as the country is receiving heightened international attention. To her interlocutors, she emphasized that the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the Great Lakes Region has revived the hope that the leaders of the DRC and countries in the region will do their utmost to deal with the root causes of the prolonged conflict and bring lasting peace to the long-suffering people of eastern DRC. Ms. Kang said that all actors and stakeholders must fully invest in this vital chance at peace.

“There can be no human welfare, human dignity or human rights in this prolonged state of insecurity and violence,” Ms. Kang said before leaving for Uganda, where she is due to discuss the regional ramifications of the persisting humanitarian crisis with senior UN officials working in the DRC and in neighbouring countries.

Italy in the forefront on integrated development

“I am very satisfied”, Pitelli stated after the signing with Minister for Finance and Economic Development Ato Ahmed Shide, “because at just a few weeks from the installment of the new government we have already formalised major achievement such as this”, which place Italy in the forefront in the integrated development model the European Union intends to pursue within the context of the “new millennium goals” to be introduced at the next UN General Assembly meeting.

Water, education, healthcare

“Specifically speaking”, the Deputy Minister underscored, “today's agreement is the fruit of Italy's active role in promoting the Union's joint cooperation strategy with Ethiopia. The Italian Cooperation will concentrate in a series of priority projects focused on concrete considerations in the sectors of agriculture and sustainable rural development, through the supply of targeted services: water, education and healthcare.

Switzerland has been active in Mali and the region for a considerable period of time, and is closely monitoring political, security and humanitarian developments there. The visit by the Swiss delegation was an opportunity to hold a number of official meetings, in particular with the Malian Prime Minister, Diango Cissoko. During the talks, the Swiss delegation was able to gain an overview of the many challenges currently confronting the country and to discuss with various interlocutors the best way to co-ordinate responses to them.

Mr Rossier and Ms Tissafi also assured their different discussion partners of Switzerland's continued support for the efforts of the regional and international actors accompanying the political dialogue in Mali - which includes all those who renounce terrorism and accept the country's territorial integrity and secularism. For Switzerland, a political solution and the restoration of good governance for the benefit of all Malians are an integral part of the responses to the humanitarian crisis and to development gaps.

While in Mali, the Swiss delegation also undertook a field visit to Timbuktu, where it donated school equipment and met the local authorities. Switzerland will contribute to the restoration of the mausoleums that were destroyed in Timbuktu.

Since the military coup in March 2012, Switzerland has provided development cooperation in support of the Malian people through support for decentralisation, access to basic services and job creation in the south of the country. Nowadays, it is aiming to progressively strengthen its commitment in the northern regions, and has decided to resume its decentralised sector budgetary aid, a fund-transfer mechanism that enables territorial authorities to have direct access to public aid resources. For this purpose, the State Secretary signed a commitment with the Malian government in Bamako to transfer CHF 18 million over four years in the presence of representatives of the World Bank. This agreement aims to support seven urban municipalities, including Mopti and Timbuktu in the north of Mali.

Prior to the visit to Mali, the Swiss delegation visited Burkina Faso where it held talks in particular with the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, Luc Adolphe Tiao, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Djibril Yipènè Bassolé. The State Secretary assured Burkina Faso, which is leading the regional mediation of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS), of Switzerland's support for the political dialogue established to resolve the crisis in Mali. At the request of Mali, Switzerland is committed to supporting this regional mediation process, which has been strengthened through United Nations resolution 2100 of 25 April 2013, which established the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

In Burkina Faso, the Swiss delegation also visited a number of projects being carried out by the SDC, which has been active in the country for nearly 40 years supporting the decentralisation process, elementary education, professional training and rural development.

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A challenge to the admissibility of the case is granted if the case is being investigated by a State which has jurisdiction over it, unless the State is unwilling or unable genuinely to carry out the investigation or prosecution. The challenge to the admissibility of the case against Mr. Gaddafi was submitted by Libya on 1 May 2012 and the Chamber conducted an assessment of the evidence presented by the parties and the participants.

The Chamber concluded that it has not been sufficiently demonstrated that the domestic investigation cover the same case that is before the Court.

In addition, the Chamber recognized Libya's significant efforts to rebuild institutions and to restore the rule of law. The Chamber, however, stressed that the Libyan State continues to face substantial difficulties in exercising fully its judicial powers across the entire territory. Namely, the Libyan authorities have not been able to secure the transfer of Mr Gaddafi into State custody and impediments remain to obtain the necessary evidence, and secure legal representation for Mr Gaddafi.

Pre-Trial Chamber I is composed of Judges Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi, Presiding, Hans-Peter Kaul, and Christine Van den Wyngaert.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the International Criminal Court.

Summary of the decision (http://www.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/icc/situations%20and%20cases/situations/icc0111/related%20cases/icc01110111/Documents/Summary-of-the-Decision-on-the-admissibility-of-the-case-against-Mr-Gaddafi.pdf ) (also available in Arabic: http://www.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/icc/situations%20and%20cases/situations/icc0111/related%20cases/icc01110111/Documents/Summary-of-the-Decision-on-the-admissibility-of-the-case-against-Mr-Gaddafi-Ara.pdf)

Decision on the challenge to the admissibility of the case against Saif Al Islam Gaddafi: http://www.icc-cpi.int/EN_Menus/icc/situations%20and%20cases/situations/icc0111/related%20cases/icc01110111/court%20records/chambers/pretrial%20chamber%20i/pages/344.aspx

ICC Audio-visual programme, “News from the Court”: English (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8YA_8C3OyA) – Arabic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0gEUPil_ss) ; and for download: MP4 (English: http://www.fileserver.icc-cpi.info/video/News_from_the_Court_Libya_English.mp4 – Arabic: http://www.fileserver.icc-cpi.info/video/News_from_the_Court_Libya_Arabic.mp4) and MP3 (English: http://www.fileserver.icc-cpi.info/audio/News_from_the_Court_Libya_English.mp3 – Arabic: http://www.fileserver.icc-cpi.info/audio/News_from_the_Court_Libya_Arabic.mp3).

More information on this case, please click here: http://www.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/icc/situations%20and%20cases/situations/icc0111/related%20cases/icc01110111/Pages/icc01110111.aspx.

For further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Spokesperson and Head of Public Affairs Unit, International Criminal Court, by telephone at: +31 (0)70 515-9152 or +31 (0)6 46448938 or by e-mail at: fadi.el-abdallah@icc-cpi.int.

You can also follow the Court's activities on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/IntlCriminalCourt) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/IntlCrimCourt)

The campaign aims to cover more than 527, 000 people in the following six districts: South Ari, North Ari, Benatsemay, Selamago, Hammer, and Gnangatom and one administrative town (Jinka) in South Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia.

The International Coordinating Group on Yellow Fever Vaccine Provision (YF-ICG11) will provide over 585,800 doses of yellow fever vaccine for the mass vaccination campaign run by the Ministry of Health in Ethiopia, with support from the GAVI Alliance and other partners. WHO is closely supporting the outbreak investigation, capacity building for case management, resource mobilization for outbreak management, and monitoring preventive and control activities in the field.

The six laboratory-confirmed cases are from South Omo, in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' region. The cases were identified through the national surveillance programme for yellow fever. The index case was a 39-year-old man who presented with fever and jaundice and haemorrhagic signs in January 2013. He was laboratory-confirmed by IgM (antibody test). Differential diagnosis for other flaviviruses was negative.

The laboratory confirmation was done by Institute Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal, a WHO regional reference laboratory for yellow fever.

1 The YF-ICG is a partnership that manages the stockpile of yellow fever vaccines for emergency response on the basis of a rotation fund. It is represented by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and WHO, which also serves as the Secretariat. The stockpile is supported by the GAVI Alliance.

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/african-development-bank-2.png

The AfDB's Board of Directors approved on February 20th, 2013 the AfDB Trade Finance Program (TFP). This marked the establishment of a full-fledged in-house trade finance program, consolidating the Bank's role as a provider of trade finance. The program seeks to complement contributions from the commercial players and Multilateral Development Banks involved in Trade Finance in Africa while addressing the critical market demand for TF in the region by supporting trade in vital economic sectors. The program will require the collaborative effort of various stakeholders, including regional Development Finance Institutions, and local and international financial institutions. As such, the AfDB needs to widely communicate the importance of the Bank's intention to all TF stakeholders in Africa, including the Governors of Central Banks, Development Finance Institutions, local and international financial institutions, and TF beneficiaries. Following the approval of the program by the AfDB Board, five transactions totaling US$520 million have been processed, of which two are risk participation agreements signed this week with Standard Chartered Bank and Commerzbank for which the AfDB is contributing, respectively, US$ 200 million and US$100 million to be matched by these two partners.

The trade finance side event brought together industry leaders and market participants to discuss the current market context and future of TF in Africa. The participants explored the way forward on bolstering intra-African trade, its challenges and possible solutions, shared lessons learnt from other markets and how local banks and Small and Medium Enterprises can create a winning formula for access trade finance. They also discussed the role of regional development banks and commercial players in supporting trade finance. The side event provided a unique platform for the launch of the newly established TFP and highlighted its broad objectives.

Marc Auboin, Economic Counsellor in charge of trade and finance, and international economic policy coherence at the World Trade Organization (WTO), one of the panelists of the side event, said historically, trade assets have low default rates, thus placing them firmly in the category of low risk assets. African trade instruments are no exception.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Contacts:

Onike Nicol-Houra, Principal Business Development Officer, T. +216 71 10 32 27 / C. +216 97 96 87 06/ o.nicol@afdb.org

Y.Kuffour, Lead Trade Finance Specialist Manager, T. +216 71 10 22 85/ C. +216 98 70 29 41 / y.kuffour@afdb.org

Photo Donald Kaberuka: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/donald-kaberuka-afdb-president.jpg

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/african-development-bank-2.png

The President of the African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka states:

“The AGF has only been operational for a year but is already showing good results. I am pleased that AGF has been given this award by the African banking community. Access to finance continues to be a major obstacle for financial sector development in Africa. It is paramount that we support small and medium-size enterprises to release the full potential for fostering inclusive growth, job creation and economic development in Africa.”

The Danish Minister for Development Cooperation, Christian Friis Bach, welcomes the award:

“I am very pleased to see this international recognition of the African Guarantee Fund that was established on recommendation of the Danish Africa Commission, which I had the pleasure to serve on. In a time of economic crisis and recession I believe we increasingly have to think in new partnerships to address development challenges in the 21st century. The AGF is an example of such a new and innovative approach. With the AGF we use development assistance as a catalyst for private sector growth while at the same time promoting social progress and job creation in Africa”.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Background:

The African Guarantee Fund was established by Denmark in partnership with the African Development Bank and the Government of Spain following the recommendations of the Danish Africa Commission of 2008. The aim of the AGF is to foster inclusive economic growth and job creation. The AGF targets the many small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa, which play key roles in terms of job creation and output, yet their opportunities for doing business are often hampered by lack of access to finance.

The African Banker Awards Committee is composed of the editorial team of African Business and African Banker magazine and it benefits from the expertise of leading organisations and industry figures with an in-depth knowledge of the African business landscape: http://www.ic-events.net/awards/african_banker_awards_2013/06judges.php