Author: pr.web

CHAD

HEAVIEST RAINS IN 30 YEARS AFFECT 340,000 PEOPLE

Through August, torrential rainfall and floods, the heaviest in 30 years in Chad, have left parts of the capital N’Djamena submerged under water and forced thousands to flee their inundated houses. By the end of August, the unprecedented flooding affected over 340,000 people, which surpassed last year’s figures where through 2021, about 250,000 people were affected by floods there. In N’Djamena’s eighth district, families had recourse to wooden boats to cross streets that have been awash with flood water since the end of July. Floods are frequent in West and Central Africa during the rainy season, which typically lasts from May to October. However, this year the rains came in greater quantity, immediately flooding ponds and drainage systems. Large parts of the region are now under water, with numerous countries recording above-average precipitation.

SENEGAL

FLOODING IN AND AROUND THE CAPITAL KILLED 3 PEOPLE

Between 2 and 4 September, heavy rains and severe floods in the capital Dakar and neighboring regions killed three people and affected 208 locations across the city.

According to the “Agence Nationale de l’Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie” (ANACIM), the country’s meteorological agency, on 2 September, some southern parts saw as much as 88 mm of rain. More rainfall is expected and is likely to affect several regions in the coming days.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

AID AGENCIES PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO 7,000 PEOPLE IN ISOLATED AREAS

Humanitarian partners started scaling-up emergency assistance in Ouanda-Djallé subprefecture, Vakaga prefecture, in the north. They delivered nutrition, health, and non-food items to 7,000 people living in isolated areas and conducted preparations for future interventions. The assistance is part of a broader strategy jointly adopted by humanitarian agencies aiming at assisting about 28,500 people in the remote areas of Vakaga prefecture in the north and HauteKotto Prefecture in the north-east. These communities live in precarious conditions and are almost completely isolated during the rainy season, between April and October.

NIGERIA

ARMED MEN KILL FOUR CIVILIANS IN A MOSQUE IN ASKIRA

On 2 September, armed men killed four civilians in a mosque in Askira Local Government Area (LGA) in Borno state, in the northeast. According to local media, the fighters opened fire on worshippers as they gathered for the evening prayers, killing four people on the spot and injuring others. This is the second major attack targeting civilians in Askira in the last two weeks. The area has been witnessing a resurgence of violence after months of relative calm.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Brief Summary

Calls this week (1-7 September 2022) to Radio Ergo’s independent, national, toll-free audience feedback platform raised continuing concerns over rising prices and shortages of basic commodities such as food and water, losses of livestock and farm produce due to the harsh drought, and displacement of families without any access to aid. Farmers were worried by lack of water and plagues of pests. Water sources running dry or being inaccessible was a common complaint among callers from pastoralist areas. Conflict in Galgadud, Bay, and Hiran was noted as an additional stress on communities, whilst several callers in Somaliland spoke of rape and protection concerns. The following summarises the calls by theme.

Source: Radio Ergo

Concern Worldwide, Action Aid and For Equality brought together NGO and governmental partners on 1st July 2022 to discuss the impact of the current economic pressures in Malawi, focusing in particular on the impact of these challenges on women.

Panel discussions covered the implications and the required response by the social protection sector and agricultural sector. A policy paper was also produced which outlined the economic issues affecting Malawian women.

Disruption to global supply chains and rising food, fuel and fertiliser prices, resulting in part from the Ukraine Crisis, has caused global and national analysts to warn of significant economic challenges that will severely impact vulnerable populations. The growing economic pressure is a serious impediment to joint policy and programme efforts to combat poverty, food insecurity and gender inequality. Women and girls will be particularly impacted. The effects will be further compounded by any adverse weather events in the coming year.

The below video shows the cost of living impacts on small businesses in Malawi:

In view of this, Action Aid, Concern Worldwide, For Equality and the NGO Gender Coordination Network, held a collaborative Panel Discussion on “Mitigating the Gendered Impacts of the Rising Costs of Living in Malawi Resulting from Ukraine Crisis” to discuss the challenges in the Malawi context, and identify opportunities to mitigate their impact.

The session focused on Malawian social protection and agroecology sectors, developing a strong foundation for Malawi to build back better. Honourable Doctor Patricia Kaliati MP, Minister for Gender, Social Welfare and Community Development officially opened and resided as guest of honour at the event.

Source: ActionAid

Assertions by Russian President Vladimir Putin that only a fraction of grain exported from Ukraine was going to poor countries are untrue, the British Defense Ministry says.

Without providing proof, Putin said on September 7 that only two of 87 ships, carrying 60,000 metric tons of products, had gone to poor countries.

The deal to allow grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, took effect last month.

Quoting UN figures, the British Defense Ministry said in its daily intelligence bulletin on Twitter on September 11 that around 30 percent of grains exported under the deal has been supplied to low and middle-income countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

The ministry accused Russia of pursuing a deliberate misinformation strategy to deflect blame for food-insecurity issues, discredit Ukraine, and minimize opposition to its invasion.

In related news, France’s transport minister said on September 11 he would sign an agreement with Romania to increase Ukrainian grain exports to developing countries including to the Mediterranean.

“Tomorrow, I will sign an accord with Romania that will allow Ukraine to get even more grains out…toward Europe and developing countries, notably in the Mediterranean (countries) which need it for food,” Clement Beaune told LCI television, adding that the deal covered exports by land, sea, and river.

Copyright (c) 2015. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias’ address, via a recorded message, at the 4th Symposium on International Law and International Policy of the Hellenic Society of International Law and International Relations “40 years since the 1982 Montego Bay Convention on the Law of the Sea” (Rhodes/Kastellorizo, 11.09.2022)

Distinguished participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with great pleasure that I address this year’s Conference, especially on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS.

A Convention to which our country attaches utmost importance.

The Convention is also known as the ‘Constitution of the Oceans’, and this description is not a verbal exaggeration.

It is a description used by many of my Asian counterparts, among others, as I discovered during my recent visit to Asia.

The UNCLOS is a comprehensive regulatory framework that guarantees stability and legality in the activities of states at sea.

For our country, the UNCLOS has been the compass, the “Holy Gospel” of our foreign policy.

More than 165 countries have already ratified it.

And even countries that have not done so, such as the USA, call for its full and unconditional implementation.

UNCLOS is part of customary Law.

In accordance with the rules of the Convention, our country has taken a number of nationally significant and beneficial actions in recent years.

And I am proud to have participated in these actions: in the maritime delimitation agreement with Italy in June 2020, in the partial EEZ delimitation agreement with Egypt in August 2020.

Greece has repeatedly stated its intention and readiness to negotiate similar agreements with other neighbouring countries on the basis of International Law.

To this end, we have agreed with Albania to refer the delimitation of the maritime zones of the two states to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, in full compliance with the provisions of the UNCLOS.

Furthermore, in this way, our country exercised its right to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles in the Ionian Sea area. And it reserves the right to exercise it in other parts of its territory.

Unfortunately, Turkey is the only country in the region that stubbornly refuses to accept what is obvious and apply UNCLOS.

Turkey’s violation of the rules of the International Law of the Sea constitutes a source of tension and instability.

-The threat to use force if Greece exercises its right to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles,

– the promotion of the “Blue Homeland” theory, and

– the illegal Turkish-Libyan memorandum,

are elements of Turkey’s unlawful conduct. All these constitute flagrant violations of

International Law that seriously undermine any attempt to peacefully resolve the sole dispute we have with our neighbouring country.

Our country consistently supports and promotes positions and solutions in accordance with the Convention, which is, after all, part of the European acquis.

After 40 years, UNCLOS is more relevant and effective than ever in addressing global challenges.

And the need to ensure its integrity is more urgent than ever.

That is why Greece will continue to defend its interests and rights, always in accordance with UNCLOS.

I’d to add that Greece, through its active role in the UNCLOS Friends Group, is taking initiatives to highlight the importance of UNCLOS for stability and peace.

In this regard, the “Our Ocean Conference 2024” to be hosted by Greece aims, among other things, to highlight the aspect of environmental protection under the provisions of UNCLOS.

I wish you every success!

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic

French President Emmanuel Macron told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to remove weapons and troops stationed next to a Ukrainian nuclear plant amid growing international concerns about a potential catastrophe.

During the September 11 call, Macron also urged the Russian leader to fulfill a UN-brokered deal on Ukrainian grain exports to ensure they reached nations most in need.

Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant, the largest in Europe, following Putin’s decision to launch an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

They have used the plant to shell Ukrainian positions, leading some in the West to accuse Moscow of nuclear blackmail.

During the call, Putin tried to put the blame on Ukraine, claiming it was firing on the plant, according to a Kremlin readout of their interaction.

Macron, however, told Putin that the main risk of a nuclear catastrophe emanates from the presence of Russian troops and weapons at the plant.

He called on the Russian leader to remove the troops along with heavy and light weapons stationed nearby, the French statement said.

The two leaders expressed readiness for a “nonpoliticized interaction” on the matter with the participation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Kremlin statement said.

Operations at the plant were fully stopped on September 11 as a safety measure.

Macron also called on Putin to fulfill the agreement between Moscow and Kyiv on Ukrainian grain exports brokered by the UN and Turkey in July.

Russian warships had been blocking exports from Ukraine, one of the world’s top suppliers of grain to foreign markets, causing a sharp spike in food prices that threatened millions of people in poor nations with starvation.

Putin hinted last week at backtracking on the deal, claiming the grain is failing to reach poorer countries as intended despite ample evidence to the contrary.

Grain prices have tumbled since the deal was reached, easing economic pressures on poor countries.

During the call with Macron, Putin also complained Western sanctions were hindering supplies of Russian food and fertilizers to Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, according to the Kremlin readout.

However, Europe and the United States did not target either Russian grain or fertilizers for sanctions.

James O’Brien, head of the State Department’s Office of Sanctions Coordination, said last week that Washington sees “no disruption” in Russia’s ability to send food to world markets.

“The fertilizer is still reaching markets at the same rate that it always has,” he told reporters on September 9.

Copyright (c) 2015. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036.