UN News Centre - Africa

The notion that elections would most probably not be held before the end of 2017 has regrettably led to the re-emergence of a climate of political uncertainty and tensions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a United Nations envoy for that country told the Security Council today.

The United Nations Security Council today extended its authorization of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) until 31 May 2018, approving a reduction of its uniformed personnel to a maximum 21,626 by 31 December 2017, with an eye towards the gradual handover over of responsibilities to Somali security forces.

Skilled health personnel are desperately needed in north-eastern Nigeria, the United Nations population agency today said, after training hundreds of health providers in Borno State on the basics of reproductive health needs.

The head of the United Nations agriculture agency today called for greater funding for a sustainable response to the refugee crisis in Uganda, as he concluded a visit to the country&#39s north hosting those crossing the border for safety.

The United Nations migration agency is working with Libyan authorities to help rescue more migrants off the Libyan coast.

Amid a funding shortage that has forced the reduction of rations for some 320,000 refugees in north-west Tanzania, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today said that it urgently requires $23.6 million to guarantee the food and nutritional needs through December.

Libya&#39s future prosperity and stability depends on the international community further strengthening and unifying its efforts on behalf of the whole country, as well as Libyans themselves &#8220seizing the window of opportunity&#8221 that is before them to ensure peace, the head of the United Nations mission there said today.

South Sudan, Africa&#39s newest nation, has known no respite since fighting broke out last July, following the collapse of a peace deal between Government and opposition forces, sparking what United Nations agencies report as incidents of &#8220barbaric violence&#8221 carried out by armed groups, and a massive spike in the number of desperate people fleeing for safety.

The head of the United Nations political office visited Somalia this week, where he praised the &#8220real forward momentum&#8221 in the country&#39s political development, and reiterated UN support as the Horn of Africa country tackles its challenges, such as the fight against the group Al Shabaab.

Only by fulfilling the minimum conditions of the Conakry Agreement can Guinea-Bissau make progress towards breaking its years-long political crisis, the United Nations envoy for the country told the Security Council today, calling for better coordinated, sustained international involvement.

A senior United Nations peacekeeping official today called on the leaders of South Sudan to show genuine political will to achieve sustainable peace in the strife-riven country, stressing that those whose long-time rivalry sparked the ongoing conflict can be the ones to resolve it.

Food assistance will be provided to food insecure people displaced by conflict in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), says the United Nations food agency.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Horst Köhler, former President of Germany, as his Personal Envoy for Western Sahara.

Condemning a series of terrorist attacks in north-eastern Nigeria, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for those responsible for these &#8220repeated heinous acts&#8221 to be brought to justice.

Calling on the Kenyan authorities to avoid violence, the United Nations human rights chief today urged the Government to make an immediate announcement that it will cooperate and ensure accountability for reported abuse by security forces which has led to deaths and injures, including among children.

More than 1,500 Congolese refugees who have fled violence and ethnic tensions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been relocated from reception centres in northern Angola to a newly established settlement, the United Nations refugee agency today said.

After learning Monday that devastating floods and mudslides left hundreds dead in Sierra Leone, the United Nations migration agency released $150,000 in emergency, first-response aid relief for the West African country.

The Central African Republic (CAR) has spiralled into violence and remains one of the worst countries in the world to be a child and &#8220right now there are few eyes looking at them and few hands trying to help,&#8221 the United Nations children&#39s agency said today.

Over the past three days, the UN migration agency has found more survivors and victims&#39 remains from last week&#39s tragedy &#8211 when hundreds of migrants were forced from two boats into the sea off the coast of Yemen.

The joint task force by the so-called Group of Five (G5) &#8211 Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger &#8211 to tackle the threat of terrorism in Africa&#39s Sahel region is now operational, but a number of challenges remain, including funding, the United Nations Security Council was today told.