(UN News)* — Protecting war-weary people in Sudan from a second deadly cholera outbreak is proving a huge challenge for aid teams after more than 16 months of heavy fighting, combined with flooding and ongoing access obstacles, they reported on .
“The needs are huge in Sudan; we are talking about people dying of hunger, we have conflict, we have protection issues, we have displacements on a daily basis; the needs are just huge,” compounded by several weeks of heavy rainfall, said Kristine Hambrouck, UNHCR Representative in Sudan.
Famine ‘ongoing’
In addition to cholera, famine is still “ongoing” in Zamzam camp near El Fashertown, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO). It said that 658 cases have been reported since the latest outbreak was declared on 12 August, with 28 deaths.
CAIRO & NAIROBI, Aug 26 2024 (IPS)* – As peace eludes war-torn Sudan, thousands of displaced people fleeing the deadly battle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have found refuge in neighboring countries, including Egypt.
These Sudanese refugee children are among the 748,000 refugees and asylum-seekers who have sought refuge in Egypt. Credit: ECW
The Sudanese refugee population in Egypt has grown almost sevenfold in what is considered the worst displacement crisis in the world, impacting 10 million people, with at least 2 million having fled to neighboring countries, including Egypt.
(UN News)* — The United Kingdom must take action to curb racist hate speech and xenophobic rhetoric, a UN human rights body said on Friday [], following recent riots that rocked the country.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racism (CERD) voiced concern over persistent hate crimes, hate speech and xenophobic incidents on various platforms, including by politicians and public figures.
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It was particularly concerned about recurring racist acts and violence by extremist far-right and white supremacist individuals and groups targeting ethnic and ethno-religious minorities, migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers.
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, Aug 13 2024 (IPS)* – Local informal food markets feed millions of urbanites in bustling African cities, but the consequences of tainted food could be illness and death for unsuspecting consumers.
Exclusive: New immigration laws create ‘hierarchy of victims’ that means many are imprisoned and denied help on release.
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Hundreds of modern slavery victims are in prison | Credit: Pexels/Composition by James Battershill
(OpenDemocracy)* 21 August 2024 — Hundreds of modern slavery victims may be being locked up in prisons across England and Wales, an exclusive investigation by openDemocracy can reveal.
The Sahel, this vast arid region stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, a region that has long been a battleground for various forces, shows no signs of abating.
Instead, it is intensifying, drawing in both regional and global powers in a struggle that is as much about resources as it is about ideology and control.
Raïs Neza Boneza
The events surrounding the recent ambush of Malian forces on 25 Jul 2024, near Tinsawaten, on the Mali-Algeria border, underscore the complexity and the scale of this conflict.
The Tinsawaten Ambush: A Turning Point?
The ambush on Malian forces at Tinsawaten, a strategic locality straddling the Mali-Algeria border, marks a significant escalation in the conflict.
()* — Leaders from landlocked developing countries, (LLDCs) will gather in Gaborone, Botswana, this December to tackle challenges, explore solutions, and build alliances for a more equitable and prosperous future.
World Bank/Dominic Chavez | Men unload sacks of onions from a truck in Bamako, Mali, a landlocked developing country. Their lack of direct access to the vital trade links often result in landlocked countries paying high transport and transit costs.
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At the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, known as LLDC3, innovative solutions and strategic partnerships will be outlined and leveraged to “unlock the full potential of these nations.” LLDC3 is set to take place from 10-13 December.
Here’s what you need to know about LLDCs and plans for this year’s conference:
(UN News)* —The swift spread of a new virulent strain of the mpox virus across Africa triggered the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it once again a public health emergency of international concern last week.
But, what is it, where did it come from and how can the world deal with the threat, which inevitably raises the spectre of pandemics past such as COVID-19 and the early spread of HIV infections?
NAIROBI, Aug 20 2024 (IPS)* – There is a deadly outbreak of a new and graver variant of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and at least one case has been confirmed in nearly 12 African countries, including those like Kenya, Burundi, Uganda, and Rwanda that were previously unaffected.
Kenya has activated all 26 public health emergency operations centers countrywide and prepared laboratories for mpox testing to manage and control an mpox outbreak. Credit: Joyce Chimbi/IPS
Suspected mpox cases across these countries have surpassed 17,000, a significant increase from 7,146 cases in 2022 and 14,957 cases in 2023.
Nairobi, 21 August 2024 (IOM)* – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is appealing for USD 18.5 million to provide crucial health-care services to migrants, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and host communities in East, Horn, and Southern Africa at risk of mpox.
Mpox assessment in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo: World Health Organization
“The spread of mpox across East, Horn, and Southern Africa is a grave concern, especially for the vulnerable migrant, highly mobile populations and displaced communities often overlooked in such crises,” said Amy Pope, IOM Director General.
Instead, it is intensifying, drawing in both regional and global powers in a struggle that is as much about resources as it is about ideology and control.
HUMAN WRONGS WATCH 