Day: July 18, 2022

UN Member States gathered in the General Assembly Hall on Monday to observe Nelson Mandela International Day, a celebration for everyone to take action and inspire change in their communities.

The first democratically-elected President of South Africa, and the country’s first Black leader, died in December 2013 at age 95. The annual commemoration on 18 July, his birthday, recognizes his contribution to the culture of peace and freedom.

Mr. Mandela – affectionately known as “Madiba”, his Xhosa clan name – fought against the racist apartheid system in his homeland, and for equality and freedom for all people.

Fight for better world

Abdulla Shahid, President of the UN General Assembly, recalled that he also advocated for democracy, gender equality, the rights of children and young people, and for protecting the environment.

“Madiba’s fight against apartheid, was in fact a fight for a better world, in which the freedom, justice and dignity of all were respected. He called for peace, social justice, equality and human understanding throughout his life,” he said.

Prince Harry: Celebrate Mandela’s legacy every day

Delivering the keynote address, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, said the life and legacy of Mr. Mandela must be celebrated every day, particularly as younger generations may not be familiar with his leadership.

“Let’s talk with our children about what he stood for. Let’s seek out what we have in common, empower all people to reclaim our democracies, and harness the light of Mandela’s memory to illuminate the way forward,” he said.

Prince Harry attended the ceremony alongside his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.

He shared that he treasures a photo of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Mr. Mandela, which was given to him by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the anti-apartheid leader who died in December.

In it, Mr. Mandela is beaming, despite having endured “the very worst of humanity, vicious racism and state-sponsored brutality”, and spending 27 years in prison.

Inspiration amidst uncertainty

Prince Harry said Mr. Mandela was still able to see the goodness in humanity, not because he was blind to the ugliness and injustices of the world, but because he knew we could overcome them. 

“In our own time, a time of global uncertainty and division, when it’s all too easy to look around and feel anger or despair, I’ve been inspired to go back to Mandela’s writings for insight into how this could be – how he could experience so much darkness and always manage to find the light,” he said.

Prince Harry listed some of the current global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, the weaponization of lies and disinformation, and the “horrific” war in Ukraine, stating that “we are witnessing a global assault on democracy and freedom – the cause of Mandela’s life.”

Citing the non-profit Freedom House, he said the world has grown less free for more than a decade and a half, and the consequences are being felt most deeply in Africa.

The pandemic, the war, and inflation have left the continent mired in a fuel and food crisis, and a time when the Horn of Africa is enduring its longest drought in nearly half a century.

Finding meaning in the struggle

Describing this as a “pivotal moment”, where multiple converging crises have generated endless injustices, people everywhere thus have a choice to make.

“We can grow apathetic, succumb to anger, or yield to despair, surrendering to the gravity of what we’re up against.  Or we can do what Mandela did, every single day inside that 7-by-9-foot prison cell on Robben Island – and every day outside of it, too,” said Prince Harry.

 “We can find meaning and purpose in the struggle. We can wear our principles as armour. Heed the advice Mandela once gave his son, to ‘never give up the battle even in the darkest hour.’ And find hope where we have the courage to seek it.”

Building on progress

Prince Harry also spoke about his special relationship with Africa, saying he has always found hope there.

“In fact, for most of my life, it has been my lifeline, a place where I have found peace and healing time and time again,” he said. “It’s where I’ve felt closest to my mother and sought solace after she died, and where I knew I had found a soulmate in my wife.”

He said much of his work is based on the continent “because, despite continued hardship, there are people across Africa who embody Mandela’s spirit and ideals – building on the progress he helped make possible.”

 Mandela Prize laureates

At the ceremony, a Greek philanthropist who fights to end childhood cancer, and a Guinean senior official working to stamp out violence against women and girls in Africa, were honoured for their service to humanity.

Marianna Vardinoyannis and Dr. Morissanda Kouyaté are the recipients of the 2020 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize.

The Prize is awarded every five years to one man and one woman, but presentation was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms. Vardinoyannis is founder and president of an eponymous foundation dedicated to children, and the ELPIDA Friends’ Association of Children with cancer. She has been a Goodwill Ambassador of the UN education and cultural organization, UNESCO, since 1999.

Dr. Kouyaté, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guinea, is Executive Director of the Inter-African Committee on Harmful Traditional Practices (IAC). He is a leading figure in efforts on ending violence against women, including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

Lessons from Mandela

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed presented the Prize to the honourees. Ms. Vardinoyannis took part in the ceremony virtually, and Greece’s Ambassador to the UN, Maria Theofili, accepted the award on her behalf.

Ms. Mohammed also delivered remarks on behalf of the UN Secretary-General who, in his message for the International Day, encouraged people to honour Mr. Mandela’s legacy by speaking out against hate and standing up for human rights.

Speaking in her own capacity, Ms. Mohammed said Mr. Mandela has served as an inspiration ever since she was young and finding her path.

“I have taken to heart his profound lesson that we all have the ability – and responsibility – to take action. That there is no ‘us’ and ‘them’. We are in this together, carrying a shared responsibility to preserve our common home and stand in solidarity with one another,” she said.

Source: United Nations

MOGADISHU– At least two people were killed and more than 15 others wounded, in a suicide car bombing attack on a popular hotel in the south-central Somali town of Jowhar, yesterday, a government official confirmed.

Daud Haji Irro, a spokesman for Hirshabelle State, said, the death toll could rise after attackers rammed a car laden with explosives, at Nuur Doob Hotel, which is frequented by regional government officials.

“So far, we have established that two people were killed and more than 15 others wounded,” Haji Irro said.

The regional government official said, two ministers and a lawmaker from the Hirshabelle State, are those wounded in the attack.

Images from the scene showed large-scale destruction caused by the explosion, which also affected nearby buildings.

Hani Omar, a witness, said, the explosion was huge, saying the number of casualties could be more than what the regional government stated.

“We heard a massive blast at the hotel in Jowhar, there is also huge destruction in the area. I know there are several casualties,” Omar said, on the phone.

Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the latest attack, saying, it has targeted a hotel housing Hirshabelle regional officials.

The attacks continue across Somalia despite security forces backed by allied forces having stepped up operations against the militants in the country.

The militants have been targeting military bases, hotels, and other public places in Somalia.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Petersburg Dialogue, in Berlin today:

Eight months ago, we left COP26 [twenty-sixth conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] with 1.5°C on life support. Since then, its pulse has weakened further. Greenhouse gas concentrations, sea level rise and ocean heat have broken new records. Half of humanity is in the danger zone from floods, droughts, extreme storms and wildfires.

No nation is immune. Yet, we continue to feed our fossil fuel addiction. What troubles me most is that, in facing this global crisis, we are failing to work together as a multilateral community. Nations continue to play the blame game instead of taking responsibility for our collective future.

We cannot continue this way. We must rebuild trust and come together — to keep 1.5°C alive and to build climate-resilient communities. Promises made must be promises kept. We need to move forward together on all fronts — mitigation, adaptation, finance, [and] loss and damage.

To protect people and the planet we need an all-of-the-above approach that delivers on each of these pillars of the Paris Agreement — at pace and at scale. Time is no longer on our side. First, we need to reduce emissions now. Everyone needs to revisit their nationally determined contributions.

We need to demonstrate at COP27 that a renewables revolution is under way. There is enormous potential for a just energy transition that accelerates coal phase-out with a corresponding deployment of renewables.

The agreement with South Africa last November sets a good precedent. Partnerships under discussion with Indonesia and Vietnam are also significant. They embody the potential of working together in a multilateral and collaborative spirit.

But, let me be clear: these efforts should be additional — not a replacement — to the support that developing countries need to ensure their transition to a net-zero and climate-resilient future. I look to the G7 [Group of Seven] and the G20 [Group of 20] to show leadership — on NDCs [nationally determined contributions], on renewables and on working together in good faith.

Second, we must treat adaptation with the urgency it needs. One in three people lack early warning systems coverage. People in Africa, South Asia and Central and South America are 15 times more likely to die from extreme weather events. This great injustice cannot persist. Let’s ensure universal early warning systems coverage in the next five years, as a start. And let’s demonstrate how we can double adaptation finance to $40 billion a year and how you will scale it up to equal mitigation finance.

Third, let’s get serious about the finance that developing countries need. At a minimum, stop paying lip service to the $100 billion a year pledge. Give clarity through deadlines and timelines and get concrete on its delivery. And let’s ensure that those who need funding most can access it.

As shareholders of multilateral development banks, developed countries must demand immediate delivery of the investments and assistance needed to expand renewable energy and build climate-resilience in developing countries. Demand that these banks become fit for purpose.

Demand that they change their tired frameworks and policies to take more risk and dramatically improve their dismal private investment mobilization ratio of 29 cents to the dollar. They should increase funding that does not require sovereign guarantees. And they should use partnerships and instruments to take on risk that will unleash the trillions of dollars of private investment we need. Let’s show developing countries that they can rely on their partners.

Fourth, loss and damage has languished on the side-lines for too long. It is eroding the trust we need to tackle the climate emergency together. I have seen first hand the impact of sea level rise, crippling drought and devastating floods. Loss and damage are happening now. We need a concrete global response that addresses the needs of the world’s most vulnerable people, communities and nations. The first step is to create a space within the multilateral climate process to address this issue including on finance for loss and damage.

This has to be the decade of decisive climate action. That means trust, multilateralism and collaboration. We have a choice. Collective action or collective suicide. It is in our hands. Thank you.

Source: United Nations

Ghana has announced its first outbreak of the Marburg virus disease.

Marburg is a highly infectious viral hemorrhagic fever in the same family as the Ebola virus disease. The symptoms of Marburg include diarrhea, fever, nausea and vomiting.

The World Health Organization has confirmed the test results taken from two unrelated people in Ghana’s southern Ashanti region who have since died.

WHO says it is monitoring more than 90 people who had been in touch with the two.

“Health authorities have responded swiftly, getting a head start preparing for a possible outbreak. This is good because without immediate and decisive action, Marburg can easily get out of hand. WHO is on the ground supporting health authorities and now that the outbreak is declared, we are marshalling more resources for the response,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

This is the second time Marburg has made a West African appearance. The first outbreak was in Guinea last year in September.

Marburg has also appeared in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda.

There are no vaccines or antiviral treatments for Marburg, but WHO says “supportive care – rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids – and treatment of specific symptoms, improves survival.”

Source: Voice of America