Angelina Jolie invites us to Give Refugees a Hand

•November 5, 2008 • 2 Comments

THOUSANDS IN EASTERN CONGO NEED YOUR HELP TODAY

THOUSANDS IN EASTERN CONGO NEED YOUR HELP TODAY

The needs

    Killings, abductions, arbitrary detentions and sexual violence persist in conflict areas in DRC. A recent NGO assessment showed that 90 per cent of women interviewed in eastern DRC felt less safe than they did a year earlier. More than 100,000 IDPs in North Kivu depend on humanitarian assistance. Others who need help have not received it because they live in inaccessible areas.

    The sustainable reintegration of refugees and IDPs remains a challenge due to massive destruction, and the lack of infrastructure and basic social services, as well as weak administrative and social structures, and a lack of economic opportunities. Participatory assessments among people of concern to UNHCR have shown that access to health, education, shelter and food are major concerns.

    Faced with these overwhelming needs, UNHCR is concentrating on resolving disputes over nationality, land and property titles, shelter for returnees with specific needs, community empowerment and livelihood support.

    UNHCR’s involvement with IDPs is a major component of its operations in the DRC, where large-scale internal displacement has been occurring since 2007. UNHCR leads the camp coordination and camp management cluster at 15 sites. In collaboration with its partners, the Office will seek durable solutions for IDPs and refugees in the DRC and support the reintegration of Congolese returnees.

UN  Refugees Mission in RD CONGO



United States Killer Tornadoes of 2008

•November 10, 2008 • 1 Comment

HURRICANE and CYCLONE

US Killer Tornadoes of 2008

APTOPIX KANSAS TORNADO

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie meets Somali refugees in Dadaab

•September 14, 2009 • 2 Comments

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie on September 12, 2009 visited Dadaab, the world’s largest refugee settlement. Describing the three-camp complex close to north-east Kenya’s border with Somalia as “one of the most dire” refugee settlements she had ever visited, Jolie said: “If this is the better solution, what must it be like in Somalia?”

Around 285,000 people live in a space originally designed for 90,000. Led by UNHCR Field Officer Maeve Murphy, Jolie heard about the struggle the agency is facing to contain a humanitarian catastrophe. On her way to visit the new arrivals area, children ran to greet Jolie. A little boy taught her the Somali handshake and children were soon giggling and offering hands for her to grasp.

Jolie met a newly arrived young woman with her three small children, two of them infants. Their distended stomachs and running noses were clear signs of their misery. Sitting down under a tree, Murphy showed Jolie the signs of malnutrition, noting that the family would go to the nearest hospital for care later in the day.

Somali refugees in Dadaab today.

“We walked for days to escape the fighting,” the mother told Jolie. Relatives came to join the party, providing relief to the young woman. One spoke English and told the acclaimed American actress, “We need space,” adding that the arrival of the young woman was stretching an already overcrowded home.

When Jolie asked if the situation had deteriorated in Somalia, the surrounding crowd said it had become “much worse.” The Goodwill Ambassador said she had heard “the situation in Somalia is only expected to worsen in the coming months.” Fresh fighting in recent months between rebel and government forces has caused tens of thousands to flee their homes.

Travelling through the Dadaab complex, Jolie looked out of the window of her vehicle at heaps of rubbish. “There is not even enough space for a trash dump, so people live amongst garbage,” she said. The car passed numerous water points with jerry cans lined up, waiting for water to arrive. Murphy explained that the huge numbers of people in the camp meant that water could only be given once every two days.

As she walked to meet another family. Jolie noticed a child pulling a water container along by a string. “We have stopped giving water containers that roll because we are so worried about contamination entering the water, spreading diseases like cholera,” explained Murphy. Earlier this year a cholera outbreak at Dadaab was contained thanks to huge teams of humanitarian workers. “With up to 7,000 people arriving each month, rain on the horizon, they say it will be impossible to contain the next outbreak,” warned Jolie.

 Angelina Jolie, Somali border

Jolie chatted with UNHCR staff as they walked through the windswept, baking camp to meet the next family. Every home they passed was full of people. “There is no space left to offer, so we rely on the refugees to look after the new arrivals,” said Murphy.

The visitors stopped at a home cobbled together with branches and plastic sheeting – home to three families. Under the shade of a tree, one of the families sat waiting for Jolie. Zahra, the mother, arrived in the camp last month, loaded into a wheelbarrow with her youngest child, pushed by her exhausted husband. “Luckily we found our old neighbour Anab from [the Somali capital] Mogadishu,” she said, nodding to a smiling woman waiting in the doorway of a small room. “We don’t have a roof though, just a place to stay,” she noted.

Moving over to Anab, Jolie was invited into the small room, shafts of sunlight filtering through the dilapidated roof. After hearing Anab’s description of her daily struggle to survive, with 18 people living in her small shelter, Jolie said: “it is amazing that as more and more people come into the camp they continue to be generous with what little they have.”

Jolie and her UNHCR guides arrived at the next home to find three families all crammed into a small compound with a young woman lying under some shade, clearly sick. Surrounded by his children, the owner of the shelter, Mahmoud, was despondent. “We get water every two days,” he complained. “Since the beginning of this year, I have had to look after two other families here, but with the same space and the same quantity of water.”

UNHCR officials said 15 people survive on 100 litres of water every two days, compared to the recommended minimum of 20 litres per person per day. Looking around the compound, Jolie came away from the latrines area saying, “the toilets are already overflowing.”

Before leaving Dadaab, Jolie met with UNHCR Representative to Kenya Liz Ahua, who told her: “If we don’t get more land [soon], it will be impossible to avert a major humanitarian crisis.” Noting that UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres had received assurances in August that land would be allocated by the Kenyan government within a week. “We hope this happens soon,” Ahua added.

Asked about her impressions, Jolie smiled warmly. “The Somali families I met today are full of warmth and affection. I wish more people could meet them, then they would have a stronger desire to help.”

Guterres said last month that UNHCR would provide an extra US$20 million to meet the needs of refugees and the host community in Dadaab. He called for a massive injection of funds from the donor community. As an emergency measure, UNHCR has started moving around 12,000 new arrivals to a camp in northern Kenya.

The International Day of Peace occurs annually on September 21.

•September 19, 2009 • 1 Comment

May the message of Peace... Spread its wings over you on international day of peace and always

It is dedicated to peace, or specifically the absence of war, such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone. It is a observed by many nations, political groups, military groups, and peoples.

“The success of this country depends on agriculture”

•September 28, 2009 • 3 Comments

Côte D’Ivoire

Country report :  WORLD FACTBOOK

Economy – overview:
 
    Cote d’Ivoire is the world’s largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products, and, to a lesser extent, in climatic conditions. Despite government attempts to diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, engaging roughly 68% of the population. Since 2006, oil and gas production have become more important engines of economic activity than cocoa.
    According to IMF statistics, earnings from oil and refined products were $1.3 billion in 2006, while cocoa-related revenues were $1 billion during the same period. Cote d’Ivoire’s offshore oil and gas production has resulted in substantial crude oil exports and provides sufficient natural gas to fuel electricity exports to Ghana, Togo, Benin, Mali and Burkina Faso.
     Oil exploration by a number of consortiums of private companies continues offshore, and President GBAGBO has expressed hope that daily crude output could reach 200,000 barrels per day (b/d) by the end of the decade. Since the end of the civil war in 2003, political turmoil has continued to damage the economy, resulting in the loss of foreign investment and slow economic growth. GDP grew by nearly 2% in 2007 and 3% in 2008. Per capita income has declined by 15% since 1999.
Abidjan - LE PLATEAU - Lagoon PEARL Economic capital of Ivory Coast

REFUGEES AND MIXED MIGRATION

•November 18, 2009 • 1 Comment
   CONFERENCE ON REFUGEE PROTECTION AND MIGRATION 

 

SAN JOSE DE COSTA RICA – 19-20 NOVEMBER 2009

 The Conference and the 10-Point Action Plan

        The Conference on Refugee Protection and Migration in San José de Costa Rica is the third regional conference linked to the 10-Point Plan of Action first outlined by UNHCR at the end of 2006. The plan sets out key areas to be addressed in countries of origin, transit and destination.

        The regional conferences, the first was held in Yemen, the second in Senegal – seek to identify how the plan can be concretely applied in specific regions. The San José conference is being hosted by the government of Costa Rica and jointly staged by the Organization for American States (OAS), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR. It also has the support of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Migrants and Refugees      

      During the two days, representatives from 20 countries will identify common challenges, exchange good practices and lessons learnt and identify specific areas in which they need more help from international bodies such as the UNHCR and IOM.

•November 16, 2009 • Leave a Comment

RAAF – Flying Females

Get an insight into the vital roles in Air Force aviation

CONGRATULATIONS KEITH!

•November 14, 2009 • Leave a Comment
 
KEITH, KC MASTERPIECE AND KINGSFORD WIN BILLBOARD TOURING AWARD
 
    Congratulations to Keith and his “Escape Together World Tour,” along with KC Masterpiece and Kingsford, for winning the Concert Marketing and Promotion Billboard Award.  This award is entirely fan voted, so thank you all for your support! To learn more about Keith’s “Escape Together World Tour,” click HERE.
ENTER NOW FOR A CHANCE TO SEE KEITH KEITH L. URBAN " START A BAND"PERFORM LIVE IN AUSTRALIA WITH A FRIEND
    Verizon Wireless and Samsung are giving fans the chance to win a trip to Australia and see Keith live in concert. Head to the V CAST Live site now to find out more details on this contest, download free exclusive live tracks to your Samsung phone, and watch Green Screen Videos from other Keith fans!
Each week, the V CAST Live Video featuring a Keith Urban fan with the most votes becomes a finalist for this contest. Keith will then select his favorite video to be the Grand Prize Winner. The winner and a guest will be flown to Australia to see Keith live in concert!
THANK YOU FOR MAKING KEITH AN OFFICAL NOMINEE FOR THE 2010 PEOPLE’S
 
    Keith is an offical nominee for the 2010 People’s Choice Awards for Favorite Male Artist and Favorite Country Artist. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote, Keith truly appreciates all of your hard work!
 
    Voting for this award show has now begun and will end December 8 at 12:00AM EST. Click HERE to cast your vote now.
 
KEITH HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE 2009 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS 
 
    Keith has been nominated for Favorite Male Artist in the Country Music category of the 2009 American Music Awards. Voting for this award ends TODAY.
 
    Winners will be determined by online voting at http://www.ama.abc.com/, http://www.amavote.com/  and www.mycokerewards.com. Vote NOW
    The 2009 American Music Awards will broadcast live from the NOKIA Theatre in Los Angeles on November 22 at 8:00PM EST on ABC.
Visit KeithUrban.net
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Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation

•November 10, 2009 • Leave a Comment

Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation.

 

       Today, Rwandan coffee farmers’ revenues are continuing to increase, and consumers in Europe are enjoying the delicious Rwandan coffee. To expand this success, CHDI is working in 2008 to facilitate Rwandan Farmers coffee sales to retailers in the United States and to apply a similar approach to other crops and products in Rwanda and Malawi.

 

Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation

•November 10, 2009 • Leave a Comment

Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation.

 

       Today, Rwandan coffee farmers’ revenues are continuing to increase, and consumers in Europe are enjoying the delicious Rwandan coffee. To expand this success, CHDI is working in 2008 to facilitate Rwandan Farmers coffee sales to retailers in the United States and to apply a similar approach to other crops and products in Rwanda and Malawi.

 

Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation

•November 10, 2009 • Leave a Comment

Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation.

 

       Today, Rwandan coffee farmers’ revenues are continuing to increase, and consumers in Europe are enjoying the delicious Rwandan coffee. To expand this success, CHDI is working in 2008 to facilitate Rwandan Farmers coffee sales to retailers in the United States and to apply a similar approach to other crops and products in Rwanda and Malawi.

 

Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation

•November 10, 2009 • Leave a Comment

Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation.

 

       Today, Rwandan coffee farmers’ revenues are continuing to increase, and consumers in Europe are enjoying the delicious Rwandan coffee. To expand this success, CHDI is working in 2008 to facilitate Rwandan Farmers coffee sales to retailers in the United States and to apply a similar approach to other crops and products in Rwanda and Malawi.

 

Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation

•November 10, 2009 • Leave a Comment

Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation.

 

       Today, Rwandan coffee farmers’ revenues are continuing to increase, and consumers in Europe are enjoying the delicious Rwandan coffee. To expand this success, CHDI is working in 2008 to facilitate Rwandan Farmers coffee sales to retailers in the United States and to apply a similar approach to other crops and products in Rwanda and Malawi.

 

Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation

•November 10, 2009 • Leave a Comment

Success Story: Rwandan Farmers Coffee | Clinton Hunter Development Initiative | What We Do | William J. Clinton Foundation.

 

       Today, Rwandan coffee farmers’ revenues are continuing to increase, and consumers in Europe are enjoying the delicious Rwandan coffee. To expand this success, CHDI is working in 2008 to facilitate Rwandan Farmers coffee sales to retailers in the United States and to apply a similar approach to other crops and products in Rwanda and Malawi.

 

Promoting the geospatial intelligence tradecraft and building

•November 5, 2009 • Leave a Comment

Join us as we pursue this mission

United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) 2007 Geospatial Achievement Award

  • Presented at Hall of Fame Dinner on 24 OCT 07; largest IC conference of the year; over 3,000 attendees and 130 companies
  • Dr. Swen Johnson was recognized with this prestigious geospatial academic research award for developing innovative methods of blending the social sciences with recent advances made in geospatial predictive technology to help address some of the US intelligence community’s most challenging intelligence problems in tactical and operational environments. Backed up by the Naval Research Laboratory, fellow academic social scientists, geospatial and military colleagues, Dr. Johnson founded Socio-Cultural Intelligence Analysis, Inc. and dedicated himself to creating Human Terrain Analysis Teams across the Department of Defense. His teams’ empirical, quantitative, and group-based sociological focus have transformed traditional geo-spatial models of human behavior into more accurate “geo-social” models, bringing GEOINT to the cutting edge of intelligence analysis.

The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) is the only organization dedicated to promoting the geospatial intelligence tradecraft and building a stronger community of interest across industry, academia, government, professional organizations and individual stakeholders.

As a not-for-profit educational foundation, USGIF strives to bring together the community at-large and support life-long learning that will ensure a robust cadre of professionals and a healthy tradecraft now and in the future.

Join us as we pursue our mission!


Previously on “LOST”4/15

•November 4, 2009 • Leave a Comment

Afghanistan: Karzai declared elected President

•November 2, 2009 • 1 Comment
UNAMA key Role
 
    UNAMA’s key role is to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan by leading the efforts of the international community. Together with the Government of Afghanistan the Mission supports the rebuilding of the country and the strengthening of the foundations of peace and a constitutional democracy. The UNAMA mandate from 2008 to 2009 remained defined by the previous resolutions 1662 (2006) and 1746 (2007). The 2008 resolution charged UNAMA and Kai Eide, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, to lead civilian efforts to:
* Strengthen cooperation with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF);
* Provide political outreach through a strengthened and expanded presence throughout the country;
* Provide good offices in support of Afghan-led reconciliation programmes;
* Support efforts to improve governance and the rule of law and  to combat corruption;
* Play a central coordinating role to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid;
* Monitor the human rights situation of civilians and coordinate human rights protection;
* Support the electoral process through the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan;
* Support regional cooperation in working for a more stable and prosperous Afghanistan.

    On 19 November 1946 Afghanistan was admitted as a member of the United Nations. The UN has a long history in the country, most especially during the years of conflict and since the end of 2001, with many of its major agencies playing a key role in the country’s development and provision of humanitarian assistance.    UN agencies and programmes work with many counterparts, national and international NGOs and partners, and recognize the lead role played by the Government of Afghanistan.

 
MEDIA : Afghanistan’s Election Commission has confirmed the planned run-off ballot has been cancelled as UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon visits the country.
 
In Kabul- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon meets UN staff -2 November 2009

“Those who gave their lives … came to Afghanistan armed not with guns or bullets. They came with a more powerful weapon – hope. Hope for a better day for Afghanistan and a commitment to help its people build a better world and a better future. We will not be deterred from this noble mission. We stand by the people of Afghanistan today, and we will do so tomorrow.”

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UN Headquarters, 28 October 2009

LINKS:

UN SECURITY COUNCIL on FACEBOOK GROUPS

WILLIAM J.CLINTON PRESIDENTIAL CENTER

•October 30, 2009 • 1 Comment

    CLINTON  FOUNDATION

    Join the William J. Clinton Presidential Center as we celebrate five years with five days of giving.

November 14 – November 18, 2009

“FIVE DAYS OF GIVING”

  Since opening its doors five years ago, the William J. Clinton Presidential Center has received 1.6 million visitors from all over the world and over 100,000 Arkansas students have taken advantage of our free school group tours. Downtown Little Rock has seen over $2 billion dollars in economic development, and the Center’s volunteers have given almost 20,000 hours of service.

    This year we’ll be celebrating these and other successes accomplishments as we commemorate the 5th Anniversary with “Five Days of Giving.” Our “Five Days of Giving” will begin on Saturday, November 14, with free admission to the Library throughout the day. Saturday will also mark the beginning of a five-day coat drive spearheaded by the Clinton Center in collaboration with the Central Arkansas Gastroenterology Clinic, KATV Channel. 7, Oak Forest Cleaners, and the Little Rock Fire Department, with the Center serving as the central drop off location. “Five Days of Giving” culminates on the actual fifth anniversary on Wednesday, November 18 with a “Thank You, Arkansas” luncheon at the Clinton Center featuring President Bill Clinton.

WILLIAM J.CLINTON PRESIDENTIAL CENTER

For a complete listing of 5th Anniversary activities, please visit www.clintonpresidentialcenter.org and click on the Five Days of Giving button or call 501-748-0425.