UN experts* today expressed concern about the role of airlines and aviation authorities in facilitating unlawful removals to Rwanda under the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of Rwanda, and the ‘Safety of Rwanda’ Bill.

“Even if the UK-Rwanda agreement and the ‘Safety of Rwanda’ Bill are approved, airlines and aviation regulators could be complicit in violating internationally protected human rights and court orders by facilitating removals to Rwanda,” the experts said.

They stressed that removing asylum-seekers to Rwanda or any other country where they would be at risk of refoulement would violate the right to be free from torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

In November 2023, the UK Supreme Court ruled that removals to Rwanda would violate Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

“If airlines and aviation authorities give effect to State decisions that violate human rights, they must be held responsible for their conduct,” the experts said.

“As the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights underline, aviation regulators, international organisations and business actors are required to respect human rights,” they said.

The corporate responsibility to respect human rights set out in UN Guiding Principle 13 prohibits companies from contributing to human rights abuses, and UN Guiding Principle 23 requires businesses to comply with all applicable laws, respect internationally recognised human rights, and treat the risk of contributing to gross human rights abuses as a compliance issue wherever they operate.

The UN experts have been in contact with the UK Government, as well as national, European and international aviation regulators, including the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and international actors, including the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to express their concerns and remind them of their responsibilities. Previous engagement by UN experts on related issues includes a communication on the UK-Rwanda Agreement, a press release on a related letter on the draft legislation, and a court intervention to the Court of Appeal.

* The experts: Siobhán Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; Gehad Madi, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants and Allice Jill Edwards, Special Rapporteur on torture.

Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms. Special Procedures mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. They are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organisation. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has hosted an assembly of members of the House of Representatives aligned with the Rescue Mission of the Ruling Unity Party and a team of UP leaders and strategists to a one-day Executive-Legislative Agenda Setting Retreat in Tubmanburg, Bomi County on Saturday, April 20, 2024.

The convergence was to compare notes on crafting a more coordinated and effective path to pursuing critical national development goals.

Opening the session at the Bomi City Hall, President Boakai highlighted critical themes in the Agriculture Road Rule of Law Education Sanitation&Tourism (ARREST) Agenda which he said needed to be vigorously pursued by proper messaging and the encouragement of other legislators to support the call of nation building.

The Liberian President and UP Political Leader stressed the need for coordinated and more purposeful working relationship which will engender wider support for the realization of set targets.

He reminded his audience that the ARREST Agenda is not a hidden agenda but one that is open for all and an agenda aimed at taking Liberians out of poverty to prosperity.

The working session brought together more than 20 members of the House of Representatives as they spent hours deliberating on approaches and methods of pushing key points in the legislative agenda as well as a lineup of other development goals of the Government.

At the close of the full-day session, the participants signed and issued a joint resolution reflecting their decisions.

The Resolution signed by representatives of the three parties declared that “the ARREST Agenda is the best suited and in sync with the national development demands of our time.”

They further averred that they see collaboration, consultation and the sense of common purpose as the most reliable and effective means by which the ARREST Agenda can be achieved.

In their quest to build support for the Agenda, the parties undertook to enlist colleagues in the Legislature and other segments of the population to embrace the Agenda.

To ensure coordination and smooth communication among them, they recommended Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of State, Mrs. Cornelia Kruah-Togba, as the Liaison.

Representative Richard N. Koon of the House signed for members of the Rescue Legislative Caucus present while Acting Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Samuel A. Stevquoah signed for the

Administration. Unity Party Vice Chairman for Governmental Affairs&International Relations, Honorable Ben Fofana, signed for the Unity Party.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of Liberia: Executive Mansion.

Her Excellency Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, affirmed the UAE’s categorical rejection of the false allegations made by the Permanent Representative of Sudan, affirming that these claims are baseless.

Her Excellency highlighted that the UAE submitted a letter to the UNSC on April 21st, through which the country stressed that the dissemination of disinformation and false narratives after a year of conflict aims to deflect responsibility and undermine international efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

In this regard, the UAE stresses that it remains committed to continuing to engage with all stakeholders to support any process that aims to set Sudan on a political path to reach a lasting settlement and to achieving a national consensus for forming a civilian-led government.

The letter, sent by His Excellency Mohamed Abushahab, UAE Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN, to Her Excellency Vanessa Frazier, President of the UNSC, consisted of the following:

“On instructions from my Government, I write to you in response to the allegations made by the Permanent Representative of the Sudan in the statement he delivered at the 9,611th meeting of the Security Council on 19 April 2024, under the agenda item “Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan”.

The United Arab Emirates unequivocally rejects the baseless allegations made by the Permanent Representative of the Sudan, which run counter to the longstanding brotherly relations between our two countries, and regrettably appear to be nothing more than an attempt to divert attention from the conflict and the dire humanitarian situation caused by the ongoing fighting. All allegations of the United Arab Emirates’ involvement in any form of aggression or destabilization in Sudan, or its provision of any military, logistical, financial or political support to any faction in Sudan, are spurious, unfounded, and lack any credible evidence to support them.

Since the outbreak of the conflict in the Sudan, the United Arab Emirates has consistently expressed its firm belief that there can be no military solution to the conflict. We are therefore deeply concerned that the parties to the conflict have not heeded the repeated calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and efforts to seek a sustainable resolution to the conflict through dialogue, including from the Security Council in resolution 2724 (2024).

Despite the numerous appeals from regional stakeholders and the broader international community, the conflict parties have continued to prolong hostilities, inflicting untold suffering and hardship upon the Sudanese people and threatening to destabilize the entire region.

In this context, the United Arab Emirates is also profoundly concerned about the dissemination of disinformation and false narratives, which undermine any efforts aimed at fostering a constructive dialogue that would ultimately pave the way for enduring peace.

On behalf of my government, I should like to take this opportunity to reaffirm that the United Arab Emirates respects and upholds principles of international law, including pursuant to the Charter of the United Nations. The United Arab Emirates respects the sovereignty of other states and refrains from any interference in their internal affairs. The United Arab Emirates is also committed to strict compliance with the resolutions of the Security Council and to cooperation with the Council and its subsidiary bodies.

Accordingly, the United Arab Emirates remains dedicated to supporting a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Sudan. To that end, the United Arab Emirates will continue to engage with all stakeholders and support any process that aims to set Sudan on a political path to reach a lasting settlement and achieve a national consensus for forming a civilian-led government. The United Arab Emirates has actively engaged with the parties in Sudan and relevant stakeholders, including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU), and supported the talks in Jeddah and Manama. The UAE also participated in the “International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and neighboring countries” recently held in Paris, and joined its Declaration of Principles in order to advance the peace initiatives for Sudan, and pledged US $100 million to support humanitarian efforts in Sudan and its neighboring countries.

The United Arab Emirates firmly believes that dialogue is the only viable way to address grievances and forge a path towards a sustainable peace in Sudan and stresses the imperative for all parties to the conflict to demonstrate genuine commitment to engage in the peace talks in good faith. All parties in Sudan must focus on constructive engagement and meaningful dialogue rather than deflecting responsibility or undermining international efforts to address the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Sudan. The current situation demands that all parties involved demonstrate a genuine commitment to achieving lasting peace and stability in Sudan.

The United Arab Emirates will continue to support all genuine efforts to bring about peace and stability in Sudan and remains committed to cooperating with all stakeholders towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs&International Cooperation.

World Health Day 2024 was marked with purpose by member States, WHO Country Offices and their partners the world over, bringing to a close the WHO’s 75th anniversary year celebrations. This year’s activities were guided by the theme, My health, my right, and its message in favour of available, accessible and acceptable health care.

After a morning celebration with a health promotion campaign in Quatre Bornes honored by the presence of Minister of Health and Wellness, the Minister of Environment, the Mayor of Quatre Bornes and of parliamentarians, WHO also closed the celebration of WHO’s 75th anniversary by the launching of a stamp in order to immortalize this special year and to thank all those who participated in the many celebrations marking the event in Mauritius. 

In the true spirit of this year’s World Health Day theme — My health, my right — the WHO Mauritius team decided to celebrate with children and young adults with special education needs – respecting therefore the UN disability inclusion strategy – and, afterwards, with oldest-old ladies.   

Time with these amazing children and these enthusiastic ladies was awe inspiring. It first demonstrated how, in Mauritius, real efforts are being made toward bringing access to quality health care to all. It also showcased the unstinting dedication of health professionals serving the most vulnerable.

Founded in 1987 by Josiane Ah Siong, the Association des Parents pour la Rehabilitation des Infirmes Moteurs (APRIM) works with 35 children and young adults living with physical and intellectual disabilities. For Mrs Ah Siong, who undertook the challenge of creating this pioneering NGO with other parents following the birth of her physically disabled daughter Axelle, the centre is a labour of love.

Indeed, the association, provides education and specialized developmental activities such as occupational therapy to hundreds of Mauritian youths whilst also training their parents to better support their children.

The APRIM team described the many progresses made since the opening of the center in the 1980s with new equipment better adapted to the needs of the children and health professionals better trained in specialized therapy, with the support of the Ministry of Education of the Ministry of social affairs. However, APRIM also expressed their worries from the change of remuneration structure for specialists as well as the discontinued education in occupational and  speech therapists which would hamper centers like APRIM to identify and retain the needed qualified personnel. Parents, who have adopted APRIM as a second home, have also pointed out the absence of public transport accessible to people with disabilities.

At WHO, we set great store by the recently passed Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, which is the domestication of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We hope the new disability bill effectively addresses the concerns of health professionals and of families caring for the 84,000 Mauritians living with disabilities, offering them better protection and ensuring they enjoy equal opportunities similar to any men, women or children in Mauritius.

Mère-Augustine Home for Women is managed by a similarly committed group of people, like Sister Willina and Sonia. The Home is run by the Congrégation des Sœurs de Charité de Notre-Dame-Du-Bon-Et-Perpétuel-Secours. Its 11 staff care for 56 patients, the oldest of whom is 97. Most of the patients are sent by the Ministry of Social Affairs.   One of the Mere Augustine Home’s main challenge is keeping up with the rising demand for admission associated with Mauritius ageing population.  

Indeed, between 2000 and 2021, the percentage of the population aged 60 and above more than doubled, from 9% to 18.7%. And this trend is set to accelerate with an estimated one Mauritian in three aged 60 or above by 2061, while the share of “oldest, old people” (80 and over) is set to increase twofold.

WHO Mauritius works with the Government of Mauritius to address the emerging needs of this ageing population. Indeed the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) strategy launched in March 2023 has already trained 32 health professionals from multidisciplinary backgrounds which have themselves  train 500 fellow professionals for systematic screening, early detection and referral of visual impairment, hearing loss, cognitive decline, malnutrition, mobility loss, and depressive symptoms.

At WHO, we strive to work with Mauritius toward achieving Universal Health Coverage, respecting the Right to Health for All and Leaving No One Behind. It was important for us to ensure our celebration of this year world health day clearly marked the tone of our aspirations. We thank AFRIM and Mere Augustine Home for Women for sharing with us their experience and engagement.   

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Mauritius.