US State Department’s “Eritrea 2023 Human Rights Report” once again peddles, with higher pitch this time round, a litany of its usual, fallacious and long-discredited accusations against the country.

The overarching issue is of course whether the US has, in the first place, the credentials for an exclusive and innate legal and moral right to proselytize to, and indict, the whole world on matters of “human rights and governance”.

This is indeed the cogent reason why the Annual Report is mostly shrugged off as an anachronistic and banal exercise that does not elicit serious response by most countries most of the times.  That is in fact what we have done in the past Still reminders might be useful from time to time.

In this perspective, the Embassy of the State of Eritrea to the US categorically rejects the report’s content, methodology, narrative, and its inherent and obvious ulterior motives. Indeed, there is nothing new in the nature of the report that shows any departure from the predictable vitriol against Eritrea.

But in dwelling on the recent War of Insurrection that raged in Ethiopia, the Report once again illustrates that it is not the welfare of the Eritrean people or the issues of regional peace and stability on the basis of legality that matter most to the United States.

As it was the case in past decades when US Administrations compromised Eritrea’s inalienable national rights on the altar of their overriding geo-strategic interests, the current preoccupation and primary priority of the Biden Administration remains the singular and dogged pursuit of these objectives at the expense of enduring peace, stability and meaningful cooperation in our region.

In this perspective and the disingenuous packaging aside, the Report only accentuates the prevailing, misguided, and unwarranted US policy against Eritrea.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

A thriving creative economy fuels innovation, jobs, and economic growth across Africa. Recognizing this potential, the African Union and Google Africa join forces to launch the #DiscoverMyAfrica Shorts Challenge, a month-long campaign of the continent’s rich diversity, heritage, and vibrant spirit.

In celebration of Africa Month,YouTube creators across Africa are invited to share short videos capturing their unique perspectives using the #DiscoverMyAfrica hashtag. The challenge encourages them to showcase various facets of African life, from music and art to food, fashion, and local landmarks. A curated playlist of African-inspired music on YouTube Music fuels inspiration and accompanies these creative expressions.

This initiative goes beyond celebration. As Ms. Chido Mpemba, AU Youth Envoy, states, “#DiscoverMyAfrica empowers African youth to share their stories and rich cultural heritage globally.” By providing a platform for African voices, the challenge fosters cultural exchange and positions Africa as a hub of creative energy. It’s about unlocking the vibrant future of Africa’s creative landscape, aligning with the vision of a digitally-enabled Africa harnessing its cultural wealth for economic growth and social progress.

“YouTube is committed to supporting the diverse voices and talents that make up Africa’s creative landscape,” said Addy Awofisayo, Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa at YouTube. “These initiatives provide valuable resources and platforms for African filmmakers, musicians, and content creators to share their stories and connect with global audiences.”

In addition to the challenge Google – African Union partnership will further celebrate Africa Month with a series of programs designed to elevate African musicians and creators. The “Up Close With” series, a platform where African music’s brightest stars get up close and personal about their music and journey, will feature intimate conversations and live performances by Grammy-nominated superstars Musa Keys (South Africa) and Ayra Starr (Nigeria). These exclusive sessions will offer a rare glimpse into the artistry and creative processes of these celebrated musicians, with live performances of their chart-topping hits. The sessions will be recorded and uploaded to the artists’ YouTube channels, allowing fans worldwide to experience the magic.

The #DiscoverMyAfrica Challenge is part of the African Union’s collaborative effort in driving innovation through strategic partnership with Google, through the Office of the Youth Envoy, Make Africa Digital (MAD) initiative. The MAD initiative is implemented under the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy 2020-2030 which envisions an “integrated and inclusive digital society and economy in Africa that improves the quality of life of Africa’s citizens “The MAD initiative, launched in 2023 has been domesticated in six countries – Ethiopia, Madagascar, Ghana, South Sudan, Senegal and Zambia, reaching over 4000 young Africans with innovative skills to leverage the digital economy. The #DiscoverMyAfrica Shorts Challenge will further emphasize the innovative prowess of young Africans through talent, music and story-telling.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).

Zimbabwe is grappling with the second biggest outbreak of cholera in its history, with cases rapidly spreading across the country. It started on 12 February 2023 and to date, more than 600 people have died from cholera and over 35 00 infected. To avoid people from continuously falling sick and to save lives, Zimbabwe has to invest in its water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure.

Cholera is a potentially deadly disease, caused by bacteria that live in water. Access to clean water and proper sanitation infrastructure and hygiene measures reduces the likelihood and severity of cholera outbreaks. The problem of recurring outbreaks in Zimbabwe, is a problem of old and degraded water- and sewage systems in the urban areas. Certain cities, such as Harare, have endured months without running water, with raw sewage becoming a common sight in the densely populated suburbs.

Rural communities are affected because they are resorting to drinking unsafe water from the surrounding rivers. The lack of substantial, adequate rain has compounded the situation both in urban and rural areas with the water table depleting.

In Zimbabwe’s Buhera District, where Médecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) teams supported the Ministry of Health and Child Care in the fight against cholera for three months, villagers had to drink river water, which they shared wild and domestic animals. Boreholes have broken down, leaving villagers with no other options. Unsurprisingly, cholera did not spare Buhera.

MSF also intervened in Mbire District, 200km north of Harare. In Mbire, our teams noticed there was 52% coverage for safe water sources, while 48% was from the river, and just a paltry 37% latrine coverage. When people from Mbire work their gardens and fields along the river, they consume water from the river, which is unsafe. As there were no toilets in the field, community members resorted to using bush toilet along the river.

Mining communities are also recording a high number of cases. They attract a transient population of artisanal miners and the surrounding communities. Miners access water from contaminated sources like dumped mining pits and nearby rivers, creating a breeding ground for cholera. This is a case of Shamva district where MSF teams were recently supporting. Open defecation and limited sanitation facilities further exacerbate the situation.

Another population recording a high number of cases is a conservative religious community who object to contemporary medication. They believe in using water as a way of cleansing, whereby sometimes contaminating water sources, with many cases believed to have emanated from their gatherings.

The common element between all these communities, is the lack of access to clean water and adequate sewage facilities. This problem urgently needs to be addressed to get control over the cholera outbreaks.

In theory, cholera vaccines could also help to control cholera. Unfortunately, there’s a global shortage of those vaccines today and Zimbabwe doesn’t have enough doses to cover a wider breadth of the population. (The situation is the same in any other place: no country has enough cholera vaccines today.) This shortage is not going to be solved soon so countries shouldn’t count on vaccination to prevent or curb cholera outbreaks. This stresses the urgency of strengthening water and sanitation systems.

The longer-term solutions include replacing the antiquated water and sewage systems, a sustainable waste disposal system and the provision of piped safe water. The provision of safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene practices is critical to prevent and control the transmission of cholera – and other waterborne diseases too.

In response to the 2023 cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, the government and non-governmental organizations launched extensive efforts to combat the disease. These combined efforts appear to be working, but more effort will be needed to get to zero cases. MSF continues to support cholera response around the country.

Caring for patients and enhancing cholera prevention measures are both critical elements to bringing the outbreaks under control. But MSF warns that, without meaningful action to ensure people’s access to safe drinking water, cholera is likely to resurface regularly in the country.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).

The Mossel Bay, Overstrand and Swartland K-9 Units, in partnership with the Rural Safety Units (RSUs) in the Overstrand and Swartland areas, have once again been actively combatting crime. Between 22 and 28 April 2024, these units, along with various other municipal law enforcement agencies and the South African Police Service (SAPS), arrested seven (7) individuals for various crimes. Of these, one (1) suspect was apprehended in the Overstrand municipal area, two (2) were arrested in Mossel Bay and four (4) in Swartland.

The Mossel Bay K-9 unit conducted operations in Heiderand, Voorbaai, Hartenbos, Sonskyn Valley, Danna Bay and Kwanonqaba. The units also manned a number of roadblocks at strategic points, and distributed safety and security awareness flyers to community members in Kwanonqaba.

The arrests were made for:

x2 drunk driving.

The Swartland units conducted operations in the broader Malmesbury, including Chatsworth, Illengelethu, Abbotsdale and Moorreesburg areas. The individuals were arrested for:

x1 possession of a firearm;
x1 alleged rape; 
x1 dealing in liquor; and
x1 possession of drugs.

The units confiscated:

x2 mandrax tablets; 
x1 packet of tik; and
large quantities of liquor.

Amongst others the Overstand arrests included:

x1 for possession of drugs.

This unit confiscated:

x3 bankies dagga; and
x1 bankies tik.

Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen said, “Week in and week out, our K9 and RSU’s are diligently working in their respective areas to ensure safer communities are created. Over the last two weeks, Premier Alan Winde and I have had the opportunity to see firsthand how dedicated these units are in ensuring crime is eradicated from their areas. As the Western Cape Government, we will continue to support the crime-fighting efforts of these units, as it will assist in creating areas where community members can live without fear and in dignity.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.