AfricaNews: UN, AU commit to strategically review peace operations

According to report, the United Nations and the African Union have jointly committed to review the way peace operations are conducted to challenge the new forms of warfare.

This was announced by the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at a joint press conference on Wednesday with the African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat after signing a new partnership agreement at the UN Headquarters in New York.

“We are witnessing, in Africa, as around the world, changes in the security situation that force us to have a strategic review of the way peace operations take place. We no longer have only the traditional peacekeeping operations,” Guterres said.

“We are indeed creating the conditions for an enhanced coordination of our activities at all levels,” he added.

"We are witnessing, in Africa, as around the world, changes in the security situation that force us to have a strategic review of the way peace operations take place. We no longer have only the traditional peacekeeping operations."

Mahamat lauded the sustainable development, peace and security agreement saying it will help produce better results between the two organisations.

The AU Chairperson earlier attended the United Nations- African Union (UN-AU) Annual Conference.

The framework is expected to align the Agenda 2063 of the African Union for sustainable development and the United Nation’s Agenda 2030.

“There are lots of positive success stories that need to be fully in our own narrative as a UN about Africa and in our cooperation with the African Union … I would also like to underline that in relation to human rights, to good governance, there was a total identity of points of view that will allow us to work together very strongly,” Guterres concluded.

The two leaders earlier discussed situations in Libya, Mali, the Central African Republic, and Somalia, as well as the activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

AfricaNews: UN, AU commit to strategically review peace operations

According to report, the United Nations and the African Union have jointly committed to review the way peace operations are conducted to challenge the new forms of warfare.

This was announced by the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at a joint press conference on Wednesday with the African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat after signing a new partnership agreement at the UN Headquarters in New York.

“We are witnessing, in Africa, as around the world, changes in the security situation that force us to have a strategic review of the way peace operations take place. We no longer have only the traditional peacekeeping operations,” Guterres said.

“We are indeed creating the conditions for an enhanced coordination of our activities at all levels,” he added.

"We are witnessing, in Africa, as around the world, changes in the security situation that force us to have a strategic review of the way peace operations take place. We no longer have only the traditional peacekeeping operations."

Mahamat lauded the sustainable development, peace and security agreement saying it will help produce better results between the two organisations.

The AU Chairperson earlier attended the United Nations- African Union (UN-AU) Annual Conference.

The framework is expected to align the Agenda 2063 of the African Union for sustainable development and the United Nation’s Agenda 2030.

“There are lots of positive success stories that need to be fully in our own narrative as a UN about Africa and in our cooperation with the African Union … I would also like to underline that in relation to human rights, to good governance, there was a total identity of points of view that will allow us to work together very strongly,” Guterres concluded.

The two leaders earlier discussed situations in Libya, Mali, the Central African Republic, and Somalia, as well as the activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

BBCNews: Cut-back crew for ISS launch

According to report, there was an empty third seat on the Soyuz capsule which blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thursday.

Nasa astronaut Jack Fischer, 43, and Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, 58, lifted off at 1:13pm local time (0713 GMT).

But Russia is scaling back its staff on the ISS until a long-delayed space laboratory is sent to the outpost in 2018.

AfricaNews: 3,900 tonnes of election materials distributed nationwide in the DRC

United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) has airlifted 3,900 tonnes of election materials to 15 election centres around the country to be distributed to 107 satellite stations.

The distribution, that started in October, 2016, was at the request of the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) in December 2015, the UN said Wednesday at a press conference.

“As I speak, a helicopter is making a final rotation between Kinshasa and Kasongo Lunda in Kwango province. This ends the MONUSCO air operation to support the ongoing revision of the electoral register,” UN Communications Coordinator in the DRC, Florence Marchal was quoted by local media Radio Okapi.

Four cargo aircrafts and 16 helicopters transported equipment including office kits, record materials, voter cards and generators from Kinshasa to the rest of the country, Marchal explained.

"As I speak, a helicopter is making a final rotation between Kinshasa and Kasongo Lunda in Kwango province. This ends the MONUSCO air operation to support the ongoing revision of the electoral register."

The Electoral Commission has come under pressure last year to complete the voter registration process ahead of the earlier slated November 2016 election date.

The Commission explicitly stated that they were unable to meet the election deadline due to lack of resources. A court extended the mandate of President Joseph Kabila whose term expired in December last year.

A peace agreement was reached for a unity government after series of protests by the opposition who called on Kabila to step down.

The election is expected to be held before the end of the year.