Day: May 25, 2023

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South Africa’s “Oasis (Reach for Your Dreams)” Receives Recognition from UNAOC-BMW Group’s Intercultural Innovation Hub

BERLIN, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / May 25, 2023 / South African organization “Oasis: `Reach For Your Dreams`” is one of ten global grassroots recognized by the prestigious Intercultural Innovation Hub, a joint initiative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the BMW Group, implemented with the support of Accenture, during a ceremony held in Berlin, Germany.

Selected for their project “Community Street Football/Netball”, the organization leverages the role of sport to help youth who have fallen through the gaps within society, and have either dropped out of school or have become involved in gang-related activities, by supporting their reintegration into society and empowering them to lead positive and self-sufficient lives. The programme engages participants in street football events, while uplifting young people by instilling them with life skills based on the values inherent to sports, such as team spirit, fair play, respect, and conflict management.

“We are honored to receive the support of the Intercultural Innovation Hub in addressing the challenges of the youth in our communities, and providing alternative solutions for their positive growth,” said Clifford Martinus, Founder of “Oasis `Reach For Your Dreams`”.

Every year, the Intercultural Innovation Hub supports grassroots initiatives that promote intercultural dialogue and understanding, thereby contributing to peace, cultural diversity, and more inclusive societies. This year, the Ceremony was chaired by Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and the High Representative for UNAOC, and Ms. Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG People and Real Estate, Labour Relations Director.

Through the Intercultural Innovation Hub, Oasis `Reach For Your Dreams` will receive a financial grant, as well as one year of capacity-building and mentorship support from UNAOC, the BMW Group, and Accenture to help strengthen the “Community Street Football/Netball” project and its contribution towards a more inclusive society. This model of collaboration between the United Nations and the private sector creates a more profound impact, as partners provide their respective expertise to ensure the sustainable growth of each supported project.

Learn more about the project:

https://interculturalinnovation.org/oasis-reach-for-your-dreams-community-street-football-netball/

Media Inquiries:

– Milena Pighi, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, BMW Group, Milena.PA.Pighi@bmw.de
– Alessandro Girola, Programming Coordinator, UNAOC, alessandrog@unops.org

SOURCE: United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

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Newly Constructed Ethiopian Chancery in Beijing Inaugurated

Addis Ababa The Newly Constructed Ethiopian Chancery in Beijing Inaugurated today.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen and State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Qin Gang have inaugurated the newly constructed Ethiopian Chancery in Beijing.

During the inaugural ceremony, the visiting Ethiopian high level delegation, Chinese government officials, heads and members of diplomatic corps, CEOs of Chinese investment groups and enterprises, representatives of Ethiopians residing in China, friends of Ethiopia and other invited guests were present.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

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Former AU Commission Chairperson Urges Ethiopia to Continue Contributions to OAU-AU

Ethiopia should continue the significant contributions it has been making to the former Organization of African Unity and the present African Union, former Chairperson of the African Union Commission Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said.

The African continent celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and its successor, the African Union, today.

Former African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who attended the celebration ceremony in Addis Ababa, told ENA that the African Union has reached this stage by overcoming many challenges.

And Ethiopia has played a very critical role in the OAU-AU from the very beginning, she said.

“Ethiopia, from the very beginning has played a very critical role, and it must continue to play that role. Ethiopia itself must be peaceful. I am hoping that those efforts of ensuring peace are underway.”

Noting that Ethiopia has been progressing, Zuma said if you take where Ethiopia was in the 60 years and where it’s now? There has been enormous progress.

“We appreciate that. We appreciate that Ethiopia has ensured that it connects us through aviation. It has the largest Airlines. We are proud of that and support it.”

The former African Union Commission Chairperson said:“I am very happy to be in Addis, which is an African capital. It is our capital and I’m happy to see the progress since I left…. It’s important that we celebrate every year the African Union with the aim of ensuring that we make progress. Every year must be better than the previous year. This year must be better than last year.”

According to the former chairperson, there are still many internal problems that continue to challenge the continent although Africa has many achievements to be proud of.

“We made progress in terms of decolonization. The challenges are now internal because we still see conflicts within countries. I think that is what we must now deal with. Not country should be in conflict with itself.” The AU must make sure that the guns are silenced.

Zuma further noted that the continent has progressed in terms of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which “we must implement.”

Yet, she underscored that Africa cannot succeed unless it industrializes because manufacturing goods, building proper infrastructure and free movement among the countries are crucial.

Otherwise,“we will be a consumer market for other people’s goods. We (however) must consume our goods. We must trade in our goods and sell to the world as well. I think that progress must be accelerated.”

Above all, Zuma stressed that Africans must be able to feed themselves. “A continent that does not feed itself is not worth anything. We must be able to feed ourselves. We have enough land. We do have rain. We have people. So, we should be able to feed ourselves.”

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

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Bafoussam: Missing lady found dead in a Well

A 24-year-old lady, Diane who went missing in Bafoussam 1 recently was found dead in a Well, CNA learned. Her decomposing corpse was removed by rescue soldiers alerted on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.

It was the pungent smell that led to the discovery.

“I saw a woman and her son looking in the Well as if they lost something. When I asked, they said a pungent smell was emanating from it. That is how we went knocking at the owner’s door at about 10:00 pm Tuesday to inform her there was a corpse on her Well,” a local said.

“We have been searching for her to no avail. I was at home on Tuesday, May 23 with a disturbing feeling, when news reached me that my sister’s corpse has been found in a Well near GBHS “Ndiadam”. Explained Diane’s elder sister.

It is not clear if it was an accident, a suicide or a murder case.

A local reported Diane had a squabble with her husband over infidelity which ended up at a Gendarmerie brigade as the deceased was now living with another man.

“I told Diane’s mother to intervene and tell her daughter to return to her husband’s house but she refused. Now see where that has landed her. I am shocked. I never expected the flight over Diane will result in this. If someone is to be blamed for her death, it is the mother.” Explained the local.

An investigation has been opened to know exactly what killed Diane.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

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Maroua: Four elephants straying in town, how it happened

The population of Maga, a locality in the Far North region of Cameroon, have had an experience that many, especially the affected persons, may never forget.

The appearance of four elephants in town on Wednesday, May 24, startled residents, leaving many in panic. A woman lost her life following the invasion, with several others losing property in damages.

Reports from the Far North indicate that the elephants drifted from the path they were following and went toward the inhabited area.

“The group of four elephants were in their natural migration towards the Waza National Park,” the Ministry of Forestry said. The statement added that the officials concerned had engaged in an operation to guide the elephants to the park.

“This operation unfortunately aroused the curiosity of the population, who unconscious about the dangers, obstructed the corridor” the forestry officials indicated.

Efforts were intensified, the personnel noted, adding that “with the assistance of defence and security forces, the elephants were guided back to the corridor leading to the Waza National Park”.

No other incident was recorded apart from the death of the woman, whose name CNA got as Bintou.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

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PM Abiy Call on African Leaders, People to Realize Dreams of Great Forefathers of Africa

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has call upon all African leaders and people to heed to the call of great forefathers to foster unity as we commemorates the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the organization of African Unity-African Union (OAU-AU).

Speaking at the event of commemorating OAU-AU 60th Anniversary held at the Headquarters of AU today, the premier said our continent and our AU, with 55 member states is strong and becoming a critical voice in the global arena.

We come a long way in promoting and defending an African common position on issues of interests of our continent and our people, he said.

Yet much remains in the aspiration of our forefathers— in the founding chapter and that of our own Agenda 2063, he said.

Currently, Africa is a continent of 1.4 billion people, he said, adding by 2050 more than half of the global population growth will occur in our continent.

The premier also said: “Paying attention to Africa means paying attention to a continent that by 2050 will be home to one in four human kinds.” This is an opportunity we must harness, he noted.

In an increasingly complex dynamic and fast changing global order, unity is no more a catch phrase, but a means of survival, he said.

“The complex world that we found ourselves in today, the aspiration we carry as Africans, summon us to further accelerate our unified position,” Prime Minister Abiy stated.

In a bid to see the Africa we want, we must continue unearthing the potential of our people and enable them to transform our continent, he elaborated.

He also said that we must mobilize the productive capacity of investment in agriculture, industry and technology.

Fighting corruption, creating a conducive environment for local and international investments and improving the service delivery potential of our bureaucracies are all necessary steps, he noted.

Africa also needs to feed itself, he said, adding Ethiopia is a clear evidence of this commitment.

The self-sustenance that has been seen in our agricultural sector productivity, has expanded in farmlands and outputs, he said.

The natural and man-made disasters and challenges that we have been confronted with for the past couple of years has not been deterring us from progress, he said.

Prime Minister Abiy stressed: ‘Driven by the spirits of African resilience, we are committed to reshape the narrative about Ethiopia and through it that of Africa.’

The premier further indicated that for a long time, we as Africans accept the narrative about ourselves that has not been crafted by us.

Therefore, Africa should materialize AU’s continental media house, he said.

In a bid to change the narrative, adequate representation and permanent seat at the UN Security Council and proportionate representation at the G7 and G20 is necessary, the premier noted.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

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Chinese FM Pledges to Support Ethiopia’s Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Qin Gang

China firmly supports the peace process in Ethiopia and is willing to deepen cooperation between the two countries in various fields to support Ethiopia’s post-conflict reconstruction as well as development and revitalization, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Thursday.

According to CGTN, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang made the remarks during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia Demeke Mekonnen, who is on an official visit to China from May 24 to 28.

Since diplomatic relations were established more than half a century ago, the two countries have always supported and helped each other, becoming a model of unity, cooperation, and win-win development for developing countries, Qin noted.

Implementing the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, China is willing to work with Ethiopia to continue supporting each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns, he said.

The Chinese foreign minister vowed to strengthen collaboration with the Ethiopian side to promote the implementation of the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa.

China has provided and delivered two batches of emergency food aid to countries in the Horn of Africa region and is considering providing a new batch of emergency food aid to help countries alleviate their urgent needs, he said.

Qin expressed his gratitude to the government of Ethiopia for its strong support and assistance in evacuating Chinese nationals from Sudan.

Demeke on his part said that Ethiopia and China have a long-standing and profound friendship, and the cooperation between the two countries has brought tangible benefits to the peoples and created a model of South-South cooperation.

“We are willing to consolidate the traditional friendship between the two countries, continue to firmly support each other in safeguarding core interests, plan for future cooperation, and continue to inject new momentum into the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries,” he said.

Ethiopia attaches great importance to improving the domestic security situation and will continue to do its utmost to ensure the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Ethiopia, he said.

Ethiopia appreciates that China always advocates and safeguards peace and is willing to strengthen the coordination of international and regional affairs between the two sides to jointly safeguard the basic norms of international relations, he added.

The two sides also exchanged views on China-Africa cooperation.

Qin said that China has always regarded Africa as a diplomatic priority, adding that China and Africa should continue to work together to strengthen solidarity and friendship and seek common development.

Demeke said that China is a good friend of Africa. Chinese modernization and development achievements are of great inspirational significance and will inspire and motivate African countries to accelerate their independent development, he added.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency