http://www.irinnews.org/Updated everydayen-gbWed, 22 May 2013 14:30:48 GMTMon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>KAMPALA 20 May 2013 (IRIN) - Gaps in the healthcare system in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are hampering the fight against malaria, a leading killer of children, say experts.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/98069/Malaria-overstretching-healthcare-in-DRCKAMPALA 20 May 2013 (IRIN) - Gaps in the healthcare system in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are hampering the fight against malaria, a leading killer of children, say experts.>]]>Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>BRAZZAVILLE 15 May 2013 (IRIN) - Congo, which is heavily dependent on revenue from the oil industry, has been declared as “conforming to” a global standard that aims to ensure transparency of payments for natural resources; NGOs hope the announcement will improve the lives of the poor.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/98044/Call-for-oil-revenues-to-improve-living-standards-in-CongoBRAZZAVILLE 15 May 2013 (IRIN) - Congo, which is heavily dependent on revenue from the oil industry, has been declared as “conforming to” a global standard that aims to ensure transparency of payments for natural resources; NGOs hope the announcement will improve the lives of the poor.>]]>Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>KAMPALA 14 May 2013 (IRIN) - A UN intervention brigade will soon be deployed to the troubled eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a bid to neutralize militia groups operating there.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/98036/Briefing-Towards-internal-solutions-to-the-DRC-crisisKAMPALA 14 May 2013 (IRIN) - A UN intervention brigade will soon be deployed to the troubled eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a bid to neutralize militia groups operating there.>]]>Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>GOMA 08 May 2013 (IRIN) - Entrepreneur Gilbert Makelele wants armed groups in his part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to wake up and smell the coffee.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97998/Trading-conflict-for-coffee-in-DRCGOMA 08 May 2013 (IRIN) - Entrepreneur Gilbert Makelele wants armed groups in his part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to wake up and smell the coffee.>]]>Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>JOHANNESBURG 08 May 2013 (IRIN) - The imminent deployment of a UN-backed 3,000-strong international force mandated to “neutralize… and disarm” all armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) marks a switch to a more belligerent international stance towards rebel militia, but has met with scepticism in some quarters.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97999/Is-more-force-in-the-DRC-more-of-the-sameJOHANNESBURG 08 May 2013 (IRIN) - The imminent deployment of a UN-backed 3,000-strong international force mandated to “neutralize… and disarm” all armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) marks a switch to a more belligerent international stance towards rebel militia, but has met with scepticism in some quarters.>]]>Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>KATANGA 02 May 2013 (IRIN) - Tens of thousands of displaced people in the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) Katanga Province have received little or no humanitarian aid in the months since having fled ongoing conflict.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97963/Conflict-cuts-off-civilians-in-DRC-apos-s-KatangaKATANGA 02 May 2013 (IRIN) - Tens of thousands of displaced people in the Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) Katanga Province have received little or no humanitarian aid in the months since having fled ongoing conflict.>]]>Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>BANGUI 25 April 2013 (IRIN) - Sporadic armed clashes, looting of orphanages, recruitment into armed groups, and widespread school closures have made life perilous for children in the Central African Republic (CAR) in the wake of a 24 March rebel coup by the Séléka alliance.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97921/Children-bear-brunt-of-CAR-crisisBANGUI 25 April 2013 (IRIN) - Sporadic armed clashes, looting of orphanages, recruitment into armed groups, and widespread school closures have made life perilous for children in the Central African Republic (CAR) in the wake of a 24 March rebel coup by the Séléka alliance.>]]>Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>KAMPALA 23 April 2013 (IRIN) - Uganda's government and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) have launched a pilot mobile court system to improve access to justice for victims of crimes in Nakivale, the country's oldest and largest refugee settlement.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97903/Uganda-pilots-mobile-courts-for-refugeesKAMPALA 23 April 2013 (IRIN) - Uganda's government and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) have launched a pilot mobile court system to improve access to justice for victims of crimes in Nakivale, the country's oldest and largest refugee settlement.>]]>Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>NAIROBI 16 April 2013 (IRIN) - Improvements in nutrition and stronger government policies have led to a decline in childhood stunting, according to a new report on child nutrition. However, the condition continues to affect some 165 million children under the age of five globally.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97853/Uneven-progress-on-child-stunting-in-East-and-Central-AfricaNAIROBI 16 April 2013 (IRIN) - Improvements in nutrition and stronger government policies have led to a decline in childhood stunting, according to a new report on child nutrition. However, the condition continues to affect some 165 million children under the age of five globally.>]]>Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>NAIROBI 12 April 2013 (IRIN) - Chad is grappling with an influx of refugees and returnees into its south-eastern regions, mainly from neighbouring Sudan, and others from the Central African Republic (CAR) following a series of inter-ethnic clashes in Darfur and a recent coup in the CAR, respectively.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97840/Regional-insecurity-adding-to-Chad-apos-s-humanitarian-needsNAIROBI 12 April 2013 (IRIN) - Chad is grappling with an influx of refugees and returnees into its south-eastern regions, mainly from neighbouring Sudan, and others from the Central African Republic (CAR) following a series of inter-ethnic clashes in Darfur and a recent coup in the CAR, respectively.>]]>Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>NAIROBI 11 April 2013 (IRIN) - Unusually heavy rains have caused havoc across much of east Africa, displacing thousands of people and damaging important infrastructure.75mm) were again observed over central and southern Somalia,” states an Africa Hazards Outlook report for 11-17 April [ http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/afr_Apr11_2013.pdf ]. “Many local areas have already experienced more than three times their normal rainfall accumulation since the beginning of April, sustaining the risk for localized flash flooding and downstream river inundation over the Jubba and Shabelle River basins in eastern Ethiopia and southern Somalia.” The Shabelle has already burst its banks in some places, according to a 10 April Shabelle River flood update by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization [ http://reliefweb.int/report/somalia/flood-update-shabelle-river-10042013 ]. “SWALIM [Somalia Water and Land Information Management] field reports in the last two days indicate river breakages at Hurway (about 8m wide), Eji (about 6m wide) and Maadheere (about 14m wide) villages all in Middle Shabelle Region. This has led to inundation of large areas, causing destruction of cropped area[s] of unconfirmed acreage, and displacement of several families.” Ethiopia The southern and eastern regions of Ethiopia have also received “heavy and well-distributed precipitation totals”, according to the Africa Hazards Outlook, “with lesser amounts observed in the west and higher elevations of the country.” “This has already negatively affected cropping activities, with a reduction of planting over many local Belg [February-May rains]-producing areas of Ethiopia,” it says. With the rains expected to continue, efforts are underway to mitigate their adverse effects. Uganda According to Uganda’s chief weather forecaster, Deus Bamanya, there is an increased likelihood of near-normal to above-normal rainfall over most parts of Uganda, with the rains peaking between mid-April and early-May. Flash flooding could also occur in areas expected to receive below-normal rainfall due to sporadic heavy downpours. “The expected impacts include increased lightning, hailstorms, floods and landslides,” Bamanya told IRIN. The government plans to relocate vulnerable populations living in the eastern Mount Elgon region, which is prone to flooding and landslides [ http://www.irinnews.org/Report/88283/UGANDA-300-feared-dead-as-landslides-bury-villages-in-the-east ]. “We are worried [about] landslides, mudslides and flooding. There are already signs in the low-lying and hilly and mountainous areas,” Musa Ecweru, Uganda’s state minister for relief, disaster preparedness and refugees, told IRIN. “The effects of the heavy rains last year were very devastating. We don’t want [a]repeat. We are going to relocate people in these vulnerable areas. We are only waiting for resources from our development partners to start the relocation exercise,” said Ecweru. The Ugandan government requires some 35 billion shillings (about US$13.5 million) for the exercise. “We are going to de-gazette some government land to relocate these vulnerable populations. We are negotiating with [the] Uganda Wildlife Authority to have this done immediately. We must [re]settle these people as quick[ly] as possible,” he added. The districts of Mbale, Tororo, Kalangala, Bundibugyo and Masaka are among those most affected by hailstorms, according to Catherine Ntabadde-Makumbi, the Uganda Red Cross Society assistant communications director, who added that at least 8,362 people remain without assistance, with 5,681 of them displaced. The displaced are in urgent need of shelter kits, household items and water purifying tablets. Burundi In Burundi, flood-affected areas include the northwestern region of Bubanza, Bujumbura City and the plains of Imbo along the shores of Lake Tanganyika. "We have a problem with rain in the town of Gihanga [in Bubanza]. Houses and plantations were destroyed, causing the displacement of people and stopping work in the fields," Anselme Wakana, governor of Bubanza Province, told IRIN. At least 1,000 hectares of rice has been damaged there, raising food security fears. "We are harvesting rice that was not yet mature due to fear of flooding," said farmer Olive Ngayimpenda. Several homes have been destroyed in the areas of Gihanga. According to Mbonerane Albert, the president of the local NGO Green Belt Action, the situation could worsen due to environmental degradation: deforestation in Bubanza has increased surface runoff, increasing the risk of flooding. Rwanda In neighbouring Rwanda, authorities have issued disaster warnings to those living in risk-prone areas. "High-risk-zone dwellers have [been] given [a] new eviction ultimatum to relocate since we noticed that expected heavy rainfall could affect the vulnerable populations," Antoine Ruvebana, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Refugees Affairs and Disaster Management, told IRIN. Rwanda, due its hilly terrain, is susceptible to erosion, flooding and landslides. According to the Rwandan meteorological services department, several western parts of the country could get ''above-normal rainfall'' during the mid-April to May 2013 period. rk-mh-dn-at-so/aw/rz ]]>http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97830/In-East-Africa-heavy-rains-test-emergency-preparednessNAIROBI 11 April 2013 (IRIN) - Unusually heavy rains have caused havoc across much of east Africa, displacing thousands of people and damaging important infrastructure.>]]>Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>NAIROBI 04 April 2013 (IRIN) - Less than two weeks after the overthrow of Central African Republic (CAR) President François Bozizé in a rebel coup, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated, leaving civilians in the capital, Bangui, in critical need of aid, said a senior humanitarian official.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97780/Urgent-humanitarian-needs-in-post-coup-Central-African-RepublicNAIROBI 04 April 2013 (IRIN) - Less than two weeks after the overthrow of Central African Republic (CAR) President François Bozizé in a rebel coup, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated, leaving civilians in the capital, Bangui, in critical need of aid, said a senior humanitarian official.>]]>Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>NAIROBI 03 April 2013 (IRIN) - The M23 rebellion, the latest of a string of armed insurgencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu Province, has been active for one year now, during which hundreds of thousands have fled their homes and many have lost their lives.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97779/Briefing-M23-one-year-onNAIROBI 03 April 2013 (IRIN) - The M23 rebellion, the latest of a string of armed insurgencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu Province, has been active for one year now, during which hundreds of thousands have fled their homes and many have lost their lives.>]]>Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>NAIROBI 31 March 2013 (IRIN) - The British government has announced a major new programme aimed at providing essential healthcare to six million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The five-year, US$270.7 million project will focus on rebuilding health facilities, training health workers, and supplying drugs and equipment.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97761/Boost-for-healthcare-in-DRCNAIROBI 31 March 2013 (IRIN) - The British government has announced a major new programme aimed at providing essential healthcare to six million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The five-year, US$270.7 million project will focus on rebuilding health facilities, training health workers, and supplying drugs and equipment.>]]>Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>BRAZZAVILLE 28 March 2013 (IRIN) - Thousands of people remain homeless in the Republic of Congo (ROC) one year after being displaced following a deadly munitions blast at an army barracks in the capital, Brazzaville. The 4 March 2012 blast, in the area of Mpila, east of the capital, left some 282 people dead and 2,300 others injured, according to officials.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97751/In-Congo-thousands-still-homeless-one-year-after-munitions-blastsBRAZZAVILLE 28 March 2013 (IRIN) - Thousands of people remain homeless in the Republic of Congo (ROC) one year after being displaced following a deadly munitions blast at an army barracks in the capital, Brazzaville. The 4 March 2012 blast, in the area of Mpila, east of the capital, left some 282 people dead and 2,300 others injured, according to officials.>]]>Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>KIGALI 27 March 2013 (IRIN) - Camps in Rwanda hosting thousands of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are running out of space following an influx of people fleeing insecurity in eastern DRC, says a senior government official.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97742/Congolese-refugee-camps-in-Rwanda-fullKIGALI 27 March 2013 (IRIN) - Camps in Rwanda hosting thousands of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are running out of space following an influx of people fleeing insecurity in eastern DRC, says a senior government official.>]]>Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>KAMPALA 26 March 2013 (IRIN) - The search for the Ugandan rebel group the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in the rainforests of the Central African Republic (CAR) will continue despite the ouster of President François Bozizé by rebel group Séléka, officials say.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97737/Kony-hunt-still-on-after-CAR-coupKAMPALA 26 March 2013 (IRIN) - The search for the Ugandan rebel group the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in the rainforests of the Central African Republic (CAR) will continue despite the ouster of President François Bozizé by rebel group Séléka, officials say.>]]>Mon, 25 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>BANGUI 25 March 2013 (IRIN) - The humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) is worsening as the security and political conditions there rapidly deteriorate, with the Séléka rebel coalition taking the capital, Bangui, in the latest offensive.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97721/CAR-coup-comes-amid-deepening-humanitarian-crisisBANGUI 25 March 2013 (IRIN) - The humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) is worsening as the security and political conditions there rapidly deteriorate, with the Séléka rebel coalition taking the capital, Bangui, in the latest offensive.>]]>Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>NAIROBI 21 March 2013 (IRIN) - Humanitarian agencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu Province are working to increase their support for hundreds of thousands of displaced people living outside formal camps with little humanitarian support, often relying on the kindness of sometimes equally vulnerable host communities.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97702/Boosting-support-for-IDPs-outside-DRC-s-formal-campsNAIROBI 21 March 2013 (IRIN) - Humanitarian agencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu Province are working to increase their support for hundreds of thousands of displaced people living outside formal camps with little humanitarian support, often relying on the kindness of sometimes equally vulnerable host communities.>]]>Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>BRAZZAVILLE 15 March 2013 (IRIN) - An influx of migrants from the countryside into the Republic of Congo's second largest city, Pointe-Noire, is exacerbating a cholera outbreak that began in November 2012. The outbreak infected at least 389 and killed 10, according to the health ministry and local authorities.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97661/Cholera-outbreak-in-CongoBRAZZAVILLE 15 March 2013 (IRIN) - An influx of migrants from the countryside into the Republic of Congo's second largest city, Pointe-Noire, is exacerbating a cholera outbreak that began in November 2012. The outbreak infected at least 389 and killed 10, according to the health ministry and local authorities.>]]>Tue, 12 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>LONDON 12 March 2013 (IRIN) - Since the World Trade Organization launched its Aid for Trade initiative in 2005, an estimated US$200 billion dollars of development funding has been mobilized for the programme. But some NGOs are asking whether Aid for Trade really helps reduce poverty.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97630/Aid-for-Trade-does-it-help-the-poorLONDON 12 March 2013 (IRIN) - Since the World Trade Organization launched its Aid for Trade initiative in 2005, an estimated US$200 billion dollars of development funding has been mobilized for the programme. But some NGOs are asking whether Aid for Trade really helps reduce poverty.>]]>Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>MASISI 06 March 2013 (IRIN) - The process of integrating armed groups into the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) army, FARDC, has stalled again amid heavy fighting at a base where hundreds of combatants had assembled.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97602/Briefing-Militias-in-MasisiMASISI 06 March 2013 (IRIN) - The process of integrating armed groups into the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) army, FARDC, has stalled again amid heavy fighting at a base where hundreds of combatants had assembled.>]]>Fri, 01 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>BRAZZAVILLE 01 March 2013 (IRIN) - Indigenous women in the Republic of Congo, better known as pygmies - a minority group threatened with extinction - are virtually excluded from reproductive health services. They mostly give birth at home and are exposed to related health risks, according to a 2012 study conducted by the Ministry of Health with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97574/In-Congo-few-pygmy-women-have-access-to-reproductive-health-servicesBRAZZAVILLE 01 March 2013 (IRIN) - Indigenous women in the Republic of Congo, better known as pygmies - a minority group threatened with extinction - are virtually excluded from reproductive health services. They mostly give birth at home and are exposed to related health risks, according to a 2012 study conducted by the Ministry of Health with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).>]]>Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>JOHANNESBURG 27 February 2013 (IRIN) - New data from the World Bank has revealed that African migrants pay more to send money home to their families than any other migrant group in the world.http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97557/African-migrants-pay-high-prices-to-send-money-homeJOHANNESBURG 27 February 2013 (IRIN) - New data from the World Bank has revealed that African migrants pay more to send money home to their families than any other migrant group in the world.>]]>Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT]]>KINSHASA 27 February 2013 (IRIN) - A measles epidemic has affected tens of thousands of children in northern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), overwhelming health facilities, says medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97559/In-Brief-Measles-epidemic-affects-thousands-in-DRCKINSHASA 27 February 2013 (IRIN) - A measles epidemic has affected tens of thousands of children in northern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), overwhelming health facilities, says medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).>]]>