Africa

In the first visit of its kind, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to support a recent peace deal and promote economic development in the long-troubled region.“This is a critical moment for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region,” Mr. Ban told reporters in the capital, Kinshasa, following a meeting with President Joseph Kabila.

The mandate of the United Nations political mission in Guinea-Bissau, which last year underwent a military coup, should be adjusted to support a two-phase process for the full restoration of constitutional order and medium-term stability in the country, according to a report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon presented to the Security Council today.

29 April 2013 – The United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) today welcomed a peace deal between the Government of South Sudan and local militia groups, adding that it remained ready to assist the country as it moved forward in establishing a lasting peace.

The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a resolution to create a UN peacekeeping force for Mali.

The United Nations and other partners in an international group working to support the peace efforts in Sudan’s Darfur region have condemned recent attacks in the troubled region and cautioned that any serious delays to carrying out the 2011 peace agreement could further destabilize the entire region.

Sudanese government and the Justice and Equality Movement led by Mohamed Basher (JEM-Bashar) on Sunday initialled an agreement on three important files, announced the joint mediation.

Sudan's defence minister has extended an offer to hold direct talks with Southern rebels, paving the way for dialogue between the two groups for the first time.