U N I T E D   N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network for Central and Eastern Africa

Tel: +254 2 622147
Fax: +254 2 622129
e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org


HORN OF AFRICA
IRIN-HOA Weekly Round-up 189
10 - 16 April 2004


CONTENTS:

SUDAN-UGANDA: Joint ministerial commission meets to review relations
ETHIOPIA: Media watchdog calls for unity within journalists' association
ETHIOPIA: Imminent rains threaten to isolate resettled people - USAID
SOMALIA: Cholera on the rise in Mogadishu
DJIBOUTI: Dozens dead, hundreds homeless following torrential rains


ALSO SEE:

SUDAN: Humanitarian needs continue despite Darfur accord at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=40576

SUDAN-UGANDA: Joint ministerial commission meets to review relations

A Uganda-Sudan joint ministerial commission, established to normalise
bilateral relations, opened a consultative meeting in the Ugandan capital,
Kampala, on Thursday with ministers from both countries talking of renewed
cooperation. Officials said a draft agreement would be signed by the end
of the meeting on Friday, which would pave the way for regular
consultations on issues ranging from regional security to tariffs and
trade.

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Uthman Isma'il told the meeting that
with a peace deal being negotiated in Kenya between his government and the
rebel Sudanese People's Liberation Movement/Army just days away from being
signed, "the current agenda of refugees, conflict and displacement will
give way to a new agenda of development". "We are keen enough to resume
full fledged cooperation in all fields," he stressed.

Ugandan First Deputy Prime Minister Moses Ali and acting Foreign Minister
Tom Butime attended. Speaking to IRIN after opening of meeting, Ali called
the conference "a landmark in reviving the peace between the two countries
in the form of a regular consultation". He said the meeting was a renewal
of consultations that had begun last year. "There'll be a draft framework
of the cooperation agreement. They will discuss the details and then sign
a reactivation," he said. [Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=40574 ]

 
ETHIOPIA: Media watchdog calls for unity within journalists' association

Ethiopia's divided free press association must unify to fight for
journalists' rights, an international media watchdog urged on Monday. The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) warned of a "crisis" within
Ethiopia's fledgling media and called on the country's journalists to
resolve recent splits. It said the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists'
Association (EFJA) must convene its fourth General Assembly with a view to
reunifying itself.

The IFJ also urged the government to review a controversial new press law,
which, it said, could be used to curb criticism. "The law provides for the
jailing of journalists who make reporting errors, allows the government to
confiscate foreign newspapers entering the country, and gives the
authorities 30 days to answer journalists' questions," the IFJ said.

In 11 recommendations made in the report, the IFJ proposed ways through
which the EFJA could reconstitute itself and "restore some [of its]
credibility". It urged the EFJA to provide "concrete services" to its 150
members, 60 of whom are in exile. [Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=40529 ]


ETHIOPIA: Imminent rains threaten to isolate resettled people - USAID

Fears are mounting for thousands of Ethiopia’s resettled families who face
being cut off during the long rains expected to start soon. The US Agency
for International Development (USAID) said that because of the long
distances separating such families from all-weather roads, they could
become isolated during the rainy season. The annual heavy rains, known as
the Meher, are due to start in late May and last until September.

In its latest food insecurity emergency situation report, released on 9
April, USAID also warned that the massive resettlement programme, under
which 2.2 million people are to be moved within a period of three years,
posed "serious humanitarian concerns".

"A majority of the sites visited lacked adequate food, water, shelter,
health-care facilities and essential medications, as well as seeds,
farming tools, and oxen," it said, noting reports of increasing
malnutrition and disease among children. [Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=40528 ]


SOMALIA: Cholera on the rise in Mogadishu
 
The number of suspected cholera cases has increased in the Somali capital,
Mogadishu, since the beginning of April, according to a World Health
Organisation (WHO) medical officer. Speaking by telephone from Mogadishu,
Muhammad Fuje said between 3 April and 9 April, 489 diarrhoeal cases had
been diagnosed in three of the city's hospitals, of whom nine patients had
died.

Tests had been done this week on 20 stool samples from patients in the
three hospitals, which confirmed that 12 patients had vibrio cholera, he
said. "In a situation like this, it is up to the Ministry of Health to
declare whether there is a cholera outbreak."

Since mid-December, 2,042 cases of suspected cholera had been reported to
WHO, including 23 deaths, Fuje told IRIN. Between 27 March and 2 April,
173 suspected cases were recorded, up from between 40 and 50 in the
previous two weeks. "It is very alarming, because the number of diarrhoeal
cases is on the rise in the sentinel sites," he said. [Full story at:
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=40551 ]


DJIBOUTI: Dozens dead, hundreds homeless following torrential rains

Several Djiboutian ministers met representatives of UN and other
humanitarian agencies, and foreign envoys accredited to the country on
Thursday to discuss widespread flooding that has left dozens of people
dead, especially in the capital, Djibouti City. Interior Minister
Abdoulkader Doualeh told the meeting, which was held at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, that at least 48 people were believed to have been
drowned by the torrential rains. Another 1,500 people were homeless after
rising waters washed away their homes, he added.

Schools remained closed for the third day while several roads in the
capital were rendered impassable after gushing water washed away their
surface. Many parts of the capital were without electricity as the power
supply was disrupted.

The government stopped traffic on the main Djibouti-Addis Ababa railway
amid reports that the line may have been damaged. French and US troops
based in Djibouti flew helicopter missions to rescue people stranded by
the floods. [Full story at:  
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=40572]


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