Staff Writer

  “In the ashes of broken promises and hope, the light blue and white came in 1945, 80 years ago. They did not come with swords nor with arrows, but with peace upon their wings and trust in shades of the sky. They gather meaning to every life. UNMISS, standing tall like a wall between faith and fear, holding dreams that tremble in the night, holding peace like a candlelight.” […]

  Today, on United Nations Day, the Youth Charter (www.YouthCharter.org) is calling for renewed international commitment to harness the power of sport, art, culture, and digital engagement as essential tools in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing global peace, equality, and opportunity for young people.  For over three decades, the Youth Charter has championed the use of sport and culture as vehicles for social change, empowering […]

  Your Excellency, Ambassador Romana Königsbrun The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Commissioners, Distinguished Guests, It is a great honour to represent the Government of the Republic of South Africa on this special occasion as we celebrate the National Day of the Republic of Austria. On October 26, 1955, the Austrian Parliament passed the constitutional law on permanent neutrality, which has been celebrated as the […]

  The Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf this afternoon addressed the inaugural virtual meeting of the Ad-Hoc Committee on AU Institutional #Reform, convened&chaired by H.E. President @ WilliamsRuto of Kenya, the AU Champion for Institutional Reform. The Chairperson thanked President Ruto for his leadership in steering the reform process. President Ruto&the Chairperson reaffirmed Africa’s shared commitment to building a stronger, more coherent,&people-centered Union. President Ruto announced […]

  More than one million people are still being forced to survive on a tiny patch of land, and in dangerous living conditions, in southern Gaza, Palestine. This displacement, along with the massive destruction of civilian infrastructure and the health system by Israeli forces, is creating the perfect storm for disease and illness to spread, warns Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Israeli authorities should immediately allow a massive scale up of humanitarian assistance to flow […]

  At an activity assessment meeting conducted in Barentu on 21 and 22 October, the Ministry of Education branch in the Gash Barka Region reported that encouraging efforts are being exerted to enhance educational capacity. Mr. Franco Kubaba, Director General of Social Services in the region, called for active public participation in ensuring the development of the teaching and learning process with a view to producing competent students. The participants […]

  The Portfolio Committee on Health met on Wednesday and heard presentations from the South African Revenue Services (SARS) and the South African Police Services (SAPS) on the challenges posed by the flow of illicit cigarettes across South Africa’s borders. The presentations highlighted the involvement of criminal syndicates in the illicit tobacco trade. Members of the committee expressed concern that the current low penalties imposed on offenders are insufficient to […]

  Coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Charter coming into force on October 24, 1945, the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, in partnership with the United Nations organization, is celebrating the close relationship with the Arab Republic of Egypt, considering it one of the founding countries that has contributed throughout the history of cooperation to advancing multilateral international action for the achievement of sustainable […]

  Nearly two-thirds of South Sudanese children surveyed aged between 5 and 17 years are engaged in the worst form of child labour, with rates soaring to as high as 90% in the worst hit regions, according to a new report by the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, and Save the Children. The landmark National Child Labour Study involved more than 418 households from across seven states […]