Apr92017

Govt cuts budget on overseas trips, vehicles, receptions

East Asia
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The central government has continued to cut its annual budget for overseas trips, vehicles and receptions this year.

Central government departments will spend a maximum of 6.15 billion yuan (891 million U.S. dollars) on the “three public consumptions” in 2017, down 31 million yuan from 2016, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Expenses on overseas visits will reach no more than 1.88 billion yuan, while 3.5 billion yuan was budgeted for the purchase and maintenance of government vehicles and 761 million yuan for official receptions.

The MOF said the 2017 budget will give a priority to funding important overseas visits, reception of foreign guests, as well as participation in international meetings.

In addition, central departments will need to replace their vehicles with greener cars in line with Beijing’s policy on emission reduction, the MOF said.

China has long been bedeviled by officials using their expenses accounts to travel in the name of official visits, use work vehicles on personal errands, and enjoy luxurious receptions and accommodation.

However, the frugality campaign launched by central authorities is driving down the expenses in a bid to build a cleaner and more transparent government.

Apr92017

2 new H7N9 cases reported in central China

East Asia
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Two new cases of H7N9 infection were reported from March 31 to April 6 in central China’s Hunan Province, health authorities said Saturday.

Live poultry trading has been suspended in the provincial capital Changsha since March 17, which will last until the end of April.

Nationwide, 79 people died in January from the virus, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

H7N9 is a bird flu strain first reported to have infected humans in China in March 2013. Infections are most likely occur in winter and spring.

Disease control and prevention experts have said that the H7N9 virus is not transmitted from person to person.

Experts recommend that people avoid contact with dead and live poultry, and only buy poultry with quarantine certificates.

Apr92017

After attacks, UN senior official in South Sudan urges protection of aid workers and civilians

HM Government
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8 April 2017 – Following recent attacks on civilians and aid workers in South Sudan, the top United Nations humanitarian official in the country today called on the Government and the opposition to protect civilians and ensure the safety and security of humanitarians.

Noting reports this week of &#8220outrageous abuses&#8221 by both state and opposition actors in Upper Nile against aid workers, as well as reports of horrific attacks against civilians in Eastern Equatoria, Eugene Owusu, called the attacks &#8220reprehensible and unacceptable.&#8221

&#8220I call on those in power to take swift action to end the targeting of innocent people in this conflict and to hold those responsible to account,&#8221 the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan said.

In his statement, Mr. Owusu noted two &#8220serious&#8221 attacks against aid workers in Aburoc and Melut, both in the Upper Nile, since 31 March.

He condemned the attacks &#8220in the strongest terms,&#8221 and demanded authorities to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

&#8220Humanitarians are in this country to save lives. It is beyond reckoning that they continue to be killed, harassed and abused despite our repeated calls for action,&#8221 Mr. Owusu stressed.

Also this week, in Pajok, Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria, at least 6,000 people have been forced to flee to Uganda and reportedly several dozen have been killed, following an attack by government forces on the town.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that thousands more are thought to be sheltering in the bushes in areas surrounding the town, which was estimated to be home to up to 50,000 people.

&#8220I am appalled by the reports,&#8221 said Mr. Owusu. &#8220I implore the leadership in South Sudan to rapidly investigate these allegations and to end all attacks against civilians.&#8221

The attacks come as the humanitarian situation in South Sudan is deteriorating. More than 3.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes, including nearly 1.9 million people who are internally displaced and more than 1.7 million who have fled as refugees to neighbouring countries.

OCHA estimates that an average of 2,000 South Sudanese refugees are arriving into Uganda each day, some 62 per cent of them children.

Apr82017

UN envoy 'deeply concerned' by growing tensions in Gaza stemming from pay cuts

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8 April 2017 – The United Nations envoy for the Middle East peace process today called for Palestinian unity amid concerns over local pay cuts.

&#8220I am deeply concerned by the growing tensions in Gaza,&#8221 said Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

&#8220While the Palestinian Government needs to ensure its to ensure its fiscal sustainability under increasingly difficult economic conditions, it is important that reforms or decisions to reduce expenditures are fairly distributed and made with consideration to the harsh conditions under which people in Gaza live,&#8221 Mr. Mladenov noted.

He urged the responsible parties to work together to find a solution and called on all factions &#8220to allow the Palestinian Government to assume its responsibility in Gaza.&#8221

Calling Gaza &#8220an integral part of the future Palestinian state,&#8221 Mr. Mladenov said that no efforts should be spared to bring about &#8220real national reconciliation&#8221 that ends the divide.

&#8220Leaders have a responsibility to avoid escalation and bridge the growing divide between Gaza and the West Bank that further fragments the Palestinian people,&#8221 he added.

His comments come as tens of thousands of people reportedly took to the streets in Gaza today, following 30 per cent cuts to civil servants’ salaries.