Témoignages

L'État accompagne nos sportifs et nos jeunes réunionnais en lice pour les Jeux des îles de l'océan Indien 2023

temoignagesceline — 2023-08-25T02:50:00Z

La délégation réunionnaise, forte de ses 720 membres, décolle ce jeudi 24 août pour défendre les couleurs de La Réunion lors de la 11e édition des Jeux des îles de l'océan Indien qui se déroulera du 25 août au 3 septembre prochains à Madagascar.

Le préfet de La Réunion et le recteur de région académique adressent leurs plus vifs encouragements aux sportifs et aux jeunes de la délégation réunionnaise. Ils les invitent à vivre pleinement cette formidable expérience collective, à donner le meilleur d'eux-mêmes et à représenter dignement La Réunion et la France, cela dans le respect constant de leurs adversaires et dans un esprit de fraternité.

L'État s'engage fortement en assurant le co-financement de la délégation réunionnaise avec le conseil régional et le conseil départemental. En effet, l'État apporte un soutien financier inédit de 575 000 euros au comité régional olympique et sportif (CROS) qui pilote la délégation réunionnaise à travers des crédits du ministère chargé des outre-mer, de l'agence nationale du sport et de la délégation régionale à la jeunesse, à l'engagement aux sports (DRAJES).

Les services de la DRAJES apportent également un appui technique, via notamment les conseillers techniques sportifs. Avec la même volonté de soutenir la délégation réunionnaise, le rectorat a libéré de leurs obligations les sportifs en âge scolaire et les enseignants et l'ambassade de France à Tananarive a offert son assistance au club Réunion.

« Évènement sportif majeur de la zone de l'océan Indien, les Jeux des îles constituent un inestimable et puissant vecteur de solidarité entre les peuples de la zone océan Indien qui entretient et consolide leurs liens d'amitié », salue Jérôme Filippini, préfet de La Réunion.

Cette 11e édition est d'autant plus importante qu'elle précède les Jeux olympiques et paralympiques de 2024, comme pour mieux rappeler la remarquable contribution de La Réunion aux équipes nationales. Terre sportive par excellence, La Réunion, à travers le mouvement sportif et le centre de ressources d'expertise et de performance sportive (CREPS), détecte, forme et accompagne les jeunes sportifs réunionnais vers la haute performance sportive et, parfois, jusqu'au plus haut niveau international. Depuis la création des Jeux olympiques modernes, pas moins de 52 Réunionnais ont pu faire valoir leur talent au cours des différentes éditions.

Les services de l'État sont grandement mobilisés aux côtés du CROS et du club Réunion pour que nos sportifs et jeunes réunionnais en lice pour les épreuves sportives (19 disciplines) et le volet jeunesse (assemblée des jeunes sur le thème du « réchauffement climatique », danse/chant et théâtre) soient dans les meilleures conditions.

Les enfants seront plus exposés aux phénomènes météo extrêmes

2021-09-29T10:23:10Z

Les enfants nés en 2020 seront beaucoup plus fréquemment exposés à des phénomènes météorologiques extrêmes que leurs grands-parents, particulièrement dans les pays à faible revenu, d'après une étude dirigée par la Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).

Cette étude a été publié dans la revue "Science". Pour cela, les chercheurs ont calculé l'exposition aux phénomènes climatiques extrêmes au cours de toute une vie pour chaque génération née entre 1960 et 2020, dans chaque pays du monde et pour chaque scénario de réchauffement compris entre 1 et 3,5°C au dessus du niveau préindustriel.

Un garçon couvert de cendres volcaniques sur les plages de Mindanao, Philippines. août 2016

Sur la base des données des politiques climatiques actuelles, les résultats montrent qu'un enfant né en 2020 subira en moyenne près de trois fois plus de crues de rivières et sept fois plus de canicules qu'une personne née en 1960.

Ainsi, les nouveaux-nés connaîtront près de trois fois plus d'incendies de forêts et de mauvaises récoltes que leurs grands-parents. Ces chiffres cachent d'importantes disparités entre les régions du monde, soulignant une injustice climatique géographique et intergénérationnelle.

"Alors que 53 millions d'enfants nés en Europe et en Asie centrale depuis 2016 connaîtront environ quatre fois plus de phénomènes climatiques extrêmes, 172 millions d'enfants du même âge en Afrique subsaharienne seront presque six fois plus exposés au cours de leur vie aux événements extrêmes, avec même 50 fois plus de vagues de chaleur", selon l'étude.

"Les résultats montrent une menace sérieuse pour la sécurité des jeunes générations et appellent à des réductions drastiques des émissions de gaz à effet de serre pour assurer leur avenir", a affirmé le professeur à la VUB et auteur principal de l'étude Wim Thiery.

"Limiter le réchauffement planétaire à 1,5°C, plutôt que de tenir les promesses actuelles, permettrait de réduire considérablement l'exposition supplémentaire des nouveau-nés aux vagues de chaleur extrêmes, aux incendies de forêt, aux mauvaises récoltes, aux sécheresses, aux cyclones tropicaux et aux inondations fluviales", a ajouté le professeur Yuri Rogelj, expert en climatologie à l'Imperial College de Londres et co-auteur de l'étude.

"Ce message est cependant plus contrasté pour les jeunes des pays pauvres, où des extrêmes sont possibles même avec les politiques climatiques les plus ambitieuses", a ajouté ce dernier.

Ce 1er septembre, une belle journée de promotion du vélo

2019-09-04T03:42:18Z

Cher-e-s ami-e-s du vélo à La Réunion,

ce dimanche 1er septembre 2019, à l'initiative du T.C.O. (Territoire de la Côte Ouest) et avec la logistique de la Mairie de Trois-Bassins et du club cycliste 2CTB, une belle journée a été consacrée à la promotion de la pratique du vélo. Le terrain de sports de l'école de Bois de Néfles (Trois-Bassins) était le lieu d'accueil de la manifestation et plusieurs partenaires associatifs et vélocistes furent des partenaires de cette journée, animée notamment par Michel Bénard.

Parmi ces partenaires, le Comité Réunionnais de Promotion du Vélo (CRPV) et le Comité Régional de Cyclisme (CRC) ont tenu un stand avec de nombreux documents invitant à la pratique du vélo sous toutes ses formes. Au programme de cette première édition de la ‘'Montée Panon'', notre association a particulièrement apprécié la randonnée à vélo organisée pour les familles, ainsi que les deux compétitions à vélo pour les sportifs et pour les usagers du vélo à assistance électrique.

À noter aussi la présence de modules artificiels d'adresses cyclistes. Figuraient aussi des démonstrations de ‘'longskates'' et de ‘'caisses à savon''. Cette journée a également été marquée par la diffusion à plusieurs reprises du très beau chant créole de Guillaume Legras intitulé ‘'Vélo lé gayar'' et elle a été clôturée par un beau plateau musical. Enfin, nous retiendrons cette pensée philosophique pour le vélo affichée sur tous les tricots distribués aux participants : « La vie c'est comme une bicyclette, il faut avancer pour ne pas perdre l'équilibre » (Albert Einstein).
Salutations cordiales,

Philippe de Cotte, président du CRPV
Lucien Biedinger, secrétaire du CRPV

IOM Builds Capacity to Combat Human Trafficking in Mauritius

2016-01-28T20:22:00Z

IOM Mauritius, in partnership with UNODC and Mauritius' Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions organized a US-funded training on combating human trafficking on 27 and 28 January in Port Louis.

Some 25 participants included representatives of the Mauritian Police Force, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Ministry of Labour and Employment, and Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare.

The training focused on victim identification, investigation and prosecution. It also discussed ways to improve coordination between government stakeholders involved in counter-trafficking activities.

Director of Public Prosecutions Satyajit Boolell opened the training, noting that are many challenges in addressing human trafficking in Mauritius. They include the need to better protect the victims and to prosecute perpetrators.

US Ambassador in Mauritius Shari Villarosa highlighted the vulnerability of minors working in the sex trade, as well as migrant workers in the textile industry.

Mauritius is a source, transit, and destination country for trafficked men, women, and children. But the government is making significant efforts to comply with minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. A strong commitment from all stakeholders is highly needed to improve the situation.

IOM Mauritius Head of Office Timon Van Lidth said: “We need as much as possible to join our competencies, resources and efforts in order to combat human trafficking effectively. The very close collaboration that has led to this training is a good example of how we can work and achieve positive results together.”

Libya conflict lingers leaving nearly 2 million in need of health care

2016-01-27T20:00:00Z

As Libya's yearlong peace talks aimed at establishing a unity government stall again, the lives of millions of people needing urgent health care linger in the balance. WHO and health partners require a total of US$ 50 million in 2016 to meet the urgent life-saving needs of nearly 2 million people.

Speaking at a special briefing on Libya in Geneva, Dr Syed Jaffar Hussain, WHO Representative for Libya, urged, “We cannot wait for a political solution in order to respond, we need to act now. We need both financial resources and the international humanitarian community to step up efforts to help save the lives of children, mothers and the elderly who are most at risk. This is not about politics, it is about health needs.”

Since the escalation of the conflict in July 2014, violence and instability have spread to almost every part of the country, with more than 3 million people – nearly half of the total population – affected. Almost 2 and a half million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, of which 1.9 million people have serious, unmet health needs.

“The health situation in Libya is rapidly deteriorating, with extensive displacement, damage and closure of health facilities in conflict areas. Repeated rounds of violence have not allowed for a proper recovery of the health system, which even prior to the crisis was struggling to meet the basic needs of the Libyan population,” said H.E. Dr Reida Oakely, Libya's Minister of Health.

Haemorrhaging health workforce

Even bleaker, as the security situation deteriorates due to fighting, health personnel have fled the country. More than 80% of all nursing staff were evacuated in 2014. Attacks on health care workers also continue, with 5 health workers killed and more than 20 health facilities damaged in the past 18 months alone. Consequently, several aid and UN agencies have reduced staffing levels and moved international staff to neighbouring Tunisia in 2014.

Shortage of medical supplies

In addition to staff shortages, hospitals, laboratories, blood banks and other health facilities are increasingly unable to remain functional as they face shortages in medicines and other health supplies. Most of the medical warehouses in the east of the country have been destroyed or are partially functioning, including the main warehouse in Benghazi, which was destroyed at a time when it was at its peak accumulation of stocks.

Providing impartial health care

WHO is committed to providing health care to all people irrespective of their religion, political affiliation or nationality. This is our moral obligation. “We are calling on all parties to guarantee unrestricted, long term delivery of humanitarian aid and unconditional movement of health workers,” affirmed Dr Hussain.

For 2016, WHO and health partners require US$ 50 million to respond to the needs of 1.2 million people in Libya. This funding will be used to strengthen the health system in 4 key areas.

Improving access to basic life-saving primary and emergency secondary health care services through the provision of essential medicine, medical materials and technical support.
Reducing communicable disease transmission and outbreak through detection and mitigation measures.
Strengthening the existing health structure to avoid the collapse of the health system through capacity-building measures, referral system strengthening, infrastructure rehabilitation and the strengthening of data collection and information-sharing mechanism.
Providing temporary assistance via mobile and medical outreach services.
Since November 2015, WHO has been able to reach almost 250 000 people through the provision of medicines, mobile clinics, health teams, provision of fuel and safe water. However, many more people need urgent aid, and much more needs to be done by WHO and partners to reach them. “We need to be able to reach all affected people to identify health needs, assess nutritional status, and ensure health services are available. If access for the provision of aid is not made immediately available, millions of people are at risk of facing a humanitarian and health disaster,“ added Dr Hussain.

New Ebola Case in Sierra Leone: WHO continues to stress risk of more flare-ups

2016-01-14T20:00:00Z

A new case of Ebola has been confirmed in Sierra Leone, reflecting the ongoing risk of new flare-ups of the virus in affected countries.

The Sierra Leone government acted rapidly to respond to this new case. Through the country's new emergency operations centre, a joint team of local authorities, WHO and partners are investigating the origin of the case, identifying contacts and initiating control measures to prevent further transmission.

The World Health Organization stressed in a statement yesterday (14 January), that Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone remain at high risk of additional small outbreaks of Ebola in the coming months due to the virus persisting in survivors after recovery.

“We are now at a critical period in the Ebola epidemic as we move from managing cases and patients to managing the residual risk of new infections,” said Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO's Special Representative for the Ebola Response, yesterday. “We still anticipate more flare-ups and must be prepared for them.”

Sierra Leone is still in a 90-day period of enhanced surveillance following the declaration on 7 November 2015 of the end of Ebola transmission in the country. This period is designed to ensure no hidden chains of transmission have been missed and to detect any new flare-ups of the disease.

Ebola : West Africa is at zero, but new flare-ups are likely to occur

2016-01-13T20:00:00Z

Today the World Health Organization (WHO) declares the end of the most recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Liberia and says all known chains of transmission have been stopped in West Africa. But the Organization says the job is not over, more flare-ups are expected and that strong surveillance and response systems will be critical in the months to come.

Photo : Samwar Fallah/IRIN

Liberia was first declared free of Ebola transmission in May 2015, but the virus was re-introduced twice since then, with the latest flare-up in November. Today's announcement comes 42 days (two 21-day incubation cycles of the virus) after the last confirmed patient in Liberia tested negative for the disease two times.

“WHO commends Liberia's government and people on their effective response to this recent re-emergence of Ebola,” says Dr Alex Gasasira, WHO Representative in Liberia. “The rapid cessation of the flare-up is a concrete demonstration of the government's strengthened capacity to manage disease outbreaks. WHO will continue to support Liberia in its effort to prevent, detect and respond to suspected cases.”

This date marks the first time since the start of the epidemic two years ago that all three of the hardest-hit countries—Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone—have reported zero cases for at least 42 days. Sierra Leone was declared free of Ebola transmission on 7 November 2015 and Guinea on 29 December.
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“Detecting and breaking every chain of transmission has been a monumental achievement,” says Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “So much was needed and so much was accomplished by national authorities, heroic health workers, civil society, local and international organizations and generous partners. But our work is not done and vigilance is necessary to prevent new outbreaks.”

The World Health Organization cautions that the three countries remain at high risk of additional small outbreaks of Ebola, like the most recent one in Liberia. To date, 10 such flare-ups have been identified that were not part of the original outbreak, and are likely the result of the virus persisting in survivors even after recovery. Evidence shows that the virus disappears relatively quickly from survivors, but can remain in the semen of a small number of male survivors for as long as one year, and in rare instances, be transmitted to intimate partners.

“We are now at a critical period in the Ebola epidemic as we move from managing cases and patients to managing the residual risk of new infections,” says Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO's Special Representative for the Ebola Response. “The risk of re-introduction of infection is diminishing as the virus gradually clears from the survivor population, but we still anticipate more flare-ups and must be prepared for them. A massive effort is underway to ensure robust prevention, surveillance and response capacity across all three countries by the end of March.”

WHO and partners are working with the Governments of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to help ensure that survivors have access to medical and psychosocial care and screening for persistent virus, as well as counselling and education to help them reintegrate into family and community life, reduce stigma and minimize the risk of Ebola virus transmission.

The Ebola epidemic claimed the lives of more than11,300 people and infected over 28,500. The disease wrought devastation to families, communities and the health and economic systems of all three countries.

Part of the family : Sicilians take in migrant children

2016-01-12T20:30:00Z

A network of volunteers in Sicily, one of the frontlines of Europe's migration crisis, has come up with a hands-on approach to help the record number of teenage migrants and refugees who have been arriving on the island without an adult guardian.

Lamin with Carla Frenguelli on the day he finally received his Italian ID document.
Photo : AccoglieRete

In 2015, more than 11,000 so-called unaccompanied minors crossed the Central Mediterranean, according to Save the Children. Most were rescued by the Italian coastguard and brought to Italian ports, usually in Sicily.

The usual approach had been for local authorities to designate them a guardian, often a social worker or the mayor of the town in which they disembark, and accommodate them in a reception centre.

“They were all barefoot and full of scabies,” immigration lawyer Carla Trommino from Syracuse told IRIN, recalling her 2013 visit to one such centre, where 16 Egyptian and 17 Somali boys shared the same living space as adult refugees.

Although Sicily now has a number of special reception centres for minors, many are severely underfunded and in a poor condition. Staff at one such centre in Catania – the Instituto de Assistenza ai Minori Stranieri Regina Elena – went on strike in November because their salaries had not been paid. Money is also lacking to repair broken doors and windows, let alone fund projects to help the children integrate into Italian society.

After seeing the need for an alternative, Trommino and a group of local lawyers went on to establish AccoglieRete – an NGO consisting of a network of 120 volunteers who can act as temporary legal guardians, and in some cases foster parents. Since 2013, they have assisted 600 unaccompanied children, aged between 11 and 17, mostly from Syria, Egypt, the Gambia, Somalia, Senegal, Eritrea and Mali.

The children, most of them teenage boys, receive help from their Italian guardians with applying for ID documents, registering for language classes, and even getting involved in social and sports activities.

The volunteers come from a range of backgrounds. The only prerequisites are that they live in Syracuse or the surrounding region, have no criminal record, and are willing to undertake the protection courses and children's rights training provided.

Carla Frenguelli has fostered 15 children from countries including Somalia, Egypt, and the Gambia since 2013. They were all welcomed into her home in Syracuse, where they shared Sunday lunches, watched soccer matches, and practised speaking Italian with her husband and two daughters.

Frenguelli has seen how a child's relief at having reached safety in Italy is often closely followed by disillusionment.

“Most of them are coming from Libya, where some were imprisoned and tortured,” she told IRIN. “They think life here will be easy, but when they see that finding jobs and getting documents is hard, they're disappointed. After an exhausting journey and having faced death at sea, they have to learn a new language, find employment and be accepted by people.”

An example to follow

Trommino believes refugee and migrant children are more likely to adapt and integrate into life in Italy with the support of a personally involved legal guardian. She would like to see AccoglieRete's model replicated in other parts of Italy.

The immigration lawyer has herself become the guardian of more than 20 children in the last two years, including a 16-year-old Gambian boy called Khalifa, who now lives with her family.

“Of all my work for years as a lawyer working with migrants, definitely this experience of sharing a home with Khalifa has been the richest. I have been learning a lot about cultural differences and about myself,” she said.

Another “son” from Bangladesh learned Italian, earned a degree, opened his own business, and today is supporting his family back home.

One of the most important roles played by the foster parents is helping the children in their care to obtain a national identification document that legalises their presence in Italy and ensures their access to public services such as healthcare and education.

Without this essential document, the children are at risk of becoming targets for exploitation and people traffickers, said Frenguelli. She and AccoglieRete's other volunteer guardians pay the necessary fees and navigate the bureaucratic process of applying for the document, which can take up to a year.

“A migrant's life is about documents,” said Lamin, a 17-year-old from Gambia, who was fostered by Frenguelli. “I trust Carla like a mum because she helped me a lot getting my ID. She always encourages me. Without her, my life would be so much harder here in Sicily.”

Before coming to Italy, Lamin spent four harrowing months in prison in Libya for being an undocumented migrant. He was only freed when one of the prison guards noticed how young he was.

“People from many places in Africa go to Libya to work, but what you find there is very different from what you heard before,” he said.

Passionate about soccer, Lamin wants to become a professional player. In the meantime, he is studying Italian and sending most of his 60-euro-a-month allowance from the Italian government back home to his father.

“I didn't know I was coming to Italy when I took a boat to Europe. But now I want to have a better life here. I'm happy – I have documents, I go to school and I play,” he told IRIN before rushing off to join the soccer team Frenguelli helped him find, for their Friday night match.

Government support to unaccompanied minors is cut when they turn 18, but AccoglieRete's legal guardians continue to help the youths who have been in their care by helping them further their education and search for jobs and a place to live.

“We never abandon our children because they become part of our family,” explained Trommino.

WHO calls for immediate access to Taiz City for delivery of life-saving health supplies

2016-01-07T22:13:00Z

The World Health Organization is concerned about the deteriorating health situation in Taiz, where more than 250 000 people have been living in a state of virtual siege since November 2015. All of city's 6 hospitals have been forced to partially close some services, and are overwhelmed with injured patients. Humanitarian organizations are struggling to deliver medical and surgical supplies due to the insecurity.

Photo : Almigdad Mojalli/IRIN

5 WHO trucks carrying medicines and medical supplies have been prevented from entering the city since 14 December 2015. The trucks contain trauma medicines, medicines for the treatment of diarrhoea, and other health supplies that urgently need to be delivered to Al-Thawra, Al-Jumhoori, Al-Rawdhaand Al-Mudhaffar Hospitals. 3 of the trucks are carrying 500 cylinders of oxygen that are critically needed by the hospitals.

WHO calls on all parties involved in the conflict to allow the secure movement and delivery of medical and humanitarian aid to all people, regardless of their location. In times of crisis, it is vital that health facilities remain functional and provide people in need with uninterrupted access to life-saving medical care.

Cholera vaccine supply set to double, easing global shortage

2016-01-07T22:11:00Z

The global supply of oral cholera vaccines is set to double after WHO approved a third producer, helping to address global shortages and expand access in more countries.

Globally, OCV production is low, with demands currently exceeding supply. Sudan and Haiti last year made requests to WHO for supplies of vaccines to conduct pre-emptive vaccination campaigns that could not be filled because of the global shortage.

The vaccine producer, a South Korean company, is the latest oral cholera vaccine (OCV) manufacturer to be approved under the WHO's pre-qualification programme, which ensures that drugs and vaccines bought by countries and international procurement agencies such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) meet acceptable standards of quality, safety and efficacy.

The addition of an additional pre-qualified vaccine producer is expected to double global supply to 6 million doses for 2016, with the potential for further increased production in the future. This additional capacity will contribute to reversing a vicious cycle of low demand, low production, high price and inequitable distribution, to a virtuous cycle of increased demand, increased production, reduced price and greater equity of access.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease that can kill within hours if left untreated. There are between 1.4 million and 4.3 million cases a year, and as many as 142 000 deaths. Cholera is endemic in more than 50 countries, but usually only garners international attention during humanitarian emergencies, such as the outbreak among refugees in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, in 1994 that killed tens of thousands. Climate change and El Niño may also be contributing to more frequent cholera outbreaks.

Oral cholera vaccines have been used in mass vaccination campaigns in response to humanitarian emergencies since 1997. But because the disease disproportionately affects poor communities who are often unaware that the vaccines exist, there has historically been little demand for the products.

In 2013 the WHO created the world's first OCV stockpile, undertaking to buy and use 2 million doses a year in order to stabilize and create demand for the vaccines.

Vaccination requires 2 doses per person, meaning the stockpile is sufficient to cover 1 million people.

Access to OCV has been further improved by a commitment of US$115 million over 5 years from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to expand availability and the use of vaccine in countries with endemic cholera. Since the OCV stockpile was created more vaccines have been distributed and used than in the previous 15 years. A total of 21 OCV deployments of about 4 million doses to 11 countries have been used in various contexts : humanitarian crises in Cameroon, Haiti, Iraq, Nepal, South Sudan, and Tanzania ; outbreaks in Guinea and Malawi ; and in endemic hotspots such as Bangladesh and the DRC.

The creation of the stockpile and pre-qualification of a new vaccine producer highlights the success of an international joint effort through public-private partnership, including governments, non-profit organizations, manufacturers, donors and research organizations. Accompanying the use of stockpile vaccine, many donors and partners have worked together within the framework of the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) to demonstrate the public health potential of this vaccine when used in mass vaccination campaigns. The evidence is contributing to a body of work which will inform larger investments on the further production and use of this vaccine.