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An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission visited Kampala during October 13-27, 2011 to conduct discussions for the third review under the Policy Support Instrument (PSI). The mission met with Finance Minister Kiwanuka, Bank of Uganda Governor Tumusiime-Mutebile, and other senior officials, as well as representatives of parliament, the private sector, civil society, and development partners.

New York: The number of Afghan refugees returning home has dropped substantially this year, with some 60,000 repatriating in the first 10 months compared to more than 100,000 over the same period in 2010, the United Nations refugee agency reported today.

On 28 October 2011, the Working Party on Samoa’s accession cleared the path for its WTO membership by approving the accession package which spells out Samoa’s terms of accession. The Working Party agreed to forward Samoa’s accession package to the Eighth Ministerial Conference to take place on 15-17 December 2011, for formal adoption by Ministers.

New York: A United Nations expert urged Norway today to strongly reject the proposal by one of its parties to repeal key laws and policies designed to protect indigenous groups, saying its approval would represent an “enormous setback for the recognition and protection of human rights in the country.”

New York: The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) said today his office is in indirect contact with Saif al-Islam Qadhafi, son of the former Libyan leader, on his possible surrender to face charges for crimes against humanity.

New York: At least 720 people have died in South Sudan from a protracted outbreak of visceral leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease, and the number of deaths could be much higher, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) reported today.

New York: Aerial bombings in Sudan’s Blue Nile state are driving a new wave of refugees into Ethiopia, with nearly 2,000 arriving in the last four days alone, the United Nations refugee agency reported today.

New York: The United Nations refugee agency today called for continued support for southern Kyrgyzstan, noting that while the overall situation in the Central Asian nation is peaceful, tensions persist in some areas that suffered inter-communal violence last year.

New York: The Security Council began a day-long debate today on the role of women in achieving peace and security, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling for much greater involvement by women in conflict prevention and mediation as essential building blocks in reinforcing democracy.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Ana Lucía Coronel visited Almaty and Astana during October 21–28, to review economic and financial sector developments since the last Article IV consultation in June 2011, and discuss economic prospects. The mission appreciates the open discussions held with the government and central bank officials, and with representatives of the international, banking, and business communities.