Latest news with #Afriyie
Zawya
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
African Union's Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) hosts training to equip Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) with advocacy tools to influence peace and security policy across Africa
The African Union's Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) has concluded a three-day training session in Accra, Ghana, aimed at equipping Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) with advocacy techniques and strategic policy engagement within the Conflict Management Cycle. This initiative, part of the EU-APSA IV Programme, reflects growing momentum to ensure civil society's structured involvement in African Union peace and security policy formulation and implementation. The high-impact initiative was designed to equip CSOs with advocacy and policy engagement skills necessary to influence decision-making at regional and continental levels and to strengthen their understanding of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and the Conflict Management Cycle. The training, which drew participants from across the continent, underscored ECOSOCC' s commitment to empowering civil society as a cornerstone of Africa's peace and security agenda, in line with the Livingstone Formula. Officially opening the training, the Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Permanent Representative of Ghana to the African Union, Dr. Robert Afriyie, shared his experiences from a global perspective, highlighting Accra's historical legacy as a cradle of Pan-African unity and democratic participation, and the critical role of CSOs. 'I have seen firsthand how CSOs shape narratives and influence peace processes. CSOs have demonstrated their immense power to foster peace. Our training here is about more than technical skills; it is about nurturing an unwavering commitment to objective, consistent advocacy for Africa's future,' Amb. Afriyie stressed. Amb. Afriyie stressed the need for objective observation, careful separation of short-term narratives from long-term truths, and the importance of working collectively ('our' vs. 'theirs'), in approaching peace and development efforts. He quoted Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma's visionary 'Email from the Future,' emphasizing that the peace of Africa is not only a precondition but a determinant of its development. Mr. William Carew, Head of ECOSOCC Secretariat, stressed the importance of collective effort in peacebuilding, saying, 'The scourge of conflict constitutes a major obstacle to Africa's socio-economic development. Peace, security, and stability are prerequisites for integration and growth. This training is not just timely; it is critical. We are here to equip CSOs with practical advocacy techniques and policy engagement strategies to ensure your voices are heard, your evidence is valid, and your solutions are integrated into policy frameworks.' Mr. Carew also highlighted how civil society actors are central to bringing life to the principles of intervention, resolution, and reconstruction embedded within the APSA, stressing, 'Conflicts in Africa are complex, rooted in deep historical, political, and economic realities. Those most affected — the communities — must not be excluded from the solutions.' Mr. Emmanuel Nzunda, Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), reinforced the call for inclusive conflict prevention and resolution, stating: 'Africa continues to grapple with security challenges with marginalized groups like women and children suffering the most. Inclusive peacebuilding is not optional; it is essential for achieving the goals of the AU's Agenda 2063. Trade unions and CSOs must be recognized as pivotal players in policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation.' He referenced concrete examples where CSO involvement led to successful conflict prevention outcomes and stressed the need for multi-stakeholder partnerships across Member States and AU organs. Adding to the discussion, Mr. Boniface Cheembe, ECOSOCC Peace and Security Cluster Chair, emphasized the evolving security threats facing Africa, from asymmetric warfare to violent extremism. 'As civil society, we must strengthen our expertise to engage effectively within existing continental frameworks. Popular participation is not a privilege; it is a right. We are the fourth estate, providing alternative voices for peace, security, and social justice across the continent,' he emphasized. The three-day training included sessions on stakeholder mapping, evidence-based advocacy, AU policy entry points, and message framing for impact. Participants also developed practical action plans for influencing AU and Member State policy, to be integrated into a workshop outcome document. This training combined theoretical and practical sessions to ensure that participating organizations leave empowered to contribute to Africa's peace and security goals. As part of the training, the participants also paid a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the Organization of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) on the third day, welcomed by Secretary General Mr. Arezki Mezhoud. This visit underscored ECOSOCC's commitment to fostering collaboration and enhancing civil society engagement within Africa's peace and security architecture. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).
BBC News
26-03-2025
- BBC News
City of London Police Taser compensation appeal refused
A City of London Police application to appeal against a ruling that it must pay £24,000 in compensation to a social worker who was Tasered by one of its officers has been refused by the Supreme Afriyie, 37, said he suffered head, back and leg injuries after falling backwards on to the ground and banging his head on a stone ledge after he was Tasered in April Afriyie said the Supreme Court's refusal to hear an appeal "marks the end of a long and difficult journey".City of London Police said it accepts the Supreme Court ruling, and the payment of damages and costs to Mr Afriyie "will now take effect". Mr Afriyie was stopped by police on suspicion of driving at excessive speed and was Tasered by police during the encounter on King William Street in the City of was then detained for failing to supply a sample of breath and subsequently charged with failure to provide a specimen for analysis, but was not convicted of the 2023 Mr Afriyie brought a civil claim for compensation, and the High Court found the police's use of the Taser had been lawful and reasonable in the in October 2024 the Court of Appeal ruled it was not "objectively reasonable" and damages should be Afriyie said: "The police's unwillingness to take responsibility and their decision to prolong this process speaks volumes."However, this outcome sets an important precedent and will hopefully pave the way for positive change."Det Supt Carly Humphreys, head of professional standards at the City of London Police, said they would learn from the said: "In accepting the Supreme Court ruling, we also acknowledge the feelings of Mr Afriyie and the impact the incident and subsequent legal challenge will have caused him."We offer our commitment to Mr Afriyie and to our police officers, that we will take all learning from this case and work even harder to deliver the highest professional standards of policing." Not 'reasonable use' of Taser At the High Court, Judge Mrs Justice Hill found the use of the Taser was reasonable in the the Court of Appeal later said: "A proper objective analysis of whether using a weapon classified as a firearm was reasonable would have led the judge to conclude that it was not."Her conclusion that further negotiation (by police) would have been futile did not amount to the necessary analysis of objective reasonableness of the nature and degree of force used."Solicitor advocate Kevin Donoghue, who represented Mr Afriyie, said the case has "finally, and definitively, been resolved" in his client's said the police must now pay Mr Afriyie compensation plus his legal costs, "which will be considerable because the police fought the case for nearly seven years".Mr Donoghue added: "The force refused Edwin's reasonable settlement proposal, which would have ended the case a lot earlier and at less cost. "Instead, they chose to fight it through two five-day High Court trials, a Court of Appeal hearing and two further appeals. "Taxpayers may wonder if this was an appropriate use of scarce public resources."
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Two regions vote to fill Connecticut General Assembly vacancies
GROTON, Conn. (WTNH) — Two regions will head to the polls to fill two vacancies in the Connecticut General Assembly. The positions are up for grabs in the State Senate District 21, which includes portions of Monroe, Seymour, Stratford and Shelton. As well as District 40, which covers communities like Groton and New London. Candidates for State Senate special election highlight their campaign Groton City Councilman Dan Gaiewsk, a Democrat, will face off against Groton Economic Development Commission Chairman Robert Boris, a Republican, in the 40th House District. They would replace representative Christine Conley, who resigned so she could be appointed to the worker's compensation commission. Meanwhile, Republican Jason Perillo and Democrat Tony Afriyie are vying to replace Republican State Senator Kevin Kelly who was nominated by Gov. Ned Lamont to become a judge. Perillo is an 18-year veteran of the State House of Representatives. He said he wants a promotion to the state senate to build on his record of bringing back state funds for projects in his hometown of Shelton. On the other side, 27-year-old Afriyie, who currently works as an aid to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, said he sees himself as part of a new generation of leaders. He's also focused on economic opportunity in the community he spent most of his youth in. We asked the candidates, what's the first policy they'd advocate for if elected. 'Passing a state child tax credit. I think that the child tax credit is economic development,' Afriyie said. 'One is to eliminate the public benefits charge that's on everyone's bill. It can be serious money and most folks don't get any benefit from it at all,' Perillo said referring to electricity bills. The Groton Community Center polls for this special election open at 6 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Candidates for State Senate special election highlight their campaign
CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — In the dead of winter, two candidates are squaring off in a special election for a vacant seat in the Connecticut State Senate. In Shelton, Stratford, Monroe and Seymour, voters will choose between Republican Jason Perillo and Democrat Tony Afriyie to fill a vacant seat left by former State Sen. Kevin Kelly, a Republican who has been nominated by Gov. Ned Lamont to serve as a Superior Court judge. Does your town have an upcoming special election? Perillo, a Shelton native, is a hospital executive who has served for nearly 18 years in the state House of Representatives. Afriyie spent much of his upbringing in Stratford, and currently works as an aide for Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. Speaking with News 8, both candidates emphasized similar themes of economic development and the cost of living – though they outlined different approaches to address those challenges. For Perillo, his priorities are centered on addressing Connecticut's comparatively high cost of living, specifically the cost of electricity. Perillo said his first priority to deliver relief for ratepayers would be to 'eliminate the public benefits charge that's on everyone's bill.' 'It can be serious money and most folks don't get any benefit from it at all,' Perillo said. Afriyie said his first priority would be to support a state child tax credit. He says the measure will help address the state's cost of living challenges – particularly for working families. 'I think that the child tax credit is economic development,' Afriyie said. Perillo also stressed economic development, pointing to his record in the legislature advocating for state funds to support projects in his hometown of Shelton. 'That government infusion of money has helped private developers spend their own money to build really tremendous apartment buildings that have created housing opportunities and have helped keep taxes down for everyone who lives in the community,' Perillo said. Part of Afriyie's pitch to voters is a generational message. At 27, he would be the youngest member of the State Senate and among the first members of Gen Z (commonly defined as those born between 1997 and 2012) to serve in the legislature. Gov. Ned Lamont looks to expand preschool access in new legislation He said expanding economic opportunities for young people would be another priority if he is elected. 'I want to make sure that the pipelines that are going into advanced manufacturing, going into teachers, going into police officers, firefighters – that we have those skills getting trained by the high schoolers so that when they come out of high school, they're already that skilled workforce,' Afriyie said. The winner of the special election will serve in a State Senate currently dominated by Democrats. Led by State Senate President Martin Looney and Majority Leader Bob Duff, the Democrats outnumber Minority Leader Steve Harding's Republican caucus 25-10. Though they come from different parties and have different policy platforms, the two candidates currently share at least one common challenge: making voters aware that there is a special election that begins in about one week. Afriyie and Perillo have both been calling voters, posting on social media and braving the cold to canvas neighborhoods. 'They're always very, like, 'wow, it's really cold out and you're doing that,'' Afriyie said of his conversations on voters' doorsteps. 'The biggest challenge is when the heck is the election?' Perillo said. 'Because there's snow on the ground and I'm not usually voting when there's snow on the ground.' Early voting in the special election begins on Feb. 20 and runs through Feb. 23. Election day is Feb. 25. Click here for more information, including voting schedules and poll locations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
