AHA will attend the upcoming African Union Special Summit on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons in Africa. AHA has been a key partner of the African Union (AU) in organizing this Special Summit. Alongside providing crucial documents and information

On 15 June 2009 AHA and the African Development Bank (AfDB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding authenticating the two organizations’ partnership in addressing development priorities in AfDB Member Countries.

This partnership comes as a result of AHA’s and AfDB’s joint perception of the need to enhance state and organizational capacities throughout Africa as a core step to addressing the many challenges of the continent. In a statement at the signing ceremony, Mme Zeinab El Bakri, AfDB’s Vice-President of Operations, noted that “Capacity building is the main pillar of the Bank’s support to fragile states in their path to recovery and self sufficiency. As such, the services of AHA are going to be critical in supporting the timely and effective implementation of targeted activities and delivering the much needed services to the people”.

Founded as the first pan-African response to the 1994 Rwanda Genocide, AHA has since assisted more than 10 million people in 16 African countries to regain their health, dignity and wellbeing. With its Head Office in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, AHA currently supports displaced and vulnerable communities in Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia, Namibia, Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda and Zambia.

West African Media Network honors AHA for its health care services in Liberia through their annual International NGO of the Year Award.

In a letter, Mr. Joseph S. Wiah, Managing Editor of the network, expressed that AHA was selected as winner of the International NGO of the Year 2008 in Health Sector Award based on the organization’s “level of dedication, commitment and professionalism”. He notes that AHA’s immense contribution to the health care delivery system of Liberia and the dedicated services rendered by AHA to the Liberian people were carefully evaluated before bestowing this prize on the organization.

AHA has joined the largest online social networking database, Facebook, to increase its visibility among vibrant citizens of the world concerned with human welfare. Vacancies and volunteering opportunities are advertised on the AHA page along with regularly updated pictures from our field offices.

Kiziba refugee camp, located in the western Province of Rwanda, is home to nearly 18,000 Congolese refugees that have fled violence from the rebel and militia fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Africa Humanitarian Action (AHA), as an implementing partner to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) actively engaged on care and treatment of HIV/AIDS in the camp. Kiziba camp is one of the three refugee camps in Rwanda that receive comprehensive HIV and AIDS health care services through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

Fébronie Bigirabavukanyi is 80 years old. A Rwandese refugee, she came to Burundi with the first wave of asylum seekers who crossed the border in 2005 fleeing from persecution as a result of the Gaccacca rulings (traditional tribunal system). She is accompanied by her 27-year old, physically disabled son. - Story by Askale Bingega, AHA Burundi Country Representative -

AHA staff working in healthcare and project implementation participated in a training on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) between 18 and 29 August 2008 in Nazareth, Ethiopia.

Africa Humanitarian Action (AHA) has become a "NGO in Special Consultative Status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC)." At the Substantive Session of July 2008, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations of the ECOSOC decided to award special status, by which AHA can attend Council meetings and circulate statements.

CCP-AU meeting on 22-23 June 2008, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

African Center for Humanitarian Action (ACHA), an outgrowth of the Africa Humanitarian Action (AHA), participated in the Third Citizens Continental Conference on the AU Summit, organized by the Centre for Citizens Participation in the African Union (CCP-AU)* at the Pyramisa Hotel in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt on 22-23 June 2008. Over 100 African Citizens, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Coalitions from the 5 geographical regions and the Diaspora also attended.

2008 World/ Africa Refugee Day on 20 June 2008 at Africa Union (AU), Addis Abeba, Ethiopia

Africa Humanitarian Action (AHA) participated at the ‘Commemoration of the 8th Africa/ World Refugee Day (WRD 2008)' which was held by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and African Union (AU) at the Headquarters of the African Union Commission on 20 June 2008.

Reproductive Health in Emergencies Conference on 18-20 June 2008, Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda

Recently, AHA participated in a unique initiative organised by UNICEF in Geneva.  The consultation drew the participation of over 100 representatives from UNICEF field offices, head-quarters in New York, and international and national NGOs from across the globe to discuss the ways in which already existing partnerships could be enhanced in order to realize children’s rights in emergencies. It was the first UNICEF consultation with NGOs that focused on this critical topic.

This month a number of well known humanitarians gathered in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, to support AHA’s Fourth Assembly of International Trustees. Participants traveled from around the globe to offer their time and expertise, in support of the pan-African NGO. Guests included Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim – renowned for his work in peace and security and British MP, The Right Honourable Clare Short, both of whom have offered their long-term support to the organization, amongst others.

The AHA SGBV Programme Proposal was drawn up following a major scoping exercise at four of AHA’s country offices; Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sudan and Uganda. The three year plan outlines country specific activities to better prevent and respond to SGBV, as well as mechanisms to integrate gender equality throughout all of AHA’s programmes. AHA’s SGBV Programme Officer is currently mobilising resources, establishing partnerships and developing proposals and policies to take efforts forward.

On Wednesday 14th November 2007, Dr Dawit Zawde, President and CEO of Africa Humanitarian Action, shared his thoughts on the subject of the ‘engagement of southern partners in the cluster approach’, with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), Global Health Cluster

Africa Humanitarian Action recently attended the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' 58th Executive Committee in Geneva, where it presented a well-received brief representing the thoughts of many African NGOs working with the UN agency.

           AHA launches its new website, as part of the 'African Millennium' celebrations.  click here to see the AHA millennium postcard.

AHA will attend the upcoming African Union Special summit on Refugees,