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FORMER PRESIDENT OF Ireland Mary Robinson has been appointed UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region in Central Africa today.
Ongoing political and social strife in recent years has destabilised the region with NGOs reporting that volatile environments have made it increasingly difficult for them to implement their development programmes.
Today, Plan Ireland, which operates in several countries in the region said the appointment of somebody with Robinson’s experience and stature is likely to give “extra impetus to the efforts to find a resolution to the area’s difficulties”.
CEO of Plan said that any move which will “increase the chances of bringing greater stability and calm to the region is to be welcomed, as it will enable NGOs, like Plan, to carry out our work much more effectively”.
Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore also welcomed the announcement, hailing Robinson for her “exceptional skills and experience as well as her global profile and reputation”.
Ireland has had a long and significant involvement in efforts to promote peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a country which has for far too long endured conflict and tragedy. Ireland strongly supports the leadership offered by the United Nations, and in particular the personal diplomatic engagement of the Secretary-General, in this renewed effort to break the cycle of violence in eastern DRC.
Robinson will play a central role in overseeing the implementation of the new regional agreement as well as facilitating leaders of the region to address the challenges faced by the DRC.
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always wear a seatbelt while seated on an airplane even at cruising altitude.
@Red hurley: totally agree I always reattach the seat belt every time for reasons like this
@Michael Hayden: knowing my luck that would happen just as I got up to go to the toilet
@Peter Cavey:
It would be worse if you were ON the toilet…mid-shlte.
@Peter Cavey: or in the jax. Pissing all over the place.
Clear Air Turbulence (not “Clean Air”)
Sounds like a terrible experience for all passengers on this flight.If i was on it they would have to send the lads in with full body suits and alot of cleaning products!!!
Terrified of flying so i can safely say i would pass out. I get nervous when they wheel the drink trolley around FFS. Poor children they must of been petrified. Some turbulence. Total carnage. Looked like a crash. What is it about flights around Asia Malaysia etc seems to always be very bad episodes of turbulence. Wouldn’t be flying on holiday anywhere near there. Spain is as far as i go and i need counselling before and after.
@Ní Maith Liom Eva: lived in Asia for years and in my experience landings coming into Ireland can match almost anywhere that I’ve flown into. Between Cork and Dublin I’ve had aborted landings, lightning strikes and two occasions where the whole plane fell deathly silent from the sheer volume of turbulence approaching the airport. Not to say that I’ve never had an incident in Asia but they are far less common, at least in my experience
@China Photo Daily: jeez really. Wow wouldn’t ever of thought that. That deathly silence. Oh fu(k I’d be passed out.
scary stuff
I hope Meredith Grey was on board
Sounds like a bit of an aero flop
Yesterday’s news
Russian plane in turbulence incident was Boeing 777 but this photo looks like Airbus 320 or 310. Journal.ie appears no knowledge of plane model….
Looks like a A320 the A300 series has a double bogie main landing gear, Up in the pointy end of the aircraft there is 5 point seat belts for the crew once in the cruise the shoulder and crotch belts are normally released but the strap across the waist is always kept on.
Good old Aeroflot!!
Couldn’t happen to nicer people
Climate change likely to increase frequency and severity of air turbulence http://www.independent.co.uk/Travel-0/climate-change-air-tubulence-increase-bumpier-flights-passenger-planes-commercial-carbon-dioxide-a7670481.html
Hard to know if there is more incidents of significant turbulence or are we just more well informed. Not a very enjoyable flight I’d say.
Russian plane in tur
Thats what can happen when you fly with a party of international competitors and put beans on the flight menu.
The International Flatulance Awards almost lost half the entrants.
have your say