The African Ombudsman Research Centre (AORC) will hold a summit on the framework and standards for the establishment of credible Ombudsman and Mediator offices in Africa. The AORC summit will precede the meeting of the Executive Committee of AOMA and take place from 10 to 11 December 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Cayman Islands Complaints Commissioner Nicole Williams reports that, since 2010, a total of 1,144 businesses failed to pay into the private sector retirement system, thus owing a total of 13.7 million Cayman dollars to their current or former workers.

Resolution on strengthening the institution of ombudsman in Europe was unanimously passed by the members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 4 October 2013.

The Irish Government announced that Mr Peter Tyndall, currently Public Services Ombudsman for Wales and member of the IOI Board of Directors, is the Irish Government’s nominee for appointment as the Irish Ombudsman and Information Commissioner. 

The report draws attention to the fact that chronic self-injury among women offenders continues to be routinely met with control and security-focused responses. The investigation raises concerns about the capacity of the Correctional Service of Canada to safely manage the most acute cases of mental illness and chronic self-injury.

In September 2013, after being appointed by the City Council of Amsterdam, Arre Zuurmond took office as Municipal Ombudsman. Arre Zuurmond is Amsterdam’s third ombudsman. His predecessor, Ulco van de Pol, retired in June.

On 25 September 2013, Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly has published her tenth and final Annual Report before she left to take up her new role as European Ombudsman on
1 October 2013. 

A three-day training for investigation officers from African Ombudsman organisations  will take place in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania from 2 to 4 January, 2014. The event will be hosted by the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance (CHRAGG), Tanzania in cooperation with the IOI and the African Ombudsman Association (AOMA).