Pambazuka News 514: Tunisia: A revolution unfolds and inspires
Pambazuka News 514: Tunisia: A revolution unfolds and inspires
'This call is an appeal to develop wise initiatives to prevent Ivory Coast from going over the edge into disaster. This call addresses itself directly to the decision-makers of the UN, the EU, the Americas, the French, the African Union, and ECOWAS , who, by their actions, are liable to precipitate Ivory Coast and, maybe, the entire West African region into irreparable chaos.'
Two years into Zimbabwe’s power-sharing government, President Robert Mugabe and the Zimbabwe African National Union- Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) have used violence and repression to continue to dominate government institutions and hamper meaningful human rights progress, says the Zimbabwe section of the World Report 2011 issued by Human Rights Watch. 'The former opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), lacks real power to institute its political agenda and end human rights abuses. The power-sharing government has not investigated widespread abuses, including killings, torture, beatings, and other ill-treatment committed by the army, ZANU-PF supporters, and officials against real and perceived supporters of the MDC.'
As a wave of protests sweeps Egypt inspired by Tunisia’s uprising, Africa’s bloggers ask if Algeria and Mauritania too will stand up to their oppressive governments, writes Dibussi Tande.
In May 2009, toxic waste from a gold mine located in North Mara, Tanzania, spilled into River Thigithe. Reports from the surrounding villages alleged that 20 people and from 700 to 1,000 head of livestock died from the contaminated water. The company that operates the mine, African Barrick, denied that the spillage led to the deaths of villagers, and Barrick's spokesperson said recently that there are no more problems with the river. But villagers living in Tarime district claim they are still experiencing health-related illnesses from the water. There are also reports that a number of people have been killed by security forces belonging to the company. Zahra Moloo reports in this
Samir Amin discusses the Tunisian uprising and the country’s prospects for building ‘a democratic government supported by the people’, in an interview with Aydinlik Magazine.
‘Can democracy be imposed from abroad, and moreover through foreign armed forces? And what would be the cost for the populations, the country, and our region?’ That is ‘the challenge for African leaders and intellectuals alike’, writes Pierre Sane.
Mphutlane wa Bofelo explores the role of the newly-established Democratic Left Front in dealing ‘creatively and proactively’ with the challenges of neo-apartheid and neoliberal capitalism in South Africa.
With Zanzibar celebrating 47 years since its 1964 revolution on 12 January, Salma Maoulidi discusses current political developments and asks which literary script might best capture the island’s experience.
What is at stake in Côte d’Ivoire ‘are the consequences of French on-going colonisation and ruthless exploitation in connivance with unscrupulous local leaders of swathes of west and central Africa’, writes Sanou Mbaye, in an analysis of the five parties affected by the country’s post-election crisis.
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The Revenue Watch Institute (RWI) is a non-profit policy institute and grant-making organization that promotes the transparent, accountable and effective management of oil, gas, and mineral resources for the public good. RWI provides expertise, capacity building and funding to help countries maximize the long-term economic benefit of their natural riches.
The November 2011 issue of the international journal Gender & Development, (published for Oxfam
GB by Routledge/Taylor and Francis) will focus on Citizenship. Development and feminist policymakers and practitioners, and academic researchers, are all invited to share insights from research and experience of Citizenship-focused development/humanitarian work in particular country contexts, which has direct relevance to development policy and practice.
This book traces the role of politicians and public intellectuals in media, civil society and the academy in producing and disseminating a politically usable historical narrative concerning ideas about patriotism, race, land, human rights and sovereignty. It raises pressing questions about the role of contemporary African intellectuals in the making of democratic societies. In so doing the book adds a new and rich dimension to the study of African politics, which is often diluted by the neglect of ideas.
The United Nations and the African Union will hold a high-level meeting in a few days to review efforts to achieve peace, security and reconciliation in strife-torn Somalia, which has been suffering through two decades of conflict and numerous humanitarian challenges. The meeting will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the sidelines of the African Union Summit.
A new set of research studies – available now on the International Land Coalition (ILC) website – explores the growing wave of large-scale international and domestic land acquisitions and the factors that are driving demand for investments in land. The studies examine how changes in demand for food, energy and natural resources, along with liberalisation of trade regimes, are making the competition for land increasingly global and unequal.
Amnesty International has revealed disturbing new evidence of the brutal methods used by Tunisian security forces to try to quell anti-Government protests in recent weeks. An Amnesty International research team which has just returned from Tunisia found that security forces used disproportionate force to disperse protesters and in some cases fired on fleeing protesters and bystanders. Doctors' testimonies seen by the Amnesty International research team show that some protesters in Kasserine and Thala were shot from behind, indicating that they were fleeing. Others in Kasserine, Thala, Tunis and Regueb were killed by single shots to the chest or head, suggesting deliberate intent to kill.
Pastoralist communities in two districts of northeastern Ethiopia have outlawed female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), saying it causes serious health problems to the women and is against their culture, a local official said. The two districts are Amibara and Awash-Fentale in Afar region. 'We are very happy to declare the abandonment of this horrible act on women,' the head of women's affairs in Amibara district, Fatuma Ali, said. 'We would like to thank the elders, our community and all our partners.'
Consultations on the post-transitional government process in Somalia have started, and will involve all stakeholders and the international community, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to Somalia said. 'There was unanimous agreement, both inside and outside Somalia, that the transitional period has to end in August as envisaged under the Djibouti Peace Agreement,' Augustine Mahiga told a news conference in Nairobi. 'In the meantime, consultations are under way to develop a consensus on how to end the transition and on the nature of post-transition political arrangements.'
Oxford University’s Master's programme in International Human Rights Law is offered jointly by the Department for Continuing Education and the Faculty of Law. It is conducted on a part-time basis over 22 months. It involves two periods of distance learning via the internet as well as two summer sessions held at New College, Oxford. The degree programme is designed in particular for lawyers and other human rights advocates who wish to pursue advanced studies in international human rights law but may need to do so alongside work or family responsibilities. The aim of the degree programme is to train and support future leaders in the field of international human rights law. A central objective of the course is to ensure that participants not only know but can also use human rights law. The curriculum places roughly equal emphasis on the substance of human rights law, its implementation, and the development of human rights advocacy skills.
The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), in partnership with the Pan African Film and Television Festival (FESPACO ), is pleased to announce a two day workshop on 'African Film, Video & the Social Impact of New Technologies' that it is organising in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on 27th-28th March 2011.
It is now official that almost half of Tanzania’s public servants and politicians are yet to declare their wealth as required by the law. According to the 1995 public servants ethics code and act all public servants are required to declare their wealth 30 days within their election and appointment. Thereafter they are required to continue declaring their wealth annually.
In a speech given at the first national conference of the Democratic Left, Vishwas Satgar sets out what it stands for, why it is needed and the role it will play in ensuring ‘a collective wisdom frames a new South African future.’
Alarmed by the increase in piracy, the United Nations has proposed the establishment - for a transitional period - of a Somali extra-territorial jurisdiction court in the Tanzanian city of Arusha to deal just with piracy cases. Jack Lang, the Special Adviser on Legal Issues related to Piracy, told reporters the estimated costs of setting up a court would be around 25 million dollars. This, he pointed out, was 'a relatively modest expense compared to the estimated seven billion dollars' that is the current cost of piracy, including the multi-million-dollar ransoms extracted by pirates in the high seas.
Tunisia has issued an international arrest warrant for ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his family, the nation's justice minister has said. Lazhar Karoui Chebbi said the interim government had asked members states to work via Interpol to detain Mr Ben Ali, who fled to Saudi Arabia on 14 January. Mr Chebbi said Mr Ben Ali was accused of illegally acquiring property and assets and transferring funds abroad.
‘Like most Kenyans, the chilling sight of plainclothes policemen gunning down three unarmed “gangsters” at close range and in cold blood… left my stomach turning,’ writes H. Nanjala Nyabola. ‘Is this how low we’ve sunk as a nation?'
Global Financial Integrity (GFI) has released its annual analysis of the cost of crime, corruption, and trade mispricing on developing countries. The report, 'Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries: 2000-2009,' finds that approximately US$6.5 trillion was removed from the developing world from 2000 through 2008. The report shows the annual outflows for each country and breaks outflows down into two categories of drivers: trade mispricing and 'other', which includes kickbacks, bribes, embezzlement, and other forms of official corruption.
Back to the front
No more heckling at the back
No more ranting in the dark
No more pontificating from a distance
No more writing behind the scenes…
‘Tensions have risen and possible xenophobic violence is imminent’ in Johannesburg’s Freedom Park, as foreign shop owners have decided to open their shops ‘after over a month of being forcibly closed’, writes Informed Community Member.
In the wake of the ousting of entrenched Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Horace Campbell reflects on events in the country, regional implications and the inspirational example of the Tunisian people in organising for a new future.
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The is alarmed by the increasing spate of violence involving uniformed officers and civilians. Recent shocking actions involving assault of police officers by civilians and extra-judicial killings by the police are particularly concerning.
In this week's edition of the Emerging Powers News Round-Up, read a comprehensive list of news stories and opinion pieces related to China, India and other emerging powers....
INTERIGHTS’ have signed a statement opposing the introduction of fees at the European Court of Human Rights. Imposing a fee on applicants to the European Court of Human Rights may deny victims of human rights violations access to justice, based on their ability to pay, says the organisation. Administering a fee system could drain the Court of human and financial resources while deterring individuals - based on their economic standing - with well-founded human rights claims from seeking redress before the Court. If you are an NGO, a Bar Association or a law firm and would like to sign the petition opposing the introduction of fees, please email Amnesty International at [email][email protected] with the name and country of the organisation and your name and email address.
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) condemns the excessive use of force and violence against the protests that have started on 25 January 2011 in different governorates to denounce poverty, corruption and police brutality, which led to the death of at least seven protesters and one policeman, leaving hundreds injured and about one thousand protesters arrested.
On Tuesday 1 February, the Lesbian and Gay Equality Project, the Treatment Action Campaign, Section27 and various other civil society, faith-based and community organisations will stage a protest at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).
The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) has partnered with AWID and WIDE to organise a women’s consultation on aid effectiveness at the World Social forum in Dakar Senegal, as part of preparing for the Fourth High level Forum (HLF4) on Aid Effectiveness which will be held in Korea sometime in November this year. We do not have funds for this activity because we have just been invited to co-host the event with AWID and WIDE. To that effect, we are inviting members who already have funding to go to the World Social Forum to be part of this consultation. Please confirm with us as soon as possible if you are going to the World Social Forum and you already have funding from other sources, so that we can invite you to be part of this consultation.
French version:
Le Réseau de Développement et de Communication des Femmes Africaines (FEMNET) est entré en partenariat avec AWID et WIDE pour organiser un forum de consultation des femmes sur l’Efficacité de l’Aide au Forum Social Mondial à Dakar, Sénégal, comme partie des préparatifs du Quatrième Forum de Haut niveau (4ème FHN) sur l’Efficacité de l’Aide qui se tiendra en Corée quelque part en novembre cette année. Nous ne disposons pas de fonds pour ces activités car nous venons juste d’être invitées à co-organiser l’événement avec AWID et WIDE. A cet effet, nous invitons les membres qui ont déjà un financement pour se rendre au Forum Social Mondial de faire partie de cette consultation. Veuillez nous confirmer aussitôt que possible si vous irez au Forum Social Mondial et que vous avez déjà le financement en provenance d’autres sources, pour que nous puissions vous inviter à faire partie de cette consultation.
Dans l’attente de vous lire, nos sincères remerciements.
African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)
Réseau de Développement et de Communications des Femmes Africaines
P. O. Box 54562, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
Behind KUSCCO Centre, Kilimanjaro Avenue, Off Mara Road, Upper Hill
Tel: +254 20 2712971/2; 20 2341516/7 (Wireless)
Cell: + (254)725.766932
Fax: +254 20 2712974
E-mail: [email][email protected]
Website:
The two-day Symposium will review and debate the state of the art in research, policy and practice to support ongoing and emerging research that makes difference.
The international peasant's movement La Via Campesina will join the World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal from February 6 to 11. More than 70 farmers’ representatives from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas will take part in this forum, a place where social movements and civil organisations are going to debate alternatives for a better world, pursuing their thinking, formulating proposals and sharing their experiences.
In the aftermath of the Tunisian revolution, and the beginning of a popular uprising in Egypt, more than 2,200 Arab scholars, politicians, and activists - from over 20 Arab countries - have issued an appeal for the defense and consolidation of human rights and democracy in the Arab World.
The spread of digital technologies in the Middle East and Africa has generated the view that 'new media' open up political spaces for dissent, activism and emancipation. In October 2010, a conference 'New Media|Alternative Politics' brought together researchers, academics, activists, journalists and policy makers to discuss whether and how new media empower an alternative politics and mobilises political change. The first working paper, 'New media, same old regime politics: Resisting the repression of media freedom in Zimbabwe' by Amanda Atwood and Bev Clark from the Kubatana Trust of Zimbabwe is now available.
The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) member states are set to discuss the human right situation in Rwanda for the first time, at the upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR), that will be held on 24 January 2011 in Geneva. ARTICLE 19’s submission to the UN Human Rights Council in July 2010 highlights three areas of concern which the organisation hopes to see reflected in the upcoming review. These include (1) limits on freedom of expression through restrictive media law and criminal defamation (2) harassment and attacks on journalists; (3) genocide ideology legislation.
Sham elections across Africa have been a major cause of insecurity, instability and violent conflict; recent examples include Kenya, Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast. The Africa Union (AU) must be robust and resolute in promoting shared values and best practices in the management of elections for purposes of political stability, good governance and sustainable socio-economic development. As representatives of Zimbabwe’s civil society, we are convinced that at present, the country has not carried out sufficient institutional and legislative reforms to enable the country to hold credible elections free of violence and intimidation.
Refugee Law Courses at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law are organised by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). They are supported by the Swiss Federal Office for Migration, the US State Department (Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration) and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Participants in the courses will have the opportunity to interact with practitioners and experts in the field of refugee/IDP protection, who will facilitate various thematic sessions of the programmes. Different learning methodologies are used to encourage participants to apply knowledge and skills acquired in operations in a practical and pragmatic manner. The five general international refugee law courses will be conducted in French, English (2), Spanish and Arabic.
The International Criminal Law Centre (ICLC) of the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) proudly announces the first and only Master in Law in International Criminal Justice (LLM ICJ) in Africa.
Taught in Arusha, in close proximity to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), the programme is flexible and intended for individuals who are unable to attend a more traditional residential course.
The increasingly targeted attacks on gay people in a number of African countries, which are thought to have to led the murder this week of outspoken Ugandan gay activist, David Kato, will contribute to an increase in HIV infections, says Christian Aid. Kato, whose name and photograph recently appeared on the front page of anti-gay Kampala-based newspaper Rolling Stone, under the headline ‘Hang Them’, was beaten to death in his home, Ugandan police confirmed. Nina O’Farrell, Head of HIV at Christian Aid, said: ‘It is vital to defend the rights of specific groups who are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection, including gay people, who also suffer from heightened stigma and discrimination, which in many cases makes them less likely to access to HIV treatment, care and support.'
The Commonwealth Foundation is an inter-governmental organisation supported by Commonwealth governments to provide support towards strengthening of civil society for sustainable development, democracy and intercultural learning within the commonwealth countries. It has grantmaking programmes for NGOs specifically for supporting activities that involve intercultural exchange.
The Norwegian Government is accepting applications for the International Ibsen Scholarships for the year 2011. This is the fourth time that the Government will be handing out the scholarships meant for individuals, organisations or institutions from around the world.
Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth International have filed an official complaint against oil giant Shell for breaches of basic standards for responsible business set out by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The organisations claim that Shell’s use of discredited and misleading information to blame the majority of oil pollution on saboteurs in its Niger Delta operations has breached the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The complaint was filed with UK and Netherlands government contact points for the OECD.
The latest edition of this newsletter contains information on:
- Building solidarity across borders
- NGO referral meeting
- The right to choose: a short play
- Home-based care
- Announcements.
Close to 99 per cent of south Sudanese chose to secede from the north in a landmark January 9-15 referendum, according to the first complete preliminary results announced on Sunday. Earlier partial results had put the outcome of the vote beyond doubt but official figures were announced publicly for the first time during a ceremony attended by president Salva Kiir in the southern capital Juba. Chan Reec, the chairman of the Southern Sudan Referendum Bureau in charge of polling in the south, said a whopping 99.57 per cent of those who voted in the south chose secession.
Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has officially handed over the chairmanship of the African Union to his Equatorial Guinea colleague Theodore Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. As President Obiang takes over, many must be wondering the wisdom of the African leaders in their selection of the boss of the continental body.
The African Union has backed off from its earlier position on a possible military intervention in Cote d'Ivoire if the incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo does not hand over to Alassane Ouattara, who has been recognised internationally to have won the elections last November. Instead, the AU has agreed to set up a panel of five Heads of State to find a settlement with a month.
Egyptian protesters have called for a massive demonstration on Tuesday in a bid to force out president Hosni Mubarak from power. The so-called April 6 Movement said it plans to have more than a million people on the streets of the capital Cairo, as anti-government sentiment reaches a fever pitch. Several hundred demonstrators remained camped out in Tahrir square in central Cairo early on Monday morning, defying a curfew that has been extended by the army.
International press institutes have come out strongly against Egyptian authorities’ suppression of the media, following the withdrawal of Al Jazeera’s license to broadcast from the North African country. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned on Sunday the information ministry’s move to shutdown Al Jazeera’s bureau in the country. The CPJ described the move as an attempt to 'disrupt media coverage by Al Jazeera and calls on them to reverse the decision immediately'.
Egyptian air force fighter planes buzzed low over Cairo, helicopters hovered above and extra troop trucks appeared in a central square where protesters were demanding an end to President Hosni Mubarak's rule. State television said that a curfew has been imposed in the capital and the military urged the protesters to go home. But the thousands of protesters in Tahrir Square chose to stay on Sunday. The show of defiance came as Egypt entered another turbulent day following a night of deadly unrest.
On Twitter, friends express concerns for Egyptian blogger and Google Middle East staffer Wael Ghonim, who has been missing since Thursday. Ghonim, who studied in Cairo and is now Head of Marketing at Google's UAE office, had tweeted his intent to be at the 25 January protests.
A candidate for governor in the north-eastern Nigerian state of Borno has been shot dead, officials say. Modu Fannami Gubio and at least four other people, including a 10-year-old child, were killed by men on motorbikes after Friday prayers in Maiduguri city. Mr Gubio was the candidate for the opposition All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) in April's elections.
Fighting between government and rebel groups in North and South Darfur in western Sudan has displaced tens of thousands of people and hindered access by humanitarian workers to some affected areas, sources said. 'While the international community remains focused on Southern Sudan, the situation in Darfur has sharply deteriorated,' said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch (HRW). 'We are seeing a return to past patterns of violence, with both government and rebel forces targeting civilians and committing other abuses.'
Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) comprise a fifth of Swaziland's roughly one million people, 80,000 more than predicted in a doomsday scenario back in 2004, but a social meltdown feared by some, has not happened. In 2004 the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) projected a grim future for the landlocked country as a consequence of the world's highest HIV prevalence rates - 26.1 per cent of people aged 15-49 are living with the virus - but although the nation is struggling, it is managing to cope.
Zimbabwe has seen a surge in political violence and intimidation as the government prepares for national elections, an independent advocacy group said. The Southern Africa Coalition for the Survivors of Torture said in a new report on Sunday that tensions rose markedly in January. They reported mob attacks, threats, assaults, questionable arrests by police and at least one shooting in the capital of Harare and its suburbs.
The only South African passenger on the Mavi Marmara, one of the Gaza-bound ships intercepted at sea by the Israelis in May last year, has laid a formal complaint with the national director of public prosecutions about her alleged suffering at the hands of the Israeli army. If the National Prosecuting Authority acts on the complaint of Gadija Davids, a Cape Town-based journalist, top Israeli politicians and soldiers could face arrest if they visit South Africa.
A dramatic spike in physical science distinctions is expected to cause a flood of last-minute applications for the medical, engineering and commerce faculties when the country's universities open for the new academic year. Statistics released exclusively to the Sunday Times show there was an enormous increase in the number of physical science distinctions - from 999 in 2009 to 5962 last year - in what experts have described as 'very surprising'.
Parliament threw MPs debating the contentious Protection of Information Bill a lifeline on Friday with a last-minute extension of their deadline. The mandate of the ad hoc committee set up in March last year to process the bill was due to expire on Friday. But the chairman, ANC MP Cecil Burgess, said at the last scheduled sitting that though he could not cite the rule making it possible, he had been assured that the speaker, Max Sisulu, would announce an extension before the current mandate ran out. He told reporters later the deadline had been extended to March 31.
South African organisation Health4Men has called on Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to publicly denounce the violent murder of the gay rights activist David Kato. Kato, an outspoken member of Sexual Minorities Uganda who spoke out against prejudice, intimidation and violence against men who have sex with men, was beaten to death on Wednesday.
Even as they were officially supporting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, American officials were secretly helping dissidents interested in using social media to overthrow his regime, a secret dispatch from the US embassy in Cairo has revealed. The cable, dated 30 December 2008 and recently released on the Wikileaks website, also describes a plot to oust Mr. Mubarak in 2011, which it dismisses as 'unrealistic'.
Secret US embassy cables sent from Cairo in the past two years reveal that the Obama administration wanted to maintain a close political and military relationship with the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, who is now facing a popular uprising. A frank briefing note in May 2009 ahead of Mubarak's trip to Washington, leaked by WikiLeaks, reported that the Egyptian president had a dismal opinion of Obama's predecessor, George Bush.
A report on the management of acid mine drainage in Gauteng has been put to the cabinet but details of its recommendations will not be released until Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa approves it. The report, driven by her department but drawn up by a team of experts, apparently seeks ways to draw private sector mining companies that are still operating in Gauteng into the process of extracting the acid mine water and cleansing it. The level of the underground acid water is now 500m below the surface, 50m higher than in the middle of 2010.
The European commission's emergency suspension last week of trading in carbon allowances to put a halt to rampant theft of credits by hackers has been extended indefinitely until countries can prove their systems are protected from further fraud. While the suspension had been expected to end last night, Brussels now says that the freeze in trades had been imposed to give the commission executive some breathing space to figure out what to do.
Things are generally more positive on the global HIV front: the number of new infections is down, treatment figures are up and headway is being made in the fight to end discrimination against people living with HIV. However, there is still work to be done and progress in the fight against the pandemic has not been even. IRIN/PlusNews lists five countries that could determine the future of the pandemic this year: South Africa, Russia, Haiti, Uganda and India.
With four years to go, Tanzania still lags behind other East African countries towards the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), says the latest report by the Centre for Global Development (CGD). The US-based think-tank puts Tanzania at fourth position, having one out of eight points, only surpassing war-torn Burundi which has 0.5 points on the eight core MDG targets of ridding extreme poverty, hunger, improving education, ensuring gender parity, reducing child mortality and maternal mortality, HIV/Aids, and attaining sufficiency in water provision.
The African Union (AU) has been charged to set up a mechanism to monitor the decisions taken by its various authorities to ensure implementation, Désiré Assogbavi, an official of the Oxfam NGO said Saturday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 'AU holds at least two ordinary summits and several high-powered meetings every year. Important decisions come out from them for African populations but only ten per cent of the total of those AU measures are applied in the end. We must get out of this situation,' Mr. Assogbavi, who is the director of Oxfam liaison Office to the African Union said in a PANA interview. The African Union member countries have agreed to devote ten per cent of their public spending to agriculture and 15 per cent to the health sector.
Millions of pregnant women still lack adequate access to insecticide-treated bednets and intermittent preventive treatment despite belligerent efforts in the past decade, a study published in the Lancet shows. The study published Wednesday in the Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal shows that Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPTp) and Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) are not being fully utilised to protect pregnant women from malaria in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The study, which reviewed national control strategies from 47 countries across Sub- Saharan Africa, showed that 23 million pregnancies in 2007 were unprotected.
Most Kenyans are not aware that 2012 is not just a critical election year, but also the year that will usher in a major change in the financial landscape of the country and Eastern Africa, writes Rasnah Warah in the Daily Nation. Next year, the East African Community is set to adopt a common currency in the five member states (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda), which is expected to reduce the cost and risk of doing business in the region. While the EAC is determined to go ahead with plans to adopt a common currency, sceptics are not sure whether the currency will be viable, especially as the region’s various members experience vastly differing socio-economic conditions, which could hinder the sustainability of the monetary union.
Major trading powers agreed on Friday to push for an outline deal in the decade-old Doha trade talks by July as world leaders appealed for all nations to make concessions or risk losing the opportunity for years. European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said the ministers from seven key economies had also agreed to instruct officials to negotiate a deal in the Doha round across the board and leave the trade-offs for ministers to tackle to a minimum.
The theme of Davos this year was 'shared norms for the new reality', one of those phrases where the words can be rearranged in any order and remain utterly vacuous, says this article in the London Guardian about the just-concluded World Economic Forum. 'Business leaders, policy leaders and the world's smartest academics had five days in the high Alps to work out what this actually meant. Despite much head scratching not one of them could.'
Hopes for an urgent interdict against the Department of Home Affairs’ issuing of fines to refugees and asylum seekers for the late renewal of their permits, and the confiscation thereof, were dashed in the Cape High Court last Wednesday.The application for an urgent interdict was filed by the University of Cape Town’s (UCT’s) Refugee Rights Project, which is representing eight applicants on behalf of a further 59, on 6 December last year in a bid to force Home Affairs to re-document affected refugees and asylum seekers.
Noncedo Pulana lacks many things, but she is certainly not short of confidence as she prepares to stand for election as Khayelitsha ward councillor. She feels her long years as an activist in the sprawling township have prepared her to do a better job. Khayelitsha is reputed to be the largest township in South Africa. Created in 1985 to accommodate an influx of black labour to Cape Town, in 20 years its population grew beyond 400,000. Seventy percent of residents still live in shacks of wood and corrugated metal; one in three must walk 200 metres or more to the nearest public water point.
Women continue to reap less benefits from employment in agriculture than men in rural areas, and the recent global financial and food crises have slowed down progress towards gender equality in farming-related labour, three United Nations agencies said in a joint report. The report – entitled 'Gender dimensions of agricultural and rural employment: Differentiated pathways out of poverty' – notes that women need access to education, training, credit, markets, technical assistance and labour protection. They also need equal, secure access to land and other assets and 'social capital', including the ability to participate equally in farmers’ organisations.
The Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS) Student Caucus is pleased to announce that the Annual Student Conference will take place on 29 and 30 April at York University, Toronto, Canada. This event offers graduate and undergraduate students across disciplines with a keen interest in migration and refugee issues the opportunity to present and discuss their research ideas with fellow students, academics, professionals, frontline practitioners, researchers, scholars and all those interested in forced migration issues.