Sokari Ekine has been part-time online news editor for Pambazuka News since the beginning of 2007. This week is, sadly, her last week in this post. During her period as online news editor Sokari has developed Pambazuka News to ever greater heights, establishing its reach well beyond what we had previously managed. The quality of authors and articles that she brought to Pambazuka News has been extraordinary. Sokari leaves the position of online news editor at the end of November, but she will continue to write for Pambazuka News in her regular blogs round-up column. We espect that Sokari will continue to be involved in many other ways with Fahamu and Pambazuka News. We are sure that we speak for all our readers in saying ‘thank you for all you have done and best wishes for the future’.

Meanwhile, we are pleased to announce that Mukoma wa Ngugi has joined the Pambazuka News team as Co-Editor. Mukoma Wa Ngugi is the author of Hurling Words at Consciousness (AWP, 2006) and Conversing with Africa: Politics of Change (KPH, 2003). A political columnist for the BBC Focus on Africa Magazine, his essays and articles have appeared in the LA Times, Mail and Guardian, Business Daily Africa and the Sunday Nation amongst other places, as well as in Pambazuka News. In addition to his editorial duties at Pambazuka News, his current projects are: editing an anthology of New Kenyan Writing for Ishmael Reed Publications (forthcoming in 2008) and co-organizing a Pan African Youth Peace Caravan – Cape to Cairo in 2010.

Finally, we are pleased to announce that Joshua Ogada, who has worked heroically as part time editor of the Links and Resources section of Pambazuka News will now be working with us full-time as Assistant Editor. Tidiane Kasse continues as Editor of the French edition, and Hakima Abbas as editor of AU-Monitor.

On 26 November 2007, the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) addressed the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at the Committee’s Pre-Sessional Working Group at the UN Office of the High Commissioner in Geneva. In its presentation, OMCT drew particular attention to the fact that disrespect for economic, social and cultural rights is frequently the cause of other serious human rights abuses, including executions, torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.