Africa

• 19 October 2004
  AFRICA/ZAMBIA - On the 40th anniversary of independence Zambia’s Christians confirm commitment to work for the country’s development Lusaka (Fides Service) - “Looking to the Future with Hope, Four Decades of Grace” is the title of a statement signed by the three main Christian bodies in Zambia on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the country ...
• 19 October 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Confusion grows as in addition to oppostion pressure for Prime Minister's resignation, farmers of the country's main export cacao call a strike Abidjan (Fides Service)- The 15 October has come and gone, the programme to disarm militia has not started (see Fides 14 October 2004) and the political crisis in Ivory Coast is increasingly complicated. Supporters of Pr ...
• 18 October 2004
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - President Kabila makes first visit to eastern Congo. Another step towards peace Kinshasa (Fides Service)- Joseph Kabila President of Congo is visiting eastern Congo, a region held by antigovernment guerrillas for a long time. Yesterday 17 October the President went to the main town Kisangani where ...
• 15 October 2004
  AFRICA - “Encourage all those within Islam who are trying to establish forms of dialogue” Rome (Fides Service)- The Catholic Bishops of North African nations (mainly Muslim countries) are meeting in Rome 13 - 16 October to discuss dialogue with Muslims and juridical and pastoral questions connected with mixed ...
• 14 October 2004
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Intifada in northern Ivory Coast against disarmament, which should start tomorrow Abidjan (Fides Service) - The process of disarmament process has provoked “a real Intifada with stone-throwing” a local Church source in Bouake, Ivory Coast told Fides. For more than a week in this main town in the c ...
• 14 October 2004
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - Meeting in Nairobi to save electoral process in Burundi Bujumbura (Fides Service) - To help Burundi solve its complex electoral problems African heads of states and governments of central and eastern Africa are attending a regional summit which opens today 14 October in Nairo ...
• 14 October 2004
  AFRICA/CAMEROON - Outgoing President set to win elections. Perplexity in many areas of society and doubts about the ability of the Opposition which claims the vote was irregular Yaounde (Fides Service) - President Paul Biya is expected to win elections held on 11 October (see Fides 9 October 2004). The opposition has said the vote was irregular. The counting of the votes continues but results fr ...
• 13 October 2004
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Darfur. United Nations warning: more than 200,000 new refugees this last month: terror and violence stop aid from reaching 1.5 million refugees Rome (Fides Service)- According to a United Nations report, in the last month at least 200,000 more people have fled their homes in Darfur and the humanitarian crisis is ever more serious as Janjaweed horsemen continue ...
• 13 October 2004
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - Catholic priest dedicated to assisting HIV/AIDS patients found dead Rome (Fides Service)- “Father Gerard was highly esteemed as a priest and a tireless worker to help the poor and the sick, especially those with AIDS” sources in the diocese of De Aar, South Africa told Fides. Britis ...
• 12 October 2004
  AFRICA/SOMALIA - election of new President of Somalia could mark a turning point in the this country’s tormented history. An expert analysis for Fides Rome (Fides Service)- “This is a new fact which deserves attention. The election of Abdullahi Yusuf as President of Somalia, opens the way for inserting warlords in the process of restoring peace in this country of Afr ...
• 11 October 2004
  AFRICA/GUINEA BISSAU - Government and rebel soldiers who staged a revolt last week come to an agreement Bissau (Fides Service)- The government of Guinea Bissau and the authors of a military revolt last week (see Fides 7 and 8 October 2004) have reached an agreement. A statement, signed by prime minister Carlos Gomes Junior ...
• 11 October 2004
  AFRICA/CHAD - First day of school for 18,000 Sudanese children in refugee camps in eastern Chad thanks to UNHCR Rome (Fides Service) - In eight of the ten refugee camps in Chad run by the UN High Commission for Refugees this week school starts for some 18,000 children aged 5 to 17. In some camps adult refugees themselves had alrea ...
• 9 October 2004
  AFRICA/SOMALIA - Tomorrow Parliament will elect new President Mogadishu (Fides Service)- Tomorrow, Sunday 10 October the Somali Parliament will elect a new Prime Minister/President of parliament. Some 275 members of parliament will meet in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, under the aegis ...
• 9 October 2004
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - Democratic Congo’s Vice minister of internal affairs says one thousand refugees from Burundi may return today. UNHCR concerned for their safety Bujumbura (Fides Service)- More than one thousand Congolese refugees in Burundi are on the border waiting for permission to return to Democratic Congo but the UNHCR says the situation is still too insecure. A first grou ...
• 8 October 2004
  AFRICA/GUINEA BISSAU - A mystery mutiny announced by the Premier. Could next year’s election bring hope to a country on the brink of collapse, a people left to fend for itself? Bissau (Fides Service)- “The revolt seems to be over but doubts and concern remain” local sources in Bissau, capital of Guinea Bissau, after the recent army revolt (see Fides 7 October 2004). “Since yesterday eveni ...