AFRICA/KENYA - Catholic Church joins initiatives to mark ‘week of action on trade justice’ to promote consideration of Africans’ rights to development

Wednesday, 13 April 2005

Nairobi (Fides Service)- Better trade conditions between rich and poor countries is the topic of the Association of Bishops’ Conferences of East Africa AMECEA being held 10-14 April in Nairobi, capital of Kenya. The meeting is part of a Global Week of Action on Trade Justice promoted by religious and humanitarian associations of 15 African countries: Angola, Democratic Congo, Egitto, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The message of the campaign is “no to the rich and the powerful who impose unjust trade agreements and indiscriminate privitisation; yes to the right to life, food, water, health and education for all”. Initiatives to accompany the Nairobi meeting are taking place in each of the involved countries. In Kenya, on Sunday 10 April there was an inter-religious meeting and a press conference at which Bishops of different Christian confessions took part.
The most popular event is a football match tomorrow 14 April between 1st league Mumias Football Club and Korogocho slum football team.
“The week provides an opportunity to highlight some of the many reasons why the potential benefits of trade are not being harnessed in the poorest countries," according to Trócaire, the official overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland, according to CISA in Nairobi.
Africa, home to 12 per cent of the world's population, has more people living in poverty today than two decades ago. The agency quoted United Nations statistics to show that "37 of the 50 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in the world are African. The increase in the number of people living in poverty has coincided with a collapse in the continent's share of world trade, from around 6 per cent in 1980 to 2 per cent in 2002. Africa cannot set itself on a path to growth and poverty reduction, without increased trade.". (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/4/2005 righe 33 parole 371)


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