Africa

• 3 April 2006
  AFRICA/BENIN - Elections: a test for a democracy which the Church helped build enlightening consciences Cotonou (Fides Service)- “Contrary to all forecasts the election was proof the good health of Benin’s democracy compared to situations in other countries of Africa” says Fr Jean-Raphaël Marie Tonoudji of the congr ...
• 3 April 2006
  AFRICA/TUNISIA - “Charity is still the most beautiful language” says former Bishop of Tunis with regard to Christian/Muslim relations Tunis (Fides Service)- “We are all foreigners from no less than 44 different countries but prayer builds us into one family” says Bishop Fouad Twal, for 13 years Bishop of Tunis and now Coadjutor of the Latin Patriar ...
• 1 April 2006
  AFRICA - Alarm for Africa’s forests essential for daily subsistence and reduction of poverty: 20 million hectares lost in five years 2000/2005 Maputo (Fides Service)- Every year between 2000 and 2005 Africa lost 4 million hectares of forest mainly for conversion of forest land into farmland. Forestland in that period was reduced from 655,6 million hectares to 6 ...
• 1 April 2006
  AFRICA/CHAD - United Nations High Commission condemns forced recruitment of Darfur refugees N’Djamena (Fides Service)- The United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR firmly condemns forced recruitment of Sudanese refugees from Darfur by various armed groups in some of the camps run by UNHCR in eastern ...
• 31 March 2006
  AFRICA/MOROCCO - Gratitude of the Archdiocese of Rabat to the Church in Benin in the words of Archbishop Landel Rabat (Fides Service)- “The archdiocese of Rabat owes a debt of gratitude to the Church in Benin” writes Archbishop Vincent Landel of the diocese of Rabat, capital of Morocco in the diocesan bulletin Ensemble at the ...
• 31 March 2006
  AFRICA/DR CONGO - Kinshasa archdiocese holds triduum to commemorate John Paul II Rome (Fides Service) - A triduum in memory of John Paul II. This is how the archdiocese of Kinshasa, capital Democratic Republic of Congo intends to commemorate Pope John Paul II on the first anniversary of his death. T ...
• 30 March 2006
  AFRICA/SIERRA LEONE - Little interest for Taylor’s arrest. “Most people are more concerned about where to find the next meal” a missionary explains Freetown (Fides Service)- “There has been little reaction to the fact that Charles Taylor has come back to the country to be tried by an international court. I think most people are indifferent to the news of his arres ...
• 30 March 2006
  AFRICA/KENYA - “A chokora” is a resource to value not a social threat. Nairobi street children turn musical actors Rome (Fides Service) - As part of initiatives to help abandoned youngsters get off the streets and prepare for better future the African Medical Research Foundation AMREF has involved a group of street children in Nairob ...
• 29 March 2006
  AFRICA - Swiss Missionary Fr Michael Traber social communications and human rights activist dies at the age of 77 Immensee (Fides Service )- Swiss Missionary Fr Michael Traber, of the Mission Bethléem Immensee (SMB), a missionary institute based at Immensee in Switzerland has died at the age of 77. The missionary was known for his ...
• 29 March 2006
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - Special status for Cabinda announced by Angolan Premier to solve the question of the oil rich disputed enclave Luanda (Fides Service)- The Angolan government is considering offering “special status” to the Angolan enclave of Cabinda which lies between Congo Brazzaville and Congo Kinshasa. Angola’s prime minister Fernando ...
• 29 March 2006
  AFRICA/DR CONGO - Catholic Bishops ask UN general secretary to open International Criminal Court for Congo Kinshasa (Fides Service)- “It would be opportune and desirable to have an International Criminal Court (ICC) for Democratic Republic of Congo”. This request was made to Kofi Annan Secretary General of the United Nati ...
• 28 March 2006
  AFRICA/MALAWI - Important changes and debates as Malawi struggles to win the fight with famine Lilongwe (Fides Service) - “An important week-long meeting of the Malawi Constitutional Review starts today 28 March” says Italian Monfort missionary Giorgio Gamba in Malawi. “This event will mark the beginning ...
• 28 March 2006
  AFRICA/KENYA - Aid for drought affected people is coming but more is needed to save 11 million people in east Africa at starvation risk Nairobi (Fides Service)- Kenya has started a cereal import programme to help feed 5 million hungry people in the north east of the country. This was announced by President Mwai Kibaki who said food supplies distributed s ...
• 27 March 2006
  AFRICA - African Enchiridion the fruit of long labouring to collect African Catholic Church writings: testimony from author Fr. Oseni Ogunu Rome (Fides Service)- “The idea of writing the "African Enchiridion" (AE) was a gradual and difficult process which began in late 1997, in the course of my academic studies and research in Rome, says Oseni Ogunu aut ...
• 25 March 2006
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - Development and integration of hundreds of thousands of refugees discussed in the Angolan capital on Monday Luanda (Fides Service)- On 27 March in Luanda, the capital of Angola there will be a meeting to discuss the inclusion of the needs of thousands of former Angolan refugees who have repatriated since the civil war ended in ...