Zimbabwe
Despite all the criticism leveled against President Mugabe's government, South Africa and China remain close friends of a once most promising democrat in the continent.
26 July 2005 - Ingrid Uys
Sudan
Sudanese leaders plan to introduce universal primary education in the war-ravaged southern region. Aid workers warn there are few trained teachers. In partnership with the SPLM/A Secretariat of Education and close collaboration with over 30 NGOs, the Sudan Basic Education Programme is being implemented by a consortium of three partners: CARE International, the lead agency; American Institutes for Research; and the University of Massachusetts' Center for International Education.
15 July 2005 - IRIN
Angola
As we have come to expect, Rafael Marques gives us clear and readable and fearless critique of the Angolan situation, in which ordinary people must find slivers of hope or humour wherever they can find them in order to survive. See especially the points of analysis listed in summary at the end. Most concerning is his feeling that civil society has lost some leadership and momentum in efforts to protect the interests of the people, and to hold government accountable.
9 July 2005 - Rafael Marques
Zimbabwe
Robert Mugabe's regime will not be stopped by his fellow African leaders or the politicians of the West - the only hope lies with the Churches", this conclusion in The Tablet of 2 July is frightening. How is it that neighbouring African countries, who were keen to help people get their freedom, continue to lend their support to the tyrant rather than the tyrannised?
8 July 2005 - Mike Auret and James Roberts
Economic Justice
Now is the time to take 5 bold actions to end the system of global, economic apartheid that separates haves and have-nots. Cancel the debt, change international trade rules, provide appropriate and effective development assistance, end U.S. militarism in Africa, and affirm Africa's resource rights.
5 July 2005 - Emira Woods
Africa
There are severe limitations in the debt plan; only 18 countries are covered, 62 need it. Conditions of the IMF and World Bank have already prolonged poverty instead of reducing it.
27 June 2005 - KAIROS & Halifax Initiative
NEPAD
The performance results of the first countries to undergo NEPAD's peer review process will be released soon after the meeting of the African Peer Review Forum of Heads of State and Government in Abuja, Nigeria.
23 June 2005 - Africa Inforserv
Africa's debt
African leaders have issued a statement imploring the G8 leaders to cancel all of Africa's debt at the coming Gleneagles session.
22 June 2005 - Ola Awoniyi
Refugees
South Africa hosts some 90,000 migrants of whom 26,000 are officially recognised according to the UNHCR as refugees. This has led to xenophobia. High unemployment causes locals to resent newcomers who compete for jobs.
22 June 2005 - Moyiga Nduru
Africa
Politicians have always hijacked the Day of the African child, meant to be a political day for children.
18 June 2005 - Christina Clark
NEPAD
There is a proposal to establish an Investment Climate Facility (ICF), which will "make Africa an even better place to do business," by removing the real and perceived obstacles to domestic and foreign investment. Once established, ICF would substantially benefit African countries that have signed to be peer reviewed under NEPAD.
16 June 2005 - Accra Mail
DRC
Rather than bringing prosperity to the people of northeastern Congo, gold has attracted all kinds of predators who, in order to take direct control of gold-rich areas in the region, coerce people to extract the gold for their benefit.
9 June 2005 - Human Rights Watch
Africa
Jan Egeland, U.N. under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, says that there is overt discrimination based on language in the way the international donor community responds to appeals for emergency assistance.
8 June 2005 - Thalif Deen
Human rights
The UN Human Rights Committee has ruled that Angola violated the freedom of expression of a journalist who was imprisoned in 1999 for criticizing the country's president
7 June 2005 - Africafiles
Burundi
According to Hellen Tombo the symbolic white bands that will be worn by campaigners are not indicative of surrender. Rather they are a demand to world leaders to cancel crippling debt burdens and end the unjust trade rules that are killing African children and youth.
31 May 2005 - Hellen Tombo
