Full Coverage: Africa

29.02.2004 Decine di migliaia di persone che “sopravvivono” nelle baraccopoli di Nairobi rischiano di finire in mezzo alla strada: il governo ha deciso di sgomberare alcuni “slum” della capitale del Kenya per far spazio a una nuova tangenziale che decongestioni il caotico traffico cittadino e rinnovare la linea ferroviaria. La scorsa settimana settemila persone sono state sfrattate da Kibera, la seconda baraccopoli dell’Africa per dimensioni dopo la sudafricana Soweto, alle porte di Johannesburg; altre 50mila potrebbero subire lo stesso trattamento entro pochi giorni e altrettanti sono a rischio a Korogocho, altra mega-bidonville dove vive in condizioni di assoluta precarietà un numero imprecisato ma elevatissimo di persone.

27.02.2004 Some 600 people packed Saskatoon's St. John's Cathedral last month to hear Stephen Lewis at his passionate best. The UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa vividly described that continent's battle with the pandemic - challenging citizens of wealthier nations to take action. Hear Lewis again in web audio.

27.02.2004 La couverture de l'information algérienne par les médias étrangers est menacée par une nouvelle décision du ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, qui désormais refuse d'accréditer un même journaliste pour plusieurs médias étrangers. Un décret devrait être prochainement adopté pour entériner cette mesure.

27.02.2004 The Bush administration's refusal to respond to the urgent need for funds to fight AIDS is Africa appears to be evidence of racism as a determinant of U.S. policy and of a double standard that devalue Black lives, charged Africa Action today in statement calling for $15 billion in AIDS funding, immediately.

27.02.2004 The practice of targeting aid workers has now spread to Sudan, where a compound for staff from several UN agencies was attacked last week, causing the suspension of relief activities in the area. Although not yet clear, it appears the attack was carried out by an armed group excluded from the peace talks between Sudan's government and the SPLM/A.

27.02.2004 L'Alto Commissariato delle Nazioni Unite per i Rifugiati (Unhcr) ha lanciato un urgente appello ai donatori perché contribuiscano a soddisfare gli impellenti bisogni alimentari di circa 126mila rifugiati in Etiopia: da maggio in poi non ci saranno più provviste per sfamare i profughi. E l'Unhcr comunica che anche per i profughi somali rifugiati in Kenya la situazione è drammatica.

27.02.2004 The Commission for Africa launched by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and backed by the rock star Bob Geldof must not be another talking shop, says CAFOD.

27.02.2004 The Government of Burundi and the international community should take urgent action to stop widespread sexual violence, including rape, against women in Burundi, Amnesty International has urged in a new report entitled Burundi: Rape - the hidden rights abuse.

27.02.2004 Millions of children across Southern Africa are at risk because of a lack of international funds and support, eight United Nations agencies warned as they launched a mid-term review of their financial appeal for the region. The agencies said the UN has so far received just over half of the $642 million it requested from international donors for this year's relief efforts in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

26.02.2004 Southern Africa's crisis is far from over, UN agencies warn, but the attention of major donors shifted to other regions before needed improvements in water supply, sanitation, nutrition and health care could be made. Now food needs are again emerging, threatening progress made last year, but funding has fallen off sharply.

26.02.2004 Despite the piercing battle cries and menacing whirrs of bullets in a strife-torn Uganda, individuals and organisations from the private sector, government and civil society are coming together to work towards ICT-enabled development and rebuilding the nation. I-Network Uganda provides a platform for sharing knowledge and forming partnerships around the use of ICT for development.

26.02.2004 Les ONG s'han mobilitzat per donar assistència als centenars de ferits i atendre els milers de damnificats que s'han quedat sense casa després del terratrèmol que el 24 de febrer va assolar el nord-est del Marroc. Organitzacions com Creu Roja (902 22 22 92), Intermón Oxfam (902 330 331), Metges Sense Fronteres (902 250 902), Cooperacció i Farmamundi s'han posat en marxa per fer arribar a la zona ajuda humanitària i han engegat campanyes per recollir fons amb què pal·liar les conseqüències de la catàstrofe. En aquest sentit, diverses ONG i administracións catalanes han llançat la Campanya Catalunya pel Marroc.

26.02.2004 In Uganda per ricordare le oltre 250 vittime del massacro compiuto lo scorso fine settimana nel campo profughi di Barlonyo dai ribelli del sedicente 'Esercito di resistenza del signore' (LRA) si è svolta ieri mattina una manifestazione che si è conclusa con cinque morti e numerosi feriti. Rimane sempre grave la situazione della popolazione nel nord del Paese e negli stessi campi profughi sotto la costante minaccia dei ribelli.

26.02.2004 South Africa last night emerged as the second country with which the Home Office has started talks to take failed asylum seekers from Britain as part of a concerted drive to step up immigration removals and deportations.

26.02.2004 Sambiassa päätettiin siirtyä vuoden 2004 budjetin myötä progressiiviseen veromalliin. Uudistus alentaa pienituloisen enemmistön veroja ja kiristää harvojen suurituloisten verotusta. Väärinkäsitysten ja aidosti epäoikeudenmukaisten budjettiratkaisujen myötä valtaosa kansasta kuitenkin vastustaa verohelpotuksia.

26.02.2004 British defence manufacturers are using a "dangerous loophole" to peddle weapons to developing countries that are subject to arms embargos, the development charity Oxfam says.

26.02.2004 Maailmanpankin ja UNDP:n tuore tutkimus sisältää arvokkaita tilastotietoja Somaliasta. Suomi-Somalia-seura pitää raporttia läpimurtona. "Jo se, että päädytään väkilukuun 6,8 miljoonaa esimerkiksi Maailmanpankin MDG-maaprofiilin 20 miljoonan asemesta osoittaa, että työ on tehty huolella", seuran pääsihteeri Maija Kajava sanoo.

25.02.2004 Congo - the other one - lies across a river from the larger and more infamous Democratic Republic of Congo. Last spring, a Médecins Sans Frontières team was finally able to enter Congo's Pool Province. The health of the inhabitants was deplorable. Populations in many towns and villages had shriveled by more than half. Years of violence, extortion, pillaging and rape were clear breaking traditional social structures. A view from David Morley, head of MSF Canada.

25.02.2004 In occasione di un seminario internazionale sulla questione delle mine antipersona nella Regione centroafricana, la 'Campagna Internazionale contro le Mine' (ICBL) ha sollecitato il governo del Burundi al rispetto dell'accordo di cessate il fuoco del dicembre 2002 che proibiva espressamente l'uso di mine antipersona. La Campagna registra in Burundi un crescente uso di mine sia da parte delle forze governative (che lo negano) che di quelle di opposizione.

25.02.2004 Efforts to immunize all children against polio by 2005 are being stalled in Nigeria, where authorities of four Musliim states in the North are convinced that the vaccine contains hormones that cause sterilization, and is part of a Western plot to decrease fertility among Muslims.