Full Coverage: Africa

31.05.2004 Despite South Africa's pro-active initiatives in reaping the benefits of ICTs for societal development, its legislation prohibits deployment of technologies such as voice over internet. Such inhibition of easy-to-use and cost-effective ICT applications can have negative impact on the country's development, warn analysts.

31.05.2004 Despite South Africa's pro-active initiatives in reaping the benefits of ICTs for societal development, its legislation prohibits deployment of technologies such as voice over internet. Such inhibition of easy-to-use and cost-effective ICT applications can have negative impact on the country's development, warn analysts.

31.05.2004 A conducive funding model has to be built for enabling small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) grow in rural areas using ICTs, according to a senior offical of the International
Telecommunication Union.

29.05.2004 La Campagna italiana per la pace e i diritti umani in Sudan esprime il suo apprezzamento per la firma - avvenuta nella serata di mercoledì a Naivasha (Kenya) - dei protocolli di intesa che sanciscono il raggiungimento di un accordo tra il governo di Khartoum e il Sudan People’s Liberation Movement / Army (SPLM/A). L’ottimismo per questo evento non deve però fare dimenticare i numerosi focolai di conflitto ancora presenti nel Paese. La Campagna esprime forte preoccupazione per le gravi e continue violazioni dei diritti umani e ribadisce la necessità di un monitoraggio continuo delle situazioni di crisi.

28.05.2004 Government authorities in southern Sudan are imposing more taxes and tariffs on aid workers for humanitarian relief-related tasks.

28.05.2004 United Nations Development Programme has organised a two-day workshop on national e-strategies in Beirut, Lebanon. Delegates from the Arab region are attending this high-level meeting.

28.05.2004 AITEC is calling for presentation proposals on poverty-alleviation through digital inclusion, enabling universal, sustainable, ubiquitous and affordable access of ICT by all. Proposals should include a short biography of the presenter, a synopsis and contact details. There are sponsorship opportunities available.

28.05.2004 AITEC is calling for presentation proposals on poverty-alleviation through digital inclusion, enabling universal, sustainable, ubiquitous and affordable access of ICT by all. Proposals should include a short biography of the presenter, a synopsis and contact details. There are sponsorship opportunities available.

28.05.2004 After 21 years of war, and two years of peace negotiations, the government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Army have taken a major step towards ending their conflict in Sudan through the signing of three peace accords. Despite this, huge challenges remain says Christian Aid.

28.05.2004 The historic peace agreement signed between the government of Sudan and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), officially ends a war that has killed 2 million people. The agreement offers Sudan its best hope for peace in two decades. If observed in letter and spirit, it would allow people to return home and build new lives, free from fear and violence.

27.05.2004 "Accogliamo con favore e speranza l’accordo di pace fra governo sudanese e Spla. Per i bambini e le famiglie del Sudan, dopo ventuno anni di indicibili sofferenze, sembra più vicina la possibilità di tornare ad una vita normale". E’ positivo il commento di Peter Hawkins, direttore di Save the Children per l’Africa Centrale ed Occidentale, sull’accordo di pace siglato oggi pomeriggio a Naivasha, in Kenya, fra governo del Sudan ed Esercito di Liberazione del Popolo Sudanese.

27.05.2004 The ICT Focus Magazine of Ethiopia has invited entries for its Best Website competition. May 30 is the last date of sending entries for this competition to be held during the INFOCOM 2004.

27.05.2004 "We were beaten and mostly were tied in the 'helicopter' position and tortured in groups of 10 to 15. We were tied up day and night, except for three short food and toilet breaks. I was tied up for two weeks. One of us got very ill with bronchitis and there was no medical treatment… Some got paralysed in the arms and legs." - Eritrean detainee in Adi Abeto prison

27.05.2004 Yksityisrahoituksen osuus Afrikan infrastruktuurin kehittämisessä kasvaa koko ajan. Hyvä esimerkki uudentyyppisistä ja tuottavista rahoitusmalleista on African Infrastructure Fund, joka etsii rahoituskohteensa kannattavista infrastruktuurihankkeista, joissa yksityisellä sektorilla on keskeinen osuus. Finnfund on tehnyt 12 miljoonan dollarin sijoituspäätöksen rahastoon.

27.05.2004 Sudanin kriisi on kasvamassa valtavaksi humanitääriseksi katastrofiksi. Maan sisäisiä ja Tshadin puolelle pyrkiviä pakolaisia on yli miljoona. Ainakin 700 000 ihmistä on ahtautunut Länsi-Sudanin Darfurin alueelle muodostuneille leireille. Unicef vetoaa kansainvälisesti lahjoittajiin avun saamiseksi leirien lapsille, jotka ovat vakavasti aliravittuja ja kärsivät juomaveden puutteesta.

26.05.2004 "I problemi dell'Africa rischiano di passare in secondo piano rispetto alle crisi in Medio Oriente e Iraq" - ha affermato stamani il presidente della Repubblica Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, intervenendo a Roma in occasione della giornata dell'Africa. Tra questi, il movimento di ritorno dei rifugiati al paese d'origine dopo guerre durate decenni. Ma "le operazioni di peacekeeping da sole non possono sostenere la pace: possono solo creare le condizioni sulle quali costruire la pace" - ha sottolineato nei giorni scorsi l'Alto Commissario per i Rifugiati (UNHCR), Ruud Lubbers. Intanto martedi scorso ad Addis Abeba (Etiopia) l'Unione Africana ha dato vita al "Consiglio per la pace e la sicurezza" (Cps).

26.05.2004 As more refugees pour into camps in northern Darfur and across the border in Chad, the UN now estimates that at least two million people have been displaced by fighting and insecurity in Sudan.

26.05.2004 Farm expropriation is one possible approach to land reform for the Namibian government, but vague and contradictory statements are creating negative sentiment. The government has a host of other options, according to a report by Windhoek’s Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR)

26.05.2004 SADC leaders met in Windhoek to endorse the Zero Emissions Research Initiative (ZERI). The project aims to create energy and new products from waste and materials that have been previously overlooked, like seaweed.

26.05.2004 Namibia plans to reduce its HIV infection rate of 22% by half before 2009. This is the target of the government’s Third Medium Term Plan (MTP III), which includes broad-based strategies to bring the disease below epidemic threshold.