Africa

• 1 October 2010
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - On 50th anniversary of national independence, Pope encourages work towards peace and democracy Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI has called on Nigerians to work diligently for the peace and prosperity of their fellow citizens as the nation celebrates the golden jubilee of her attainment of ...
• 1 October 2010
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - Archbishop Onaiyekan tells Fides: 16 children kidnapped in south released, University's accountant also released Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - “The accountant of the Catholic University was released after six days of being held hostage by her kidnappers,” Fides was told by Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, capital of Nig ...
• 30 September 2010
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - Drama in Northern Nigeria: over 2 million flood victims Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – Over 2,100,000 people have been affected by flooding in several areas of northwestern Nigeria. In the State of Jigawa alone, flooding caused by the bursting of dams affected 2 million people (a ...
• 30 September 2010
  AFRICA/CONGO DR - Parish priest of Mbau receives death threats, mugged by two bandits: violence spreading in the region Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – Fr. Augustin Mbusa, Assumptionist priest and Pastor of the parish in Mbau, (located in Beni, North Kivu), in the north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, was threatened with death and robb ...
• 29 September 2010
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - 15 children kidnapped, Archbishop of Abuja speaks of “a terrible situation” Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – "It is an unprecedented event. We are facing a terrible situation," Fides has been told by Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, where 15 children we ...
• 27 September 2010
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - Mutilated cadavers discovered: “an extremely disturbing situation” a local source tells Fides Bujumbura (Agenzia Fides) – "It is a worrying situation that threatens to bring us back to the dark years of civil war," Fides was told by a source from the Church in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi. For security rea ...
• 25 September 2010
  AFRICA/IVORY COAST - Meeting in Abidjan in preparation for Forum on “Culture, Identity of Peoples, and Development in Africa and in the Black Diaspora.” Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - “Culture, Identity of Peoples, and Development in Africa and in the Black Diaspora.” This is the theme of a Forum being promoted by the Pontifical Council for Culture, in collaboration with ...
• 25 September 2010
  AFRICA/BURKINA FASO - Archbishop Rouamba tells Fides of “a very positive meeting,” after participating in the Congress for the International Catholic Union of the Press held for the first time in Africa Ouagadougou (Agenzia Fides) - "The meeting was very positive, as I was able to observe in talking to some journalists from my country who participated in it," Fides learned from Archbishop Séraphin François Rouamba, Ar ...
• 24 September 2010
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Constitutional referendum and elections announced Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) – A referendum will be held on November 17 to approve the new Constitution of Madagascar and on December 20, there will be municipal elections. The presidential elections are scheduled for ...
• 23 September 2010
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - Bishop of Caxito tells Fides: “Greater efforts in evangelization are needed in order to combat witchcraft.” Rome (Agenzia Fides) – The situation eight years since the war's end, the spread of beliefs like witchcraft, the abyss between rich and poor, the need to re-evangelize part of the country after 20 years of Marxism, are ...
• 23 September 2010
  AFRICA/GUINEA - October 10 vote: "We need to reverse the trend in the country," Church source tells Fides Conakry (Agenzia Fides) – "We need to go and vote on order to reverse the trend in the country and continue on the road to democracy," Fides has been told by a source from the Church in the Republic of Guinea, where th ...
• 23 September 2010
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - Cholera continues to spread in northern Nigeria Kano (Agenzia Fides) – Poor diagnostics and weak surveillance are hampering government efforts to stem cholera in Nigeria. The disease is most severe in the north; as of September 8, 781 people have died and 13,000 cas ...
• 22 September 2010
  AFRICA/SOMALIA - Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu tells Fides: “Personal ambitions are undermining the Somali government.” Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides) – "Personal ambitions and rivalries for control of resources donated by the international community are behind the resignation of the Prime Minister," Fides has been told by Bishop Giorgio Ber ...
• 22 September 2010
  AFRICA/KENYA - Drop in maternal mortality rate, although daily rate averages 1,000 women per day Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – The number of women dying from pregnancy complications has dropped worldwide. Sub-saharan Africa is still the site of the highest maternal mortality rate, although the area has seen a 26% decr ...
• 22 September 2010
  AFRICA/SUDAN - “101 Days of Prayer for Peace in Sudan” campaign launched by Catholic Church Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – September 21, the International Day of Peace, marked the start of a campaign: “101 Days of Prayer for Peace in Sudan,” sponsored by the Sudanese Bishops' Conference, the U.S. Conference ...