Africa

• 13 March 2008
  AFRICA/UGANDA - 6,000 Ugandans assigned to security in Iraq Kampala (Agenzia Fides) - There are 6,000 Ugandans working as mercenaries or “contractors,” as they call them in the official language, in Iraq. This is what has been revealed in a statement from Ugandan Employment M ...
• 12 March 2008
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - “The Church is non-bias, however she invites all to respect the laws of democracy and the commitment to the common good.” Luanda (Agenzia Fides) - “An authentic democracy is fruit of a committed acceptance of the values that inspire democracy - the dignity of the human person, respect for human rights, vigilance for the common good - as t ...
• 12 March 2008
  AFRICA/CAMEROON - Government assessment of late-February fighting: 40 dead, numerous injured Yaoundé (Agencia Fides) - 40 people were killed in the fighting that broke out in late February, between demonstrators and government forces of Cameroon (see Fides 26/2/2008), according to a press statement from Marafa ...
• 11 March 2008
  AFRICA/D.R. CONGO - The Community of Sant’Egidio serving to mediate in the dialogue between the government in Kinshasa and Rwandan hutu rebels in east Congo Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has asked the Community of Sant’Egidio to sponsor an encounter in Rome, between representatives of the Congolese government and the leaders ...
• 10 March 2008
  AFRICA/D.R. CONGO - Summit talks begin for the Economic Community of Central African States, regarding Chad Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - An extraordinary summit meeting has been held for the heads of state and government of the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC), regarding the crisis in Chad, in the wake of a f ...
• 10 March 2008
  AFRICA/TANZANIA - Proliferation of arms: Tanzania, the country least affected by the crisis, promotes a regional initiative Arusha (Agenzia Fides) - The problem of the uncontrolled spread of firearms and weapons of war has been the focus of a meeting held by members of Parliament from eastern African countries, which took place in Arusha, Tan ...
• 7 March 2008
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - The Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity of Onitsha becomes Nigeria’s first Minor Basilica Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - On Saturday, March 8, there will be a solemn celebration held in Nigeria for the inauguration of the first Minor Basilica in the nation, the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity in Onitsha, in the pr ...
• 6 March 2008
  AFRICA/KENYA - “Move with speed to effect the necessary constitutional amendments”: request from Kenya’s Justice and Peace Commission, as worries mount for food supply shortage Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - Appreciation for the agreement reached between the majority and opposition leaders, and an invitation to those in positions of responsibility to attend to the hundreds of thousands of refugees c ...
• 5 March 2008
  AFRICA/GUINEA BISSAU - Increase in cocaine consumption in Africa. In Guinea Bissau, consumption of “crack” has caused an outbreak of violence (Agenzia Fides) - A growing percentage of the 300 tons of cocaine that is consumed each year in Europe alone passes through western Africa. This is what an official statement of 2007 from the International Narcotics Cont ...
• 4 March 2008
  AFRICA/D.R. CONGO - “We cannot remain silent before the outbreak of sexual violence,” say religious institutes of the Province of Katanga Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - “Before this inhumane and unjust situation that continues to exist in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo and that is marked by all kinds of violence, repeated cases of sexua ...
• 3 March 2008
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - Pontifical Missionary Union of Nigeria meets to intensify campaign for missionary awareness and responsibility Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - The Pontifical Mission Societies, Nigeria, has concluded a two-day meeting/workshop for the members of the Pontifical Missionary Union of Priests and Religious. The meeting was held at the John P ...
• 3 March 2008
  AFRICA/KENYA - Violence continues; need for a “healing of people’s souls and resolution of real estate property,” a missionary says Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - “We need to offer healing of people’s souls: this is one of the most common headlines in Kenya’s newspapers,” Agenzia Fides was told by Fr. Roger Tessier, Canadian missionary of the Whit ...
• 29 February 2008
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Madagascar suffering serious damages following the passing of two cyclones in a brief time period Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) - The passing of the cyclone “Fame,” on January 27, followed by that of cyclone “Ivan,” on February 17, have caused serious damages in various parts of Madagascar. According to local ...
• 29 February 2008
  AFRICA/KENYA - “The signing of this agreement means the end of a nightmare. I hope that the coalition between Kibaki and Odinga can confront the root causes of the country’s division,” Fr. Eugenio Ferrari tells Fides. Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - “This means the end of a nightmare. Thanks be to God, our prayers have been answered,” Fides was told by Fr. Eugenio Ferrari, missionary in Kenya, following the signing of an agreement betwe ...
• 28 February 2008
  AFRICA/MOZAMBIQUE - “If politics is not capable of changing this intolerable economic situation, we are afraid that the violence in the country will spread,” Bishops say. Maputo (Agenzia Fides) - “We are extremely worried about the country’s situation, due to the continued protests in Maputo, Chowke, Chibuto, Mandjlakazi, Jangamo, and Chimoio,” a February 20th statement issued by th ...