Africa

• 22 February 2006
  AFRICA/CHAD - Over 4,000 more Central African Republic refugees have crossed into Chad since the beginning of the month N’Djamena (Fides Service)- Increasing numbers of people are fleeing violence in the Central African Republic, 4,000 new arrivals in Chad since the beginning of February. Personnel of the United Nations High Commission ...
• 21 February 2006
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - “It is not true that other Nigerians hate Catholics … the present violence has little to do with religion. It is more about political exploitation of divisions in Nigerian society for some personal gain” says papal nuncio in Nigeria Lagos (Fides Service)- “It is not true that other Nigerians hate Catholics” Archbishop Renzo Fratini papal nuncio in Nigeria said after some media reported that Catholics were being targeted by Muslim extremists. � ...
• 21 February 2006
  VATICAN - The Pope receives Bishops of Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau on ad limina visit: “Walking with his people the Bishop must encourage, guide and co-ordinate evangelising work so the faith may grow and spread” Vatican City (Fides) - On Monday 20 February Pope Benedict XVI met with a group of African Catholic Bishops on ad limina visit and he said “Through you, the Bishops of the Church which is in Senegal, in Mauritania, in ...
• 21 February 2006
  AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Final message from a meeting of Recollect Augustinian Missionaries in Mission Year 2006: "let us continue in the most difficult frontier and prophetic ministries and maintain a demanding spirit of mission instead of a certain easy-going attitude” Yopal (Fides Service) - From 25 January to 2 February Recollect Augustinian Missionaries from all over the world met at Yopal-Casanare, Colombia, for their second meeting in the framework of Mission Year 2006 convoked b ...
• 21 February 2006
  AFRICA/ANGOLA - Solidarity from Ozieri diocese in Italy builds a new church and school in one of Luanda’s poorest outer districts Luanda (Fides Service)- “We have come to share the joy of our Angolan brothers and sisters for their new church” said Bishop Sebastiano Sanguinetti of Ozieri diocese in Sardinia Italy in Luanda on Sunday 19 February ...
• 21 February 2006
  AFRICA/CÔTE D' IVOIRE - “Thank goodness UN sanctions on a few Ivorian political leaders have not met with protests which means we can continue our work to assist refugees and displaced persons” says JRS director in Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan (Fides Service)- " Thank goodness UN sanctions on some of our political leaders have not met with protests which means we can continue our work to assist refugees and displaced persons who were cut off during pro ...
• 20 February 2006
  AFRICA/DR CONGO - Congo’s new constitution guarantees equal rights for men and women, independent judiciary and a republican state Kinshasa (Fides Service) - The new constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo, approved 18 December 2005 by a popular referendum, was officially promulgated on 18 February by President Joseph Kabila Saturday in the ...
• 20 February 2006
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - Calm has returned to Maiduguri after serious riots on Saturday in which 15 people including a Catholic priest were killed. “Violence provoked by yet another attempt to exploit religion for political purposes” say local Church sources Lagos (Fides Service)- “Calm has returned with police patrolling the streets” says Bishop Matthew Manoso Ndagoso of Maiduguri, main city in the north eastern state of Borno in Nigeria where on Saturday 18 February i ...
• 18 February 2006
  AFRICA/KENYA - Vatican stamps save thirsting people in Kenya: new aqueduct opened in Nyumbani Nairobi (Fides Service)- Vatican Stamps come to the aid of people suffering because of drought in northern Kenya. Funds derived from the sale of a special issue of Vatican Stamps featuring African children victims of AID ...
• 18 February 2006
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Preparations for first Franciscan Fraternity in Khartoum Khartoum (Fides Service)- An international group of four Franciscans is preparing to start a Franciscan Fraternity in Khartoum, capital of Sudan. Fr. Leopold Micic Croatian and Fr Melito Pinili from the Philippines are p ...
• 18 February 2006
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Serious deadly outbreak of diarrhoea alarm for cholera threat 47 people dead Rome (Fides Service) - A serious outbreak of diarrhoea with 1,500 cases and tens of people dead is devastating the already poverty stricken region of Southern Sudan. The main towns affected are Yei from where the outbr ...
• 17 February 2006
  AFRICA/DCONGO - “At least 120,000 people displaced in need of everything because of violence” denounce Religious Superiors in Katanga Kinshasa (Fides Service)- Superiors of Religious Communities in the Katanga region in the south of DR Congo say the situation is now desperate. “We see an alarming humanitarian situation which has gone on for years wi ...
• 17 February 2006
  AFRICA/TANZANIA - “Over 100 new refugees from Burundi arrive in Tanzania every day”. United Nations High Commission for Refugees concerned Dar es Salaam (Fides Service) - In recent weeks increasing numbers of Burundian citizens have been crossing the border seeking safety in neighbouring Tanzania. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR has ex ...
• 16 February 2006
  AFRICA/ALGERIA - The tragedy of migrants in the light of Christian charity and the situation of the local Catholic community of North Africa Algiers (Fides Service) - The situation of the Catholic community in North Africa and the tragic experience of migrants were the main topics discussed by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of the Northern African Region ...
• 16 February 2006
  AFRICA/KENYA - Caritas network feeds tens of thousands of hungry people in famine affected Horn of Africa where 8 million people face starvation Rome (Agenzia Fides) - Caritas Internationalis has called for international solidarity and appealed for 1.2 million dollars to feed women, children and old people in areas of Kenya where it is difficult to get aid to whe ...