Africa

• 8 April 2011
  AFRICA/COTE D'IVOIRE - Surrender by Gbagbo does not seem likely; “when the emergency is over it will be difficult to reconcile souls,” says Vicar General of Abidjan Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - “Apart from some sporadic strikes, the situation is calm. There are displaced people in all the parishes of Abidjan. Just in the Cathedral we have welcomed 2,000 displaced. However, we need fo ...
• 8 April 2011
  AFRICA/COTE D'IVOIRE - Nuncio to Fides: “damage to the Nunciature,” 200 metres from the Presidential Palace Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - “Some damage has been done to the Nunciature. All the windows have been blown to bits from the explosions. However we are all well and we have not thought to move from here,” says Archbishop ...
• 8 April 2011
  AFRICA/SUDAN - The challenges to the Church in South Sudan in preparing to become independent Juba (Agenzia Fides) - On 9 July, South Sudan becomes an independent state, following the national referendum on independence, which was held in early January. South Sudan is already faced with a massive number of return ...
• 7 April 2011
  AFRICA/COTE D'IVOIRE - Five million inhabitants of Abidjan, devastated by the fighting at risk of food shortages Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - “At the moment the situation is relatively calm. The fighting ceased last night,” Jean Djoman tells Fides, Director of Development and Human Promotion for Caritas Côte d'Ivoire, in Abidjan, ...
• 7 April 2011
  AFRICA/COTE D'IVOIRE - The words of the Pope resonate, appeal for peace in war-torn Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - “The appeal by Pope Benedict XVI has found great resonance in Côte d'Ivoire and was broadcast several times by the Catholic radio station,” Fr Celestine Ikomba, Scalabrinian, chaplain for t ...
• 7 April 2011
  AFRICA/GHANA - Cholera epidemic affects 5,000 people: worst in 10 years Accra (Agenzia Fides) – Health officials in Ghana are worried the rainy season, due to start in April, will fuel the spread of cholera, which has killed at least 69 people and stricken more than 5,000 in the past few m ...
• 6 April 2011
  AFRICA/CÔTE D'IVOIRE - “There have been violent explosions in the centre of Abidjan,” Archbishop Kutwa tells Fides, before communications are cut off Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - “I am in a hidden place. Violent fighting continues. We can hear massive explosions,” Archbishop Jean-Pierre Kutwa of Abidjan, says to Fides before he hangs up. He is in the centre of the ad ...
• 6 April 2011
  AFRICA/CÔTE D'IVOIRE - An “appeal for tolerance to avoid further violence” launched online by the parish priest for the port of Abidjan AFRICA/CÔTE D'IVOIRE - An “appeal for tolerance to avoid further violence” launched online by the parish priest for the port of Abidjan Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - “We need to continue to launch appeals for peace ...
• 6 April 2011
  AFRICA/LIBYA - “The appeal by the Pope is encouragement not to give up on diplomacy,” says the Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli Tripoli (Agenzia Fides) - “It is a further boost to diplomacy to not give up strength and to act in a way that keeps the possibility of reconciliation alive. I think the appeal of the Holy Father, whom I offer my heart ...
• 6 April 2011
  AFRICA/CÔTE D'IVOIRE - The Nuncio in Abidjan denounces the serious violations of human rights and gives witness to the aid to victims provided by the Church Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - “Civilians are the first victims: they suffer serious violence,” says Archbishop Ambrose Madtha, Apostolic Nuncio to Côte d'Ivoire, to the French section of Aid to the Church in Need (Aide ...
• 5 April 2011
  AFRICA/LIBYA - “Turkey's position on Libya is good,” Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli tells Fides Tripoli (Agenzia Fides) - “It seems to me that Turkey has taken a good position in the Libyan crisis,” Bishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli, tells Fides alluding to the efforts of mediatio ...
• 5 April 2011
  AFRICA/CÔTE D'IVOIRE - Serious battle in the centre of Abidjan, while at the city's port, the parish priest works towards peace Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - “The battle rages in the centre of Abidjan. Shots from canons and guns have continued all through the night and this morning,” local sources from the Church tell Fides from Abidjan, the econ ...
• 5 April 2011
  AFRICA/SOMALIA - Instances of AWD on the rise in children in Mogadishu Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides) – Up to 30 children suffering from acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) are treated daily at the Banadir Hospital in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, medical staff told IRIN. Although the exact number o ...
• 4 April 2011
  AFRICA/LIBYA - “Strengthen the will for peace” says Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli, who adds: “the Church appeals for mediation” Tripoli (Agenzia Fides) - “There haven't been any bombs in Tripoli for two days. The situation is dire due to the lack of food and petrol but at least things are a bit calmer. Perhaps they realised that however much th ...
• 4 April 2011
  AFRICA/CÔTE D'IVOIRE - “A disquieting calm reigns, just like before the storm,” the Archbishop of Abidjan tells Fides Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - “The situation is calm in the sense that the shootings have reduced, but it is a disquieting calm, not at all reassuring. It is very tense. The people are barricaded in their homes. In some di ...