Africa

• 26 February 2009
  AFRICA/CONGO DR - “We're going to have to wait a few months to verify the results of the military operation,” missionary says following the retreat of Rwandan troops from Kivu Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - “Certain official declarations seem excessively optimistic and I think that they have been made in order to justify the joint military operation; however, we should look at the facts: it does ...
• 26 February 2009
  AFRICA/SIERRA LEON - Three guerrillas indicted in Sierra Leon for repeated sexual offenses is “a first step towards justice” missionary tells Fides Freetown (Agenzia Fides) - “This is a first step towards justice and reparation towards victims, which should be followed by more similar acts,” Agenzia Fides was told by Fr. Gerardo Caglioni, Xaverian missionary pre ...
• 25 February 2009
  AFRICA/KENYA - A Lenten Campaign in support of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – The Jesuit School of Theology at Hekima College in Nairobi (Kenya) will be dedicating Lent 2009 to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe. “In Zimbabwe, a political sta ...
• 25 February 2009
  AFRICA/SOMALIA - Mogadishu conflict worsens, taking its toll on the population Mogadishu (Agenzia Fides) – The fighting in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu continues to worsen by the minute, as government troops and Al-Shabab rebels continue their skirmishes. According to the most recent press r ...
• 24 February 2009
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - Caritas of Nigeria issues an alert on the global economic recession and its impact on the large African nation Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - “We are deeply concerned about the current global economic recession and the consequences it has unleashed on an already impoverished Nigerian population especially coming on the heels of the re ...
• 24 February 2009
  AFRICA/CONGO DR - What is happening in eastern Congo? A missionary tells Fides about the Congolese-Rwandan joint military operations Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – What is happening in North Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where since January there has been a Congolese-Rwandan joint military operation underway, to di ...
• 23 February 2009
  AFRICA - Cholera epidemic in Malawi and Zimbabwe seems unstoppable Rome (Agenzia Fides) – The cholera epidemic that has been effecting Malawi's capital of Lilongwe since November 2008, is rapidly expanding. According to the organization “Doctors Without Borders” (in Italian, MSF) ...
• 20 February 2009
  AFRICA/KENYA - Two religious sisters kidnapped by Somali gunmen are freed, transferred to Nairobi in stable condition Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - “They treated us well. All they wanted was money.” This was what Sister Caterina Giraudo said immediately after being set free. She and religious Sister Maria Teresa Olivero were being held ...
• 19 February 2009
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - “Awake! Awake! Protect Our Democracy”: Pastoral Letter in preparation for South Africa's elections on April 22 Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) - “As we approach the elections, we your Bishops would like to share our concern about our young democracy, and what it should look like. While there is a lot of very positive and healthy d ...
• 19 February 2009
  AFRICA/CONGO DR - “National Forum of Congolese Christians” in May, to prepare for 2011 elections Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – May 4-10, 2009, Kinshasa will host the “National Forum of Congolese Christians,” to be attended by 500 people. There are expected to be five delegates from each of the dioceses of the Dem ...
• 18 February 2009
  AFRICA/MADAGASCAR - Madagascar amidst political crisis, administrative chaos and famine looming on the horizon Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) - “The city is experiencing administrative chaos, however at least is no fighting,”Agenzia Fides was told by sources at Radio Don Bosco in Antananarivo, the most important Catholic radio ...
• 18 February 2009
  AFRICA/EQUATORIAL GUINEA - The mysterious case of Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome, and Principe, Nigerian rebels, South African mercenaries: all united in the name of oil and geopolitics Malabo (Agenzia Fides) – The government of Equatorial Guinea has claimed that there was an attempt to attack the Presidential Palace in the capital of Malabo, which they say was carried out by Nigerian rebels of MEND ( ...
• 17 February 2009
  AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - “Our schools strive to help everyone, rich and poor, to grow in faith”: Message from the Bishops upon the commencement of the new academic year in South Africa Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) - “We, the Catholic Bishops of Southern Africa, want to express our deep appreciation for the work people are doing in Catholic schools. As Bishops we give our unequivocal commitment to Cat ...
• 17 February 2009
  AFRICA/SUDAN - Darfur Peace Accord signed between government in Khartoum and major guerrilla group in the region Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – Darfur is finally witnessing a change of events. The government in Khartoum and major guerrilla group in the region of western Sudan, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), signed an accord ...
• 16 February 2009
  AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC - The road to peace continues, even in the most isolated areas of Central Africa: missionary testimony Bangui (Agenzia Fides) - “A small seed of peace, and so much hope.” This is how Fr. Aurelio Gazzera, Carmelite missionary and pastor of the parish of Bozoum (Central African Republic), defined the encounter with a de ...