Africa

• 7 November 2005
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - “Rather than a subject to study, development is doing … and giving of self” says directress of Social Action Programme in Kimbondo, an outlying district of Kinshasa Kinshasa (Fides Service)- “The only means we had were a Christian spirit and a little common sense. Something had to be done to improve the standard of living of 12,000 people, the women especially” says Congolese la ...
• 7 November 2005
  AFRICA/ETHIOPIA - International community committed to fostering dialogue between government and opposition to avoid further incidents and victims Addis Ababa (Fides Service)- “Unfortunately there is little space for dialogue and the situation precipitated into violence” said local sources in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia where at least 40 people were killed ...
• 5 November 2005
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - War alarm in east Congo. “We are living in fear. We keep on receiving mysterious leaflets saying war is imminent” local missionary tells Fides Bukavu (Fides Service)- “Bukavu is living in fear and apprehension as mysterious leaflets are circulated announcing fresh hostilities” said a missionary in Bukavu the main town of South Kivu region in eastern Democra ...
• 5 November 2005
  AFRICA/UGANDA - “Guerrilla attacks will not stop us from caring for 700,000 people in need” says Italian volunteer group in northern Uganda Kampala (Fides Service)- “We are still here although we have had to take extra precautions and this slows down our work considerably” said Filippo Ciantia, head of a team of AVSI an Italian volunteer group operating ...
• 4 November 2005
  AFRICA/TANZANIA - Zanzibar tension after elections which saw confirmation of outgoing President Dar Es Salaam (Fides Service)- Election disputes in Zanzibar were given little attention in the rest of Tanzania. “Things are quiet because it is the Idr al Fitr holiday which marks the end of Ramadan” say local sour ...
• 4 November 2005
  AFRICA - An estimated 30 million illegal small arms and light weapons circulate in Africa. Great Lakes Region MPs meet to address the problem Rome (Fides Service)- One of Africa’s forgotten ills is widespread illegal possession of small arms and light weapons which feed violence, conflict, guerrilla warfare and banditry, the latter being ever more present in ...
• 3 November 2005
  AFRICA/KENYA - Liturgy of the Hours is the prayer of the whole Family of God, Kenyan Bishops’ Conference prepares special Ordo 2005-2006 for celebrations of Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours Nairobi (Fides Service)- Catholics in Kenya and English-speaking Africa can now join in the daily prayer of the Church, called the Liturgy of the Hours, following publication of a special edition of the ORDER for 2005-20 ...
• 3 November 2005
  AFRICA/BENIN - Alarm for organised crime, banditry, trafficking of children Cotonou (Fides Service)- Increasing crime is causing alarm in Benin. According to United Nations representatives, Benin’s fragile economy has led to an increase in acts of street banditry, robberies and armed theft . ...
• 3 November 2005
  AFRICA/ERITREA - Fresh military tension between Ethiopia and Eritrea. And in the background Islamic fundamentalism Rome (Fides Service)- “A possible key to understanding recent military manoeuvres on the Ethiopia / Eritrea border is a regime faced with domestic problems trying to divert tension to an outside enemy” said Federico ...
• 31 October 2005
  AFRICA/CÔTE D' IVOIRE - “Seen from here in Côte d'Ivoire the situation is much calmer than the media report” says a missionary in Abidjan Abidjan (Fides Service)- “Seen from here the situation in Côte d'Ivoire is much calmer than the local and international media report” said a missionary in Abidjan, economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire, where yesterday ...
• 31 October 2005
  AFRICA/MOROCCO - Sr Georgette shares her experience at a Nurses Training College in Rabat Rabat (Fides Service)- Sr. Georgette Makosso a Franciscan Missionary of Mary FMM from Central Africa described for Fides her experience of three years at a Nurses Training College in Rabat, Morocco. “The experienced sh ...
• 29 October 2005
  AFRICA/BURUNDI - United Nations High Commission for Refugees needs more money to repatriate Burundian refugees Bujumbura (Fides Service) - UNHCR the United Nations High Commission for Refugees is running out of funds destined for the greatest operation of voluntary repatriation in the world and the largest in Africa. Unless it re ...
• 29 October 2005
  AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - The local Church continues its programme to promote civic education in view of elections next year Bandundu (Fides Service)- A group of about 50 representatives of Congolese political parties took part in a formation session of election process monitoring held at the multifunction Centre at the Catholic parish of St. ...
• 28 October 2005
  AFRICA/TANZANIA - Prayers for peace to dispel pre-election tension in Zanzibar Dar Es Salaam (Fides Service)- “The decision to postpone national elections has not given rise yet tensions” said local Church sources in Dar Es Salaam, capital of Tanzania, where presidential and parliamentary elect ...
• 28 October 2005
  AFRICA/BURKINA FASO - Bishop of Bobo-Dioulasso speaks about “traditional mechanisms” of African culture at the 1st Forum of Leaders for Peace in Burkina Faso Ouagadougou (Fides Service)- How religions can help promote a culture of peace was the focus of the 1st Forum of Leaders for Peace in Burkina Faso held in mid October in the capital Ouagadougou. The Forum, presided by ...