AFJN News, Articles, and Information
After months of speculation about his fate, Ethiopian Prime Minster Meles Zenawi died the night of August 20, 2012. World leaders have highlighted the magnificent of the economic development that Ethiopia achieved under his leadership. However, human rights groups...
by Bahati Jacques On August 22, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted the long overdue rules on section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 2010 regarding the use of conflict minerals originating...
For five years St. Anne Catholic Church in Barrington, IL (Diocese of Chicago) and Rugari Parish in DR. Congo (Diocese of Goma.) partnered and together they have made a difference. in 2012 Paul and Adrienne Kalmess, members of the justice and peace office at St. Anne...
On August 10, AFJN Executive Director, Rev. Aniedi Okure, was invited to the White House for the official launch of the first ever “United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally”. The strategy calls for a concerted effort from...
On August 3rd, members of the US House of Representatives sent a letter to Rwandan President Paul Kagame saying that: “[t]he conflict in eastern Congo and Rwanda’s role in it deeply troubles many Members of Congress.” This comes after UN experts reported that there is...
Read the full letter here August 3, 2012 Dear President Kagame: We are writing as a bipartisan group of legislators to express our deep concern about the recent and growing conflict in eastern Congo.... The conflict in eastern Congo and Rwanda’s role in it deeply...
On July 30, 2012, a team of AFJN staff; Executive Director, Fr. Aniedi Okure, Policy Analyst Jacques Bahati and interns Rubea Stouppe and Ashagrie Abdi were among those invited to the White House to discuss President Obama Administration's “Strategy Towards...
Whereas formerly the continent of Africa was merely a tactical jumping-off point for access to the Middle East, now it is fast becoming a battlefield in its own right. The name of the strategy? Counter terrorism. The secrecy of US militarism in Africa is no secret at...
Liberian President — Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf — The first female president of Liberia and Africa’s first female head of state, she was elected in 2005 and re-elected in 2011. She served as Minister of Finance, and is one of three women awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize...