Continental Issues
The proliferation of small arms remains a daunting challenge for the African continent; its persistence empowers rebel movements and national governments to foment conflict and commit mass human rights violations.…
On Saturday, July 11th, President Obama made a major speech to the Ghanaian Parliament on U.S. engagement with the continent. His message was clear: good governance is a prerequisite to…
In preparation for President Obama’s short visit to Ghana, Africa Faith and Justice Network joined with a coalition of Africa-advocates to produce a Media Briefing Booklet on key U.S.-Africa policy…
Posted on September9, 2009 Fr. Luigi Zanotto, MCCJ, a board member of AFJN and our UN contact will join over 2000 global civil society activists at the 62nd annual UN…
The President of the United States, Barack Obama, will travel to Ghana July 10-11th, 2009. Although his trip will be brief, it is an excellent opportunity to raise the issues…
Last week, Royal Dutch Shell agreed to pay $15.5 million to settle with the plaintiffs in a case charging Shell with severe human rights abuses in collusion with the Nigerian…
The persistence and the complication of wars in Africa are partially due to small arms proliferation. The consequences of small arms on African people due to international conflicts within Africa, rebel group activities, mercenary groups, and armed gang activities have yet to be fully measured. The International Action Network on Small Arms, Saferworld, and Oxfam International put it in perspective when they reported that armed conflict cost Africa $18 billion each year and about US$300 billion between 1990-2005.
Africa is a vast continent with many valuable resources, particularly arable land. Unfortunately, this fact is not a secret. Many nations outside of Africa recognize the potential that currently underutilized…
This month, the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change is launching a unique and unprecedented initiative, A Catholic Climate Covenant and the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the…
Last week, AFJN joined dozens of organizations in thanking Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) for his work in appropriating more money to the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) of the United…
Nearly 700 participants will come together at Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) this weekend in Alexandria, VA to discuss the relationship between climate change, migration, and poverty. AFJN has helped formulate…
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has become somewhat infamous as one of the most well-funded failures of Western attempts at development. On the continent of Africa, the rather unsuccessful IMF…
Vulture funds, often called “Distressed Debt Funds” are predatory hedge funds that siphon off newly freed resources from poor-country debt cancellation efforts. They do this by buying up a poor…
Through an accident of birth, most of us enjoy an extravagant lifestyle. We have the basics—food, clothing, housing, and health care—and then some—education, stable communities, good jobs, freedom to travel…
This article was originally posted on January 27th, 2009 during AFJN’s trip to Burundi and Uganda. It appeared on the blog justicegreatlakes.blogspot.com. Reposted on April 14th, 2009. The Kamenge Center…
By Fr. Rocco Puopolo, You’ve heard of the Department of Defense, the Department of State, Department of the Treasury, and others – what about a Department of Development? There is…
Once again Ghana set the bar higher for the future of the democratic process in Africa. Much has been written about the past, present and the future of democracy in…
Over the past several months, AFJN has been working with the Connect U.S. Fund to develop a concrete set of foreign policy priorities for the next Administration. Through a series…
19 November 2008, by Louis Ncamiso Ndlovu, Bishop of the Diocese of Manzini Some Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Master reprove your disciples,’ but he answered, ‘I tell…
When President Bush said he was attending the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games despite China’s misdeeds in the international arena, he said it is because the Olympics…
