Latest News
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Welcome to our 2015 Summer Intern
Mirabella Ngozi Nwaka was born in Washington, DC and lives in Maryland. She is Nigerian-American. She is currently pursing a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and a minor in Mathematics at Spelman College, in Atlanta, Georgia. She recently worked with low-income Floridian students, who are first generation immigrations of…
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Just for Laughs: Bragging Rights
After digging to a depth of 100 meters last year, Russian scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 1000 years, and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network one thousand years ago. Not to be outdone, in the weeks that followed American scientists dug down 200 meters and headlines…
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US Position on the Burundian Crisis
Although Burundi is a strong US partner in the fight against terrorism in Somalia, the Obama administration has made known its position in the ongoing Burundian presidential term limit crisis. Early on after the constitutional court ruled on May 4th that President Nkurunziza bid for a third term was constitutional the US dissented. On May…
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Herakles Abandons All Operations in Mundemba And Toko Concessions Area
Herakles Farms, a New York based agro-investment firm and its subsidiary SG Sustainable Oils Cameroon (SGSOC) is once again in the spotlight. On May 29, 2015 it announced that it has abandoned all operations in Mundemba and Toko Subdivisions in the Ndian Province.
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The Ecologist Features Letter to G7 Against New Alliance Signed by AFJN
As the G7 leaders prepare to meet in Bavaria this weekend, small-scale farmers from around the world call on them to abandon their disastrous plan for the corporate takeover of global agriculture and the extirpation of small-scale farmers everywhere – those who produce most of the world’s food.
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Communiqué N0 2 of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Burundi on Elections 2015
We expected that the ruling of the Constitutional Court was going to help improve the situation by making a decision along the lines of the truth that had been expressed by many inside and outside our country. (#4) If our wishes find no response and things remain as they are, we, the Bishops of the…
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Uganda’s first women-only gym
Fitness is big business, but in countries like Uganda in East Africa being a woman and going to the gym can be a bit daunting. Women have to battle for space, find “socially acceptable” sports outfits and are sometimes prohibited from doing challenging sports programs. However, 25-year-old Mildred Apenyo is hoping to change the idea…
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President Pierre Nkurunziza, Burundi elections and an attempted military coup
On May 13 2015, some members of the Burundian army, led by the former Chief of Staff General Godefroid Niyombaré, attempted to overthrow President Pierre Nkurunziza amid unrest over his bid to be re-elected to a third term. After declaring that the government has been dissolved, crowds opposed to President Nkurunziza’s third term took to…
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U.S. Congress: Don’t Cut Funding for Voice of America’s Central Africa Service Kirundi/Kinyarwanda Program
In a letter to members of the Budget Committee in the House and Senate about the proposal to cut all funding for Voice of America’s Central Africa Service Kirundi/Kinyarwanda radio program in the Fiscal Year 2016 budget, the Catholic Task Force for Africa (CTFA) argues that when looking for places to cut funding, the U.S….
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NCR Covers AFJN’s Event on Ending Exterme Poverty
With extreme poverty having been cut in half over the last generation — and the Millennium Development Goals target of poverty halving having been achieved five years ahead of the 2015 deadline — veterans of the global war on poverty believe it is possible that extreme poverty can be wiped out in the next 15 years.
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Happy Independence Day, Tanzania, April 26.
Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. Today Tanzania is a country of 45 million people, a multi-party democracy, with a land area larger that Nigeria. Tourism is an important revenue earner. There are 16 national parks including the well…
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The Catholic Task Force for Africa Urges President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry to get involved in Burundi Political Crisis
The Catholic Task Force for Africa (CTFA) sent letters to President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry urging them to use all diplomatic tools including making personal calls to Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza to encourage him to refrain from running for a third term.
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The Second Pastoral Letter of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Burundi ahead of the 2015 Elections
We, the pastors of the Catholic Church of Burundi, aware of the peace agreements and the constitution that stems from the agreements charter (article 8, 96, 103 et 302), listening to our consciences and as citizens who love their country and are faithful to their duty as church leaders who should prevent their country from…
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Independence Day for Senegal, April 4th
Powerful European countries competed for the trade of Senegal, until France finally gained control over it in 1677. Traders dealt in wax, amber, gold, ivory, and also participated in the slave trade. In the 1850s slavery was abolished. Senegal became independent from France on June 20, 1960 after long negotiations. Although officially Senegal gained independence…
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Congratulations Nigeria!
With the just concluded 2015 presidential election, Nigeria has made history. Nigerians have shown the world their determination to engage in participatory governance and a resolve to look beyond ethnic and religious frontiers often played out and reinforced both within and outside the country. The election sends a strong message to self-perpetuating African leaders, too…
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Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar to set up a Continental Reconciliation Committee
After a four-day Continental Congress held in Windhoek, Namibia and organized by the Justice and Peace Commission of the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), they announced the creation of a Continental Reconciliation Committee which will deal with conflict and violence prevention and mediation. Below is a Press Release issues by…
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Nigerian Elections 2015: AFJN Urges Peace, Transparency and Accountability
The Africa Faith & Justice Network (AFJN) strongly urges the Nigerian government to create an atmosphere free of fear, coercion and violence before, during, and after the upcoming presidential election on Saturday, March 28, 2015 and the subsequent state and local elections. We applaud that President Jonathan and General Buhari have publicly taken such a…
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Happy Independence Day Namibia- March 21
Unknown to many is that the first and the most devastating 20th century genocide happened in Namibia. The Republic of Namibia declared its independence from South Africa on March 21, 1990. South Africa had colonized Namibia since 1915 after defeating German forces in World War I. Germany colonized Namiba, which they called “South West Africa”…
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Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe and Sewing Hope
Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, native of Uganda and Sacred Heart Sister, was conferred an honorary doctor of humane letters recently by Duquesne University as part of its 2015 Founders Week: Faces of Courage celebration. Sister Rosemary is the director of the St. Monica’s Girls Tailoring Centre in Gulu, Uganda. Honored by Time Magazine as one of…
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Thomas Reese: Is dialogue with Islam possible?
Granted the Islamic State group and the multiple conflicts occurring in the Middle East, is dialogue with Islam possible? This was the question asked by Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, nuncio emeritus to Egypt and former president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. As a member of the Society of Missionaries of Africa and an Arabic and Islamic scholar, Fitzgerald is especially qualified to discuss this topic, as he did in a March 6 lecture at The Catholic University of America sponsored by the Institute of Policy Research and Catholic Studies and the Africa Faith and Justice Network.
