Latest News
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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.
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NCR Covers AFJN’s Event on Dialogue with Islam
Granted the Islamic State group and the multiple conflicts occurring in the Middle East, is dialogue with Islam possible?
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Archbishop Michael L. Fitzgerald on “Grounds for better understanding and dialogue with Islam” Photo Gallery
Born in England into a Catholic family of Irish descent, Archbishop Michael L. Fitzgerald was educated by the Missionaries of Africa in Scotland, England and Ireland. He did his novitiate in the Netherlands and his theological studies along with Arabic and Islamic studies in Tunisia. He was ordained priest in London 1961 as a member…
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Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald on the “Grounds for dialogue with Islam today”
On Friday, March 6, 2015 at a lecture sponsored by Africa Faith & Justice Network (AFJN) and the Institute for Policy Research at Catholic University, Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald spoke on the Grounds for dialogue with Islam today. Archbishop Fitzgerald has been at the center of efforts to foster dialogue with Muslims. He served as Apostolic Nuncio…
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The 58th Independence Celebration of Ghana
Ghana declared independence from the United Kingdom on March 6th, 1957. This was the result of the efforts of “The Big Six” leaders of Ghana, who in 1947 formed the United Gold Coast Convention which called for self-governance. In 1949, the Convention People’s Party was formed by Kwame Nkrumah, who was also a member of…
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Namibia’s President Recognized for his outstanding work
Namibia’s President Hifikepunye Pohamba received the 2014 Mo Ibrahim prize for African leadership in a ceremony held in Nairobi, Kenya on March 2, 2015. This prize rewards the outstanding achievements of African leaders. President Hifikepunye clinched “US$5 million over ten years” and “US$200 000 per year for life thereafter.” So far it is “the largest…
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Ethiopia Selected Among Top Ten Best Tourist Destinations for 2015
One of the leading publishers of travel guidebooks, Rough Guides, recently held an online vote allowing its readers to select their top international destination choices for 2015. According to the results, Ethiopia ranks number seven on the People’s Choice list that also includes the UK, Iceland, Japan, Chile, Turkey and the US. “From the dramatic…
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ADF-NALU is Africa Great Lakes’ version of Boko Haram
Why should we deal with the rise of the Allied Democratic Forces and National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU) now? ADF-NALU another extremist Islamic group was originally opposed to the Ugandan government. After it was defeated by the Ugandan army it ran into the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Ruwenzori mountains where it…
