Latest News
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Uganda: Senator Coons on the ongoing crack down on political dissent
This Press Release was issued by the office of Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs Senator Coons condemns Ugandan government’s violent suppression of political dissent FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 24, 2013 Peaceful gathering in Kampala drew violent reaction from police forces WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons…
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Letter to the New U.S. Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region, Senator Russ Feingold
A day after his appointment as the US Special Representative for the African Great Lakes region and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 17 organizations, among them Africa Faith and Justice Network, published an open letter to Senator Russ Feingold outlining some policy priorities for region and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular. …
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Advocacy Groups, Congo Experts Applaud Appointment of Feingold as Envoy
WASHINGTON — Nineteen advocacy groups and Congo experts applaud U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for his appointment of former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) as the new U.S. Special Envoy for the African Great Lakes region and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They congratulate Special Envoy Feingold in an open letter, and call…
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US Special Envoy: No cozy relationships with Africa Great Lakes’ heavy handed regimes
by Jacques Bahati Former Senator from Wisconsin, Russ Feingold, has been appointed US Special Representative for the African Great Lakes region and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. National and international organizations have been calling for this appointment since 2006. Although Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) receives with optimism the appointment of the special…
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AFJN’s work on land grabbing mentioned in NCR
“When ants unite their mouths, they can carry an elephant,” says an African proverb.
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Investor Statement in Support of SEC Rule 1502 on Conflict Minerals
This statement is being issued by various investment groups who represent over $450 billion of assets under management. Included in the signatories of this statement are members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), a membership association of 275 faith-based institutional investors including religious communities and asset management companies; United Nations’ PRI: Principles for…
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The Economic and Development Problem of Africa: A Problem of Governance
By Aniedi Okure, OP – Executive Director, AFJN. Paper presented on the Occasion of the 25th Anniversary of Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network ( AEFJN), Brussels April 22-25 A close examination reveals that the problem has to do mainly with governance: the common good, resource distribution, citizens’ participation, transparency & accountability and economic justice….
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AFJN Now a Member of The Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (PPA)
This article first appeared in the April-June 2013 Edition of Around Africa “The Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (PPA) is a joint initiative among governments, companies, and civil society to support supply chain solutions to conflict minerals challenges in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes Region (GLR) of Central Africa….
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We urgently need your voice to help end 17 years of rape, kidnapping, and killings in D.R. Congo
Every day in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo there are news reports of kidnapping for ransom, targeted assassinations, rape and looting by armed groups. On May 15, H.Res 131, a resolution “Concerning the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the need for international efforts toward long-term peace, stability, and…
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Oxford University: Rwanda President Kagame is controversial, but welcome
Oxford University distanced itself from Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s presence on campus. He was invited by Oxford Business Network for Africa to attend their conference at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School on May 18, 2013. Characterizing President Kagame as a “controversial figure”, the university said that “this invitation and President Kagame’s presence in the Saïd Business School does not imply any endorsement by the School or the University of his views or actions.”
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D.R. Congo: Rwandan troops fighting alongside rebels to capture the city of Goma
Despite the international pressure, President Kagame remains defiant. For a month now, North Kivu civil society and others have reported increased crossings of Rwandan soldiers into DRC to help M23 and have called on the international community to take appropriate measures. They have identified among many Colonel Bingira, a Rwanda military officer who is currently…
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Answers to those challenging US conflict mineral law, section 1502 of Dodd-Frank
Today, the House Financial Services Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade held a hearing on the “The Unintended Consequences of Dodd-Frank’s Conflict Minerals Provision.” Africa Faith and Justice Network submitted a statement in support of this provision. Contrary to those who argue that Section 1502 of Dodd-Frank failed to achieve its intended objectives, we…
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Archbishop Michael Kpakala Francis of Liberia
One of Africa’s outstanding advocates for justice, human rights and good governance, Emeritus Archbishop Michael Kpakala Francis of Monrovia died Sunday May 19, 2013 in Monrovia, Liberia. A courageous preacher who spoke truth to power and advocated for the rule of law, Archbishop Francis served as the moral conscience for society, especially for Liberia’s political…
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The Epidemic of Land Grabbing is Worse than Colonization: US Companies are Part of the Rip off
By Jacques Bahati Advocates, mostly African diaspora, gathered on March 15 in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill to call attention to the tragic effects of land grabbing in Africa by foreign investors. The discussion was moderated by Gregory Simpkins, senior advisor to Congressman Chris Smith, the Chairman of the U.S. House Subcommittee…
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Capitol Hill: the National Bar Association brainstorming on how to help Africa
On March 17, the National Bar Association (NBA), the oldest and largest association of African-American attorneys, judges and law students in the United States and the Constituency for Africa (CFA), an education and advocacy organization focused on helping build and strengthen the capacity of the diaspora’s involvement in Africa since 1990, held a brainstorming event…
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US soon to appoint Special Envoy to Africa’s Great Lakes region.
On April 17, US Secretary of State John Kerry, during a hearing on the budget, told congress that President Obama has chosen and is vetting a person to appoint as US Special Envoy to Africa’s the Great Lakes Region to coordinate US efforts in the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). …
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US Senate: Examining Ongoing Conflict in Eastern Congo
On April 16, the Subcommittee on African Affairs of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) entitled “Examining Ongoing Conflict in Eastern Congo” Here are some highlights from the witnesses. Mr. Federico Borello, Director, Investments Humanity United ,Washington, DC told Congress that “Offensive military…
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A Tribute to the Life of AFJN’s First Director, Sjef Donders in independent catholic news
Fr Joseph Donders, widely known as ‘Sjef’, died on 7 March 2013 in hospital in Maastricht (Holland) aged 83.
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President Thomas Sankara’s Leadership on Arms trade to Africa
Updated on April 9, 2013 This article was first published in AFJN’s January-March 2013 Newsletter On March 18-28, 2013 the UN held in New York the final conference on arms trade treaty. At the end, the UN general assembly voted overwhelmingly to regulate this deadly business by 154 to three votes with 23 abstentions. This…
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ICC Justice is for Bosco Ntaganda not for the Victims
This article was first published in AFJN’s January-March Newsletter By Jacques Bahati, Policy Analyst On March 18, General Bosco Ntaganda, one of the notorious rebel leaders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) surrendered himself to the US Embassy in Kigali and specifically requested his transfer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the…
