Latest News
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Comprehensive and Inclusive Step Required to end the Crisis in Somalia
By Ashagrie G. Abdi, AFJN Intern This article was first published in our April-June Newsletter After the downfall of Zaid Barre, Somalia’s President from 1969-’91, the struggle for power resulted in a civil war that claimed many lives. According to some reports, an estimated 350,000-1000,000 Somalis have died as a result of conflict, drought and…
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US Department of State finally acted to force Rwanda to stay out of Congo’s internal affairs
This arm twisting against Rwanda is in accordance with US Public Law 109-456, “The Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security and Democracy Promotion Act of 2006”, Section 105 which says: “The Secretary of State is authorized to withhold assistance made available under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.), other…
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AFJN Featured in San Francisco Bay View: National Black Newspaper
On July 7, 2012, the Africa Faith and Justice Network was mentioned in Mary Ratcliff’s article “U.S. cuts aid to Rwanda for destabilizing Congo” featured in the San Francisco Bay View: National Black Newspaper. To read the full article click below:
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Hazardous Waste Dumping in Africa
As concerns over environmental issues on the African continent gain attention around the world, the problem of foreign companies dumping their toxic waste wherever they feel like has come to light. This dumping takes many forms: donations of pesticides that are actually expired, illegally dropped containers of chemical waste offshore, or even sending broken electronics…
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“A little office that reaches a continent”
AFJN in the National Catholic Reporter under the headline “A little office that reaches a continent” (July 20, 2012). Read it here http://ncronline.org/news/global/little-office-reaches-continent
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Africa does not need foreign aid, but reforms
In his articles The Smart Way to Fight Corruption, George B.N. Ayittey, Ph.D. shines light on the enormous amount of cash that African leaders have stolen from the people; General Sani Abacha of Nigeria $20 billion, President H. Boigny of Ivory Coast $6 billion, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida of Nigeria $5 billion, President Mobutu of Zaire $4…
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D.R. Congo Crisis: look inside for a solution
On July 11th, 2,021 government officials from the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to find a solution to the armed struggle between the M23 rebels and the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s national army. The delegates asked, among other recommendations, for a neutral force to be sent along…
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Shout out to the Foothills School of Arts and Science in Boise
For more than two years students at Foothill School of Arts and Science in Boise, Idaho have been learning about the connection between the minerals in some of their favorite technological gadgets and the conflict that has been going on in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the impact it has on Congolese people…
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The sentencing of DRC War Lord Thomas Lubanga
Bahati Jacques, AFJN’s Policy Analyst, on InFocus/Voice of America on the sentencing of DRC War Lord Thomas Lubanga
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World Student Christian Federation calls for a response to Violence against Christians in Nigeria with love and Prayer
by World Student Christian Federation We recognize the vulnerability the Nigerian people feel in their places of worship to be a violation of their right to worship publicly. We hope the federal government of Nigeria will be more strategic in its attempts to protect Nigerian citizens. The WSCF also echoes the call of Christian leaders…
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War Lord Thomas Lubanga sentenced to 14 years: whose victory?
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has charged the Democratic Republic of Congo’s war lord, Thomas Lubanga, with recruiting and using child soldiers in his rebel movement in Ituri. Lubanga has been sentenced to 14 years in jail, however he will serve only eight because he already spent six years in detention in The Hague. While…
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A New Scramble for Africa: Land Grab & Dispossession of People
From Around Africa, by Aniedi Okure, Executive Director A new scramble for Africa akin to the frenzy that followed the Berlin conference of 1885 and the partitioning and colonization of Africa is on; farmlands and minerals are the biggest attraction. The increasing discourse of land scarcity, the rising cost of food and the growing demand…
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U.S Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011
Author: U.S. Department of StateCategory: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and LaborDate Written: 2011 Summary & Comment: The Department of State documents yearly human rights reports on countries around the world. For example, in the case of Rwanda “There were several reports that the government attempted to commit arbitrary or unlawful killings within the country…
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U.S Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011
Author: U.S. Department of State Category: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Date Written: 2011 Summary & Comment: The Department of State documents yearly human rights reports on countries around the world. For example, in the case of Rwanda “There were several reports that the government attempted to commit arbitrary or unlawful killings within…
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Great Lakes of Africa Coalition Calls for U.S. Action to End Instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo
A United Nations Group of Experts report has documented the Rwandan government’s support for rebel groups inside the Congo. Various media have reported that the United States Mission to the United Nations, headed by Ambassador Susan Rice had first attempted to block the report and after pressure has subsequently agreed to allow the publishing of…
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US Department of State’s Statement on the UN Group of Experts’ Report on Rwanda’s Support to Rebel Group M23 in D.R.Congo
Author: Victoria Nuland, Department Spokesperson Category: Press Release Rwanda-D.R. Congo Date: June 30, 2012 Document Origin: Office of the Spokesperson Comment: Will the US enforce its Public Law 109-456, “The Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security and Democracy Promotion Act of 2006”, Section 105 which says: “The Secretary of State is authorized to withhold assistance…
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U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa June 2012
Author: President Barack Obama and The White House Category: Sub-Saharan Africa Date Written: 14 June 2012 Document Origin: The White House Summary & Comment: President Barack Obama has announced that the U.S. is taking a four-pillared approach in its’ new strategy toward sub-Saharan Africa. The first of these is to “Strengthen Democratic Institutions”, which means…
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The Bureau of African Affairs Mission
Author: Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson and the Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs Category: Sub-Saharan Africa Document Origin: The State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs Summary & Comment: The State Department lists five pillars as the foundation for U.S. policy toward Africa. The first is “Support for democracy and the strengthening of democratic institutions…
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Congo’s Faith Communities: A Q+A with Africa Faith and Justice Network’s Jacques Bahati
By Jayme Cloninger This interview was first published by Enough Project . Listen to the full interview here Congo is often depicted as a dark place so tainted by war and corruption that the humanity of those affected by conflict can barely peek through. In particular, these types of descriptions fail to convey the courage of the…
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Opening Statement of Senator Chris Coons
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 28, 2012 CONTACT: Ian Koski at 202-224-4216 or Ian_Koski@coons.senate.gov “Economic Statecraft: Embracing Africa’s Market Potential” Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs June 28, 2012 Slides that accompanied this statement can be found here: http://coons.senate.gov/download/june-28-sfrc-hearing-slides – As Prepared – I am pleased to convene today’s hearing of the African Affairs Subcommittee…
