Latest News
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AFRICOM: New Head but Still no Home
“I wouldn’t say we see eye to eye on every issue.” That was the very diplomatic way that Ryan Henry, principal deputy under-secretary of defense for policy, described recent meetings with African countries on the subject of the US military command for Africa (Africom). In June, Mr. Henry led a delegation of Defense and State…
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Learn More about US Militarism
Department of Defense www.defenselink.mil State Department usinfo.state.gov Council on Foreign Relations www.cfr.org CSIS Africa Policy Forum forums.csis.org TransAfrica www.transafricaforum.org
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Africa Questionnaire Sent to Candidates
The 2008 Presidential Campaign heated up even before the warm summer of 2007. There is much talk about money these days and who is leading whom in that category. Presidential Forums are all the rage and have allowed the candidates to expound on faith, poverty and race. At AFJN, we are interested in hearing what…
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Africa Questionnaire Sent to Candidates
The 2008 Presidential Campaign heated up even before the warm summer of 2007. There is much talk about money these days and who is leading whom in that category. Presidential Forums are all the rage and have allowed the candidates to expound on faith, poverty and race. At AFJN, we are interested in hearing what…
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Update on the Somalia Situation
The military and humanitarian situation in Somalia worsened over the weekend, primarily due to the actions of the Union of Islamic Courts. Reconciliation now seems even more unlikely. But is there hope? The situation in Somalia turned even bleaker on Saturday as Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, one of the leaders of the Union of Islamic…
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Another War on Your Watch?
Archbishop Francois-Xavier Maroy of Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo, in a recent letter to the French ambassador, raised the alarm on what he deemed to be an imminent return to war in the East of Congo. Here, Jacques Bahati, AFJN intern originally from the DRC, offers us his take on the present precarious situation: In late May, the…
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Congo Coalition Holds Successful Congress in Belgium
The first major project of Congo Global Action (CGA)took place from March 20 -22 in Brussels. CGA members in Brussels organized the conference entitled – Congo: After the elections, next steps? The International Rescue Committee (IRC) was the main host, with support from several student clubs. Together, they organized the successful conference at the Catholic…
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Bringing African Issues to the Presidential Candidates
Over the past couple of months, AFJN staffer, Phil Reed, has been working with other DC based Africa advocates to engage the 2008 presidential candidates on African issues. Several meetings have been held, chaired by Greg Simpkins of the Leon Sullivan Foundation, to reflect on the best ways to compel the candidates to think about…
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Congo’s Struggle for Water
Anne Vickers, AFJN intern 2007 “When the poor and needy seek water, I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.” Isaiah 41:17-18 In the May/June 2007 newsletter, Jacques Bahati wrote…
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Congolese Archbishop Sounds the Alarm
Archbishop Francois-Xavier Maroy of Bukavu, in eastern D.R. Congo, in a May 28th letter to the visiting French ambassador sounded the alarm concerning the developing dangers for the people of the Bukavu region. In the letter, which follows, the archbishop ominously states that “all the elements are gathering for a new war in South…
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Friday, June 20 is World Refugee Day
World Refugee Day has been internationally recognized on June 20 ever since it was established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2001. It serves as an opportunity to learn about and reflect upon the growing scale and complexity of the refugee crisis and to salute the courage, strength and resilience of…
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African Churches Reject Free Trade Agreements with Europe
A statement was released this week by a very broad coalition of churches opposing the European Partnership Agreements (EPA). The statement is impressive in its gathering of churches that don’t often find each other signing the same documents. Signees include the Catholic Church-Kenya Episcopal Conference and AMECEA, the Anglican Church, The Assemblies of God and…
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AFJN Director Signs Letter Calling for World Bank Leadership Reform
Rev. Rocco Puopolo, Executive Director of AFJN, has signed on to a letter to the Executive Directors of the World Bank and the IMF, calling on them to reform the selection procedures for leadership at both institutions. The recent revelations about Paul Wolfowitz have shed light on a process that is outdated and unsuited to…
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DRC’s 47th Independence Anniversary
Last fall, the Democratic Republic of Congo completed the first democratic election in many years. Saturday, June 30th, a corresponding celebration of Congolese independence was more than necessary! We hope that you were able to join some of the 47th year festivities that occurred worldwide to support our Congolese friends. Check back to read about…
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Beating Ploughshares into Swords?
The Disturbing Direction of US Africa PolicyThe creation of AFRICOM signifies deeper and more sustained U.S. military engagement on the continent than we have ever seen. Yet, AFRICOM is hardly surprising; the militarization of U.S. Africa policy has been underway for a decade now. The danger though lies in what is increasingly absent: accountability.Ironically, the…
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Statement of Southern African Bishops’ Conference on Zimbabwe
On April 4, the Southern African Bishops’ Conference came out with a statement on the situation in Zimbabwe. Meant to coincide with the Easter season, the Bishops bring out the various forms of suffering of their brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe and the impending disaster if things don’t change. They recall their own suffering under…
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Nigerian Bishops Speak Out About Elections
In the person of their chairman, Bishop Felix Alaba Job, the Nigerian Bishops’ Conference stated that Ngeria had failed to conduct free, fair and credible elections. Citing several examples of mismanagement of the elections, Bishop Job stated that the people had been robbed of their chance to choose their leaders. Yet, the Bishops prefer that…
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Statement on Violence from the Religious Superiors Conference of Kenya
AFJN was shocked by the news of the murder of AFJN member, Rev. Martin Addai, M.Afr, as reported in our recent Easter newsletter . Fr. Martin, who lost his life in Nairobi on March 10, 2007, was only one of many victims of violence that the Religious Superiors Conference of Kenya deplored in a recent…
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US House Unanimously Condemns Zimbabwe Oppression
On April 17, the US House of Representatives, by a vote of 414-0 passed a resolution ‘condemning the recent violent actions of the Government of Zimbabwe against the peaceful opposition party activists and members of civil society.’ The resolution (H.Con Res.100) was then sent on to the Senate for consideration in the Judiciary Committee. Introduced…
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Holy See Calls for Action on Trade Justice
Speaking at the United Nations last week, the Vatican Ambassador, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, reminded the assembly that the need for an agreement on trade issues is ‘ a moral imperative that cannot be delayed.’ Using the words of Paul VI, the Archbishop reiterated the Holy See’s concern for the achievement of greater justice through fair…
