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Weekly anb11294.txt #7

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WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 29-11-2001      PART #4/7
* Guinea-Bissau. IMF sees progress - A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that Guinea-Bissau has made enough progress on the economic front to open the way for further assistance. The IMF team, which visited the country last week, commended the government for its administrative discipline. In a report issued by the authorities, the IMF team noted that substantial progress had been made following the suspension of aid to the country in the first quarter of the year. The report follows an economic restructuring programme launched in August. The government admitted on 26 November that there had been financial irregularities in public spending. (BBC News, UK, 27 November 2001)
* Kenya. French ambassador walks out on Nairobi's mayor - On 19 November, the French Ambassador to Kenya, Mr Pierre Jacquemot, walked out on Nairobi's mayor, Dick Waweru, when the mayor refused to sign a Sh 150 million study on sanitation in Nairobi's sprawling Kibera area. Talking to the Press, the mayor said it was wrong to use such a colossal amount of money from the French Government, merely to commission a study on an environmental project for Kibera. The mayor said a report on the city's entire sanitation situation can be retrieved from the City Hall's archives, while the same donor funds can be pumped into community-based projects. The project, which the ambassador had told the mayor was important to uplift the living standards of the residents of Kibera, only needed the mayor's signature, for the donor funds to be made available. The mayor is said to be perturbed to learn that the bulk of the money would be used to pay allowances for the Council and government officials earmarked to undertake the study. (Thomas Omondi, ANB-BIA, Kenya, 20 November 2001)
* Kenya. Kenyatta fils - Le président Moï a procédé à un remaniement ministériel. Parmi les nouveaux venus figure Uhuru Kenyatta, fils de feu Jomo Kenyatta, qui a dirigé le pays de l'indépendance en 1963 jusqu'à sa mort en 1978. Uhuru, 40 ans, avait été nommé il y a quelques semaines membre du Parlement par le président Moï, comme la Constitution l'y autorise. Il fait partie de ces "jeunes Turcs" venus rajeunir la KANU, le parti au pouvoir, en prendre la direction et, éventuellement, succéder à Moï dans le fauteuil présidentiel, à la fin de 2002. (J.A./L'intelligent, France, 27 novembre 2001)
* Malawi. Lightning hits football match - A bolt of lightning has hit a football match in Malawi, killing five people and injuring more than 100 others. Police said the lightning struck during a match in the southern border district of Nsanje, on 25 November. A number of players were among the injured. Although it is not uncommon for people to be killed by lightning during Malawi's rainy season, the number of casualties is considered unusually high. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 27 November 2001)
* Madagascar. Début de la campagne électorale - Le dimanche 25 novembre, les six candidats à l'élection présidentielle du 16 décembre ont démarré officiellement leur campagne électorale qui, selon les observateurs, s'annonce des plus chaudes. Les candidats ont commencé leur campagne dans différents endroits du pays. C'est surtout le maire d'Antananarivo, Marc Ravalomanana, qui a créé la surprise en réussissant à rassembler une marée humaine de plus de 50.000 personnes dans la capitale malgache. Ce succès, croient savoir les observateurs, est dû notamment à la forte popularité du maire, qui rassemble autour de lui de nombreux hommes d'Eglise. Par ailleurs, le 23, le ministre de l'Intérieur avait annoncé la création de 600 nouveaux bureaux de vote, en portant ainsi le nombre à plus de 16.000. Cette décision est perçue par la classe politique comme une volonté délibérée de rendre la vie difficile aux candidats ainsi qu'aux observateurs qui procèdent à la formation d'environ 25.000 observateurs locaux pour couvrir la totalité du territoire. (D'après PANA, Sénégal,23- 26 novembre 2001)
* Malawi. Churches and anti-corruption fighting - In Malawi, corruption is fast becoming a way of life. There have been attempts to strengthen legislation to counter the evil, but these have proved insufficient. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), an official anti-corruption agency established by the government in 1995, has made some headway in spreading the message about the ills of corruption. But cases of malpractice have become so widespread that it is seeking more effective measures. In past years, the ACB has conducted Workshops for Members of Parliament, traditional leaders and civil rights activists. Now it has extended its arm to involve the clergy. It has embarked on an awareness campaign to educate the masses on the evils of corruption. The programme is called "The Faith-based Community Group Campaign", and targets various religious groups. The aim is to involve church leaders, so that these can encourage their faithful to refrain from corrupt activities, especially in their places of work. (Hobbs Gama, ANB-BIA, Malawi, 16 November 2001
* Mauritania. Slavery alive and "legal" - Anti-slavery activists in Mauritania say slavery is rampant mainly because it is not considered a crime by the court systems. The courts refuse to hear cases of slavery because it does not officially exist, having been "outlawed" 20 years ago, they told a meeting held last week at Georgetown University, Washington D.C. While government officials say slavery does not exist in the country, the activists told the meeting, "owning slaves is just like owning flocks, a symbol of prestige". Nassar Yessa, co-founder of SOS Slaves Mauritania was quoted as saying "the slaves accept their position and are content to be slaves because they have been taught there is paradise under your master's foot". Yessa's organisation is working to make the courts recognise the rights of slaves to freedom. (IRIN, 21 November 2001)
* Mozambique. Gas windfall - The development of Mozambique's gas resources could generate about $21.4bn for its economy over the next 25 years, a report suggests. PLJ Financial Services believes that it could also change the South African economy, reducing its reliance on oil and providing an alternative to cheap coal. Dawie Roodt, chief economist at PLJ Financial Services, estimates that Mozambique could earn about $400m a year from the gas produced. Considering that "the Mozambique economy for a whole year is roughly about $4bn...then obviously this is really something...a very large project for the whole economy," he said. This could add 10% to national economic growth for the next two years, and 2% every year after that. It will also benefit its end-user, South Africa, to the tune of about $3.2bn over 25 years. The biggest consumer of Mozambique's gas is likely to be South Africa's Sasol, who is expected to use the gas in its chemical production as well as to produce petrol. (BBC News, UK, 27 November 2001)
* Namibia. Alleged Namibian collaborators with UNITA to be shot - On 23 November, the Defence Minister said: "Anyone found flirting with Angola's rebel UNITA elements will face bullets from the barrels of our guns. We will have no sympathy for UNITA collaborators. If there is someone who wants to kill the Namibian people, he or she becomes an enemy". (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 November 2001)
* Namibia. Nujoma will not seek fourth term - The governing party in Namibia says President Nujoma will not be seeking a fourth term in 2004. Correspondents say this brings to an end a period of speculation, in which the president gave contradictory signals over his intentions. The secretary-general of the South West Africa People's Organisation, Hifikepunye Pohama, has now said Mr Nujoma told the party's central committee of his plans to step down. But he said Mr Nujoma would continue to lead both the party and the government until 2004. The Namibian constitution was changed two years ago to allow Mr Nujoma -- who is the country's founding president since 1990 -- to stand for president for a third term. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 27 November 2001)
* Namibie. Nujoma ne briguera pas un 4ème mandat - Le président namibien Sam Nujoma ne briguera pas un quatrième mandat à l'expiration, en 2004, de celui qu'il exerce actuellement, a annoncé un communiqué officiel le lundi 26 novembre. Selon le secrétaire général de la SWAPO, le parti au pouvoir, M. Nujoma devrait toutefois continuer à présider le parti jsuqu'en 2004. "En 2003, le parti organisera un congrès extraordinaire au cours duquel nous élirons son président, qui sera notre candidat aux élections de 2004", a-t-il expliqué. M. Nujoma aurait dit au comité central de la SWAPO, qui s'est réuni ce week-end, qu'il ne se représenterait pas au terme de son mandat actuel. Cette annonce met fin aux spéculations sur son avenir politique. Par ailleurs, le vice-président de la SWAPO, Hendrik Witbooi, a également annoncé qu'il ne chercherait pas à se faire réélire. (PANA, Sénégal, 27 novembre 2001)
* Nigeria. Choléra: plus de 500 morts - Plus de 500 personnes, dont environ 200 enfants, sont mortes en novembre à la suite d'une épidémie de choléra dans deux villes du nord du Nigeria, ont indiqué le 23 novembre des sources hospitalières. Plus de 3.000 personnes ont été admises dans les hôpitaux de la région, notamment à Kano. "Nous avons eu plus de 200 morts durant les dix derniers jours", a déclaré une infirmière à l'hôptal pédiatrique de Kano. "Nous manquons de matériel, de gants, de perfusions, de tout". Le choléra est surtout provoqué par le manque d'eau potable, l'absence de mesures d'hygiène au sein des populations et la pénurie de médicaments de base. (Le Monde, France, 25 novembre 2001)
* Nigeria. Cholera outbreak - An outbreak of cholera in northern Nigeria has now led to the loss of 400-500 lives, according to hospital records in the city of Kano. International medical organisations are supporting the state government in its efforts to control the epidemic, but hospitals are overwhelmed. With fresh cases arriving daily, the severity of the outbreak may well be the result of a slow initial response to the crisis. Although it is not possible to confirm that all the deaths are directly cholera related, the hospital records reveal a desperate situation. Those that have managed to reach medical facilities in Kano are being housed in tents in the hospital grounds. Both the World Health Organisation and the United Nations children's fund, Unicef, have provided the state government with medical supplies. But serious questions are now being asked why it took so long to recognise the severity of the outbreak. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 27 November 2001)
* Nigeria. Inquiry ignores army role - Amid reports of continuing unrest in the central state of Taraba, the Nigerian Government has announced the formation of a special commission to look into the causes of the conflict. The fighting between two communities, the Tiv and the Jukun, in the border region between Benue and Taraba states has cost hundreds of lives over the past few months. The Tiv are considered by the Jukun as recent settlers. The Tiv dispute this, saying their families have lived there for generations. But until recently, the federal government had taken little serious interest in resolving deep-rooted tension that fuel the conflict. It was the death of 19 soldiers last month at the hands of a Tiv militia group that brought the dispute to national attention. In a series of raids over three days, soldiers systematically rounded up unarmed civilians and shot them in towns and market squares in the Tiv homelands of Benue State. What is notable about the terms of reference of the new commission however is that there is no suggestion that it will investigate the behaviour of the army in dealing with the crisis, as was widely expected. (BBC News, UK, 27 November 2001)
* Nigeria. Taraba: nouveaux affrontements - Au moins 50 personnes auraient été tuées ce week-end dans des affrontements entre les communautés Tiv et Junkun, résidant le long de la frontière entre les Etats de Taraba et de Bénoué (sud-est du Nigeria), a rapporté la presse locale le 27 novembre. Elle précise qu'environ 200 miliciens tiv ont donné l'assaut au village de Sunti, dans la zone de Donga (Taraba), essentiellement habité par des Junkun et des Chamba. Plusieurs centaines de personnes auraient pris la fuite pour échapper à d'éventuelles nouvelles incursions. Le 26 novembre, les chefs tiv réunis à Makurdi, capitale du Bénoué, ont proclamé la nécessité de créer trois nouvelles entités étatiques pour regrouper toutes les personnes de leur ethnie résidant dans les Etats de Bénoué, Plateau et Taraba. Les Tiv compteraient une population d'environ 6 millions. Le mois dernier, des affrontements entre groupes ethniques avaient fait au moins 200 morts dans la même région. (Misna, Italie, 27 novembre 2001)
* Rwanda. International Conference of survivors of genocide, holocaust - On 25 November, Kofi Annan pledged that the United Nations will continue to be a close partner to the survivors of genocide and holocaust, aiming to transfer their trauma into action to prevent a recurrence of war crimes. In a message to the International Conference of Survivors of Holocaust and Genocide that began on 25 November in Kigali, the UN's Secretary-General said that "painfully and belatedly", the international community was trying to do more to prevent and punish genocide and crimes against humanity. "At last the world is seeking an end to the culture of impunity", he said. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 26 November 2001) 

Weekly anb1129.txt - End of #4/7