* Afrique. Air Afrique dépose le bilan — Réuni le 7 février à Abidjan, le conseil d’administration extraordinaire d’Air Afrique “a décidé à l’unanimité de faire procéder au dépôt de bilan”, selon un communiqué. La justice dispose de 30 jours pour étudier d’éventuelles propositions de reprise ou prononcer la liquidation, considérée comme inévitable par beaucoup d’observateurs. La compagnie, endettée à hauteur de 510 millions d’euros, était en crise depuis plusieurs années. Le 11 janvier, les représentants des onze pays actionnaires avaient recommandé le dépôt de bilan, mais souhaitaient poursuivre des négociations afin de trouver un “partenaire stratégique”. La mise en place d’un partenariat avec Air France avait été annoncée en août, mais les pourparlers ont achoppé, notamment sur le financement et l’étendue du plan social. La compagnie emploie 4.000 personnes. Le capital d’Air Afrique est actuellement détenu par le Bénin, le Burkina Faso, le Congo, la Centrafrique, la Côte d’Ivoire, le Tchad, le Togo, le Mali, la Mauritanie, le Niger, le Sénégal ainsi qu’Air France. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 8 février 2002)

* Africa. The Church and politics — Congo RDC: Archbishop Laurent Pasinya Monsengwo of Kisnangani says: «The Inter-Congolese Dialogue is the only way to give back stability and peace in our country. It is an occasion to face the complex political, economic and military situation in a democratic and realistic way. Enough of looting, of violation of human rights, of killing innocent people in Congo and in the whole of the Great Lakes». Zimbabwe: The Catholic Bishops Conference has called for unity, peace and harmony. In their February Pastoral Letter, the Bishops say: «As we approach the 9-10 March presidential elections, we wish to be close to you at this important moment in the history of our country. It is a call to responsibility and integrity to all of us as Christians and citizens of Zimbabwe». The Bishops say they appreciate President Robert Mugabe’s appeal for an end to political violence, and they also call on the nation to heed his appeal. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 February 2002)

* Africa. Child soldiers banned by UN law — A United Nations treaty which bans children from being drafted into combat, comes into force on 12 February, following its ratification by the required number of signatory states. It is estimated that about 300,000 children are currently participating in fighting, in more than 35 countries. Ninety-four countries have now signed the optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits governments and rebel groups from deploying children under the age of 18 in any form of armed conflict. With 14 countries ratifying the treaty since it was adopted by the UN General Assembly in May 2000, the protocol is now no longer optional, but enforceable. A spokesman from the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, says he is convinced the treaty will make a difference. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 February 2002)

* Afrique. Enfants-soldats — Le traité international interdisant la participation des mineurs de moins de 18 ans aux conflits armés, signé par 94 pays, est formellement entré en vigueur le 12 février. Adopté en 2000 par l’Onu, il concerne plus de 300.000 mineurs à travers 40 pays du monde, notamment en Afrique et en Amérique Latine. Rory Mungoven, coordinateur de divers ONG, note que la situation s’est améliorée sensiblement en Amérique centrale et au Moyen-Orient, mais pas encore en Afrique. La situation empire à chaque nouvelle flambée de violence dans des pays comme la Sierra Leone, le Liberia ou la RD-Congo. La faiblesse essentielle du nouveau traité est qu’il ne prévoit aucun mécanisme de contrôle, souligne Silas Sinyigaya, secrétaire exécutif de la Fédération des ligues et associations des droits de l’homme au Rwanda. “Mais sur le principe, juge-t-il, le traité marque un énorme pas en avant pour cette région”. (Libération, France, 13 février 2002)

* Africa. Preparation for «Earth Summit» — Development groups meeting in New Delhi, India, have called on the international community to commit to an action-plan on achieving better long-term environmental governance and an increase in poverty-targeted aid at this year’s «Earth Summit» in Johannesburg, South Africa. Delegates at the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit — held earlier this week in preparation for the United Nations-sponsored World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in August and September — expressed serious concern at the lack of progress in implementing principles agreed at the last Earth Summit in Brazil, 1992, which stressed the need for the poorest and most environmentally-vulnerable countries to receive special attention. Delhi delegates—who included representatives of environmental campaigns groups, research organizations, businesses, and government — were particularly disappointed by the failure of richer nations to translate plans agreed at the Rio summit into an increase in development aid to impoverished countries. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 13 February 2002)

* Africa. Human rights — Press Freedom: On 7 February, in anticipation of the meeting of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in Paris on 8 February, Reporters sans Frontières has addressed a letter to the Presidents of Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa (in charge of NEPAD‘s steering committee), drawing their attention to repeated violations of press freedom by several NEPAD member States. Algeria: On 8 February, Amnesty International said that ten years after the declaration of the state of emergency in Algeria, the authorities have failed woefully to bring an end to the human rights crisis  in the country. Burkina Faso; On 7 February, Amnesty International called on the government of Burkina Faso to investigate allegations made by the Burkina Faso Human and People’s Rights Movement, that security forces, in a crackdown against increasing insecurity, have committed extra-judicial killings. Burundi: Despite recent political changes in Burundi, Amnesty International says (on 7 February) that it continues to receive reports of torture at an alarming rate. Congo RDC: On 13 February, Human Rights Watch said that Uganda should be held responsible for grave human rights violations taking place in territories it occupies in northeastern Congo RDC. Eritrea: On 7 February, Amnesty International said the resolutions of the recently concluded National Assembly session, seriously undermine the rule of law and the protection of human rights in Eritrea. Amnesty International expresses concern over the «worsening human rights crisis» in Eritrea. Liberia: On 11 February, Amnesty International said that the state of emergency declared in Liberia is being used as justification by the security forces to abuse power and commit human rights violations. Rwanda: On 11 February, the Zenit News Agency reported that the bishops of Central Africa as stating that the recent arrest of the theologian, Laurien Ntezimana, in Rwanda, is an attempt to halt the Church’s efforts at reconciliation. Togo: On 12 February, in a letter to Togo’s interior minister, General Sizing Walla, Reporters sans Frontières protested the forced closure of Radio Victoire, a private radio station accused of not signing the agreement governing the operation of private stations. Zimbabwe: Human rights groups in Zimbabwe say (7 February) that 16 political deaths were recorded in January 2002 —the highest monthly total since political violence began two years ago. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum blames supporters of President Robert Mugabe for most of the violence but says three activists from his Zanu-PF party were among the dead. In one province alone, 35 schools have had to close because of the political violence, according to the forum’s latest report. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change says that more than 100 of its supporters have been killed in the past two years. This reports contradicts the government’s claims that political violence is lessening ahead of next month’s presidential elections. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 14 February 2002)

* Afrique/France. Mini-sommet — Le 8 février, lors d’un mini-sommet réuni à Paris, auquel participaient 13 chefs d’Etat africains, le président français Jacques Chirac a reconnu que l’aide internationale à l’Afrique décline “de façon inacceptable”. Il a souligné “la nécessité morale et indispensable” pour les pays industrialisés de porter l’aide publique au développement à 0,7% de leur PIB. La France elle-même est loin de cet objectif fixé il y a 30 ans. Son  aide est passée de 0,56% du PIB en 1994 à 0,34% en 2001. M. Chirac avait convié les dirigeants africains pour marquer son soutien à leur initiative, baptisée Nepad (Nouveau partenariat pour le développement en Afrique), qui lie les besoins de financement à la mise en oeuvre de réformes. Les pays industrialisés du G8 doivent apporter leur réponse au projet africain lors de leur prochain sommet prévu en juin au Canada. Esquissant le bilan des discussions de Paris, Chirac a constaté la volonté commune des pays africains et du G8 de mettre en oeuvre le Nepad sur la base d’obligations mutuelles. (D’après Le Figaro, France, 9 février 2002)

* Africa/France. Africa sets out economic plan — African heads of state meeting in the French president’s Elysee Palace in Paris have expressed their determination to end famine and bloodshed on the continent. The 13 leaders met President Jacques Chirac to discuss a new economic initiative for Africa, which they launched last October. The plan, known as the New Partnership for African Development (Nepad), is an African-designed plan to rebuild the continent, which sets an annual target of $64 billion dollars in foreign investment. In return, Western countries are asking Africa to make a commitment to democracy and the fight against corruption. Heads of state attending the meeting include the Algerian, Nigerian and Senegalese leaders — three of the four founding members of Nepad. The other is South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki, who has remained at home to deliver his annual state of the nation address. He has been represented in Paris by Deputy President Jacob Zuma. The initiative has been compared to the Marshall Plan for rebuilding Europe after the Second World War. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) remains sceptical about its chances of success. And Western diplomats say that it remains a concept in need of fleshing out. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 February 2002)

* Africa/UK. Blair in West Africa — 7 February: British Prime Minister Tony Blair has hailed a new era of partnership between African nations and the West. Speaking after a two hour meeting with Nigerian president Olesegun Obasanjo, Mr Blair paid tribute to a new generation of African leaders who were committed to reforming the troubled continent. President Obasanjo Mr Blair also defended the need for a British prime minister to travel abroad, following criticism at home of his so-called «designer diplomacy». Mr Blair said the meeting with President Obasanjo fulfilled a promise he had made more than two years ago. The centrepiece of the talks was a new partnership for African development, he said. And he repeated his claim that this represented the best chance in a generation to make the partnership work. The partnership would focus in investment, health and conflict resolution, he said, aiming towards the next G8 summit later this year. There was a «a new generation of leaders in Africa, who see it as their responsibility to make sure it happens», Mr  Blair told reporters. He said there was a «new urgency» and a «new momentum» to the process of reform in the continent. 8 February: Tony Blair is to underline his commitment to offer both economic and military aid to conflict-hit African states during a speech to the parliament in Ghana. The prime minister received the unprecedented invitation to address the country’s political leaders in the capital, Accra, after his keynote speech in Nigeria on 7 February. It was a clear sign that his much-criticised tour of west Africa is increasingly being viewed as significant by the region’s leaders. He is absolutely committed to his African mission and believes the majority of the British public are also concerned about tackling poverty and instability on the continent. His unexpected invitation to address the parliament in Accra will offer him ammunition in his claim that his trip is worthwhile. He will use the off-the-cuff remarks to flesh out his proposals on changing the nature of financial aid to the region. He believes the traditional practice of simply offering cash as a «handout» to the developing countries is flawed and fails to lead to lasting change.Instead, he wants to tie such aid to good governance as a way of «empowering people» to get their economies on a sound footing. It is a «we help you best when you help yourselves» policy which he has long been promoting. At the same time, the prime minister is to offer — on a similar basis — more military aid to African countries facing internal conflicts. During his visit to Ghana, the PM is taken to a village to see for himself why Africa is a «scar on the conscience of the world». The village is dependent on cocoa which is Ghana’s second biggest export. But a lack of diversification in the country’s economy means Ghana is vulnerable to a drop in commodity prices. 10 February: Speaking in Senegal, Tony Blair urges charities and campaign groups to crank up the pressure on the US and other leading industrial nations to deliver a new deal for Africa. The prime minister is aware that some G8 members could block a comprehensive package on increased aid, trade concessions and conflict prevention for Africa, and he therefore calls for an international campaign to back his stance. The G8 will hold a summit in Canada in June to thrash out a new deal for Africa that is supposed to buttress the continent’s home-grown blueprint for recovery, called the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. «It would be good if civil society was out campaigning for this partnership,» says Mr Blair at the end of his four-day trip to west Africa. He says a similar campaign on debt relief had been successful. Mr Blair risks humiliation at the G8 summit since the outcome of the talks could fall well short of the ambitious proposals that he set out in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Senegal. The prime minister is expected to travel to Washington in the spring to try to enlist the support of George W. Bush, US president. Mr Bush has shown little public interest in Africa, and certainly does not share Mr Blair’s willingness to engage in  nation-building. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 11 February 2002)

* Africa/Middle East. EU and Islamic conference — On 12 February, The European Union sought a joint «political» approach to Middle East policy with the countries of the Organisation of Islamic Conference. Javier Solana, the EU‘s foreign policy chief, told a gathering in Istanbul of foreign ministers of both organisations that the EU was «determined» to seek a political solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians: «Only such a solution can bring lasting peace...why don’t we work together in this endeavour?» Abdelouahed Belkeziz, the secretary-general of the OIC, said he welcomed the «courageous stance» recently adopted by the EU, hailing in particular a French initiative unveiled at the weekend by Hubert Vedrine, the foreign minister. Faruk Kaddumi, the foreign minister for the Palestinian Authority, also expressed support for the French proposal but noted that US backing was essential. Paris has suggested that the only way to break the deadlock and renew peace talks is for the Palestinian Authority, led by Yassir Arafat, to seek a fresh mandate through elections, leading to recognition of a Palestinian state. (Editor’s note: A number of African countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Conference). (Financial Times, UK, 13 February 2002)

* Africa/USA. Zoellick takes trade path to Africa — 13 February: When Robert Zoellick touches down in Kenya, today, he will become the first US trade representative ever to visit sub-Saharan Africa. The past neglect of the world’s poorest region is not surprising: US two-way trade with the 48 countries, excluding oil from Nigeria, was just over $13bn in 2000, and US direct investment has been falling, totalling a mere $77m in 2000. But the administration of President George W. Bush has taken a surprising interest in the region, continuing a focus that began in 1998 when Bill Clinton became the first US president in more than 20 years to visit sub-Saharan Africa. Colin Powell, the Secretary of State, went there on one of his first trips last year and Paul O’Neill, the Treasury secretary, is set to visit next month. «There’s been a good deal of continuity,» said Susan Rice, the senior State Department official on Africa during the Clinton administration. «The view of Africa as potentially important to US economic interests over the long term has been shared widely in both parties.» The pillar of that consensus is the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), passed by Congress in 2000 after several years of debate, which for the first time eliminated US import barriers on virtually all of sub-Saharan Africa’s main exports to the US, particularly textiles and clothing. The legislation was passed with a unique political coalition of liberal Democrats — led by  black legislators who wanted to do something for Africa — and conservative Republicans frustrated by the failure of past aid programmes for the region. (Financial Times, UK, 13 February 2002)

* Algérie. Mort du chef du GIA — Les forces de sécurité algériennes ont annoncé avoir abattu le 8 février Antar Zouabri, le chef des Groupes islamiques armés (GIA), et deux de ses hommes lors d’affrontements dans la localité de Boufarik, à 25 km au sud d’Alger. L’identité de Zouabri aurait été confirmée par l’analyse de ses empreintes digitales. La mort de Zouabri, qui avait succédé à Djamel Zitouni à la tête du GIA en 1996, a été annoncée à plusieurs reprises dans la presse, mais c’est la première fois que le gouvernement annonce son décès. Les journaux algériens s’interrogent sur le devenir des groupes composant le GIA. Mais il est peu probable que le décès de Zouabri soit décisif. Comme pour démontrer que leurs capacités de terreur demeurent intactes, des membres du GIA ont assassiné, dès le 9 février, six personnes dans le hameau de Oued Slama, tout proche de Boufarik. (D’après La Libre Belgique, 11 février 2002)

* Algeria. Militant leader killed in shoot-out — Antar Zouabri, the leader of Algeria’s Armed Islamic Group, one of two organisations fighting a bloody 10-year campaign against the military-backed regime, has been killed by security forces, the official Algerian press agency said. Mr Zouabri, 31, and two associates were killed in a shoot-out late on 8 February at a house in Boufarik, 25km south of Algiers. Mr Zouabri’s death has been announced before, notably in 1997. However, this time the Algerian authorities appear to be going to greater lengths to convince observers that they have finally eliminated one of their most elusive enemies. Fodil Cherif Brahim, commander of the eastern region of Algeria and one of the six senior generals behind the government of President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika, said Mr Zouabri’s body had been identified by his fingerprints. Mr Zouabri’s GIA is held responsible for some of the most gruesome and apparently indiscriminate attacks during the insurgency in Algeria which broke out after the army cancelled elections at the end of 1991. More than 100,000 people have died in the conflict. Among many infamous massacres, one in Relizane in 1998 in which several hundred people were killed in cold blood was laid at the door of the GIA. But analysts caution that elements within the group may have been manipulated by the military and attributed attacks to the GIA when it was unclear who was responsible. So gruesome is Mr Zouabri’s reputation and so murky is the history of the GIA that some Algerians do not believe he ever really existed. (Editor’s update: A day after Zouabri’s death, six people were killed in an armed attack.) (Financial Times, UK, 11 February 2002)

* Algérie. Visite du président tunisien — Le président tunisien, Zine Ben Ali, est arrivé le lundi matin, 11 février, à Alger pour une visite officielle de trois jours en Algérie. Dans une brève déclaration, M. Ben Ali a indiqué que sa visite, une invitation de son homologue algérien, visait non seulement à renforcer la coopération bilatérale et à approfondir les consultations sur des sujets d’intérêt commun, mais aussi à donner un nouveau souffle à l’Union du Maghreb arabe (UMA). A l’issue de la première journée, deux protocoles d’accord ont été signés entre les deux Etats. Le premier concerne le tracé des frontières maritimes entre les deux pays, et le second a trait à la coopération dans le domaine des petites et moyennes entreprises. Avant son départ, le 13 février, M. Ben Ali a exprimé sa profonde satisfaction pour les résultats “positifs et encourageants” obtenus durant sa visite, et l’espoir que cette visite marquera un nouveau départ dans la coopération entre les deux pays et dans la consolidation de l’UMA. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 13 février 2002)

* Algérie. La Kabylie en grève — Le 12 février, la Kabylie a été quasiment paralysée par une grève générale à l’appel de la coordination des comités de villages et d’ârchs (tribus) entendant protester contre la “sortie” des gendarmes de leurs brigades. Les gendarmes ont été mis en quarantaine par la population de cette région qui les accuse d’avoir réprimé dans le sang les émeutes du printemps dernier. A travers ce mouvement social, les Kabyles veulent également dénoncer les barrages dressés sur les routes depuis quelques jours. D’autre part, les deux principales villes de Kabylie, Tizi-Ouzou et Béjaia, ont été le théâtre d’émeutes. Ce regain de contestation intervient au lendemain de l’invitation adressée par le président Bouteflika aux délégués des villages de Kabylie pour une rencontre, au cours de laquelle devraient être annonnées les mesures prises pour répondre aux revendications de la population de ces régions. L’aile radicale du mouvement de contestation entend, à travers cette énième démonstration de force, peser de tout son poids sur le dialogue. -Le 13 février, les affrontements entre manifestants et forces de l’ordre se sont poursuivis dans les communes de Sidi Aïch et Akbou, dans la wilaya de Béjaia. Les échauffourrées ont fait une vingtaine de blessés, selon la presse. Trois d’entre eux, un gendarme et deux manifestants, sont hospitalisés. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 14 février 2002)

* Angola. Police flush out diamonds — Angolan police have arrested a 38-year-old man who was found to have swallowed 1,304 diamonds in an botched smuggling operation. Police said the suspect, Almeida Campos, was detained on 10 February at Luanda airport after a tip-off. They were then faced with the unpalatable task of administering laxatives to retrieve the hoard, which was found to be wrapped in plastic. The value of the diamonds is as yet unknown, but trafficking carries a jail sentence of between eight and 12 years. The suspect was seized just after getting off a flight from the diamond-rich province of Lunda Norte, 600 km west of Luanda. Experts will examine the stones to confirm that they are diamonds and to determine their quality. Authorities said there was nothing to link the man to Unita rebels, who fund their campaign mainly with diamond sales. The United Nations has imposed a ban on the illicit trade. (BBC News, UK, 11 February 2002)

* Burundi. UN warns rebels — The UN Security Council has given Burundi rebels «a final warning» to respect the peace process. President Pierre Buyoya is the head of the transitional government inaugurated last November in order to implement a power-sharing agreement aimed at ending the eight-year civil war. However, two main Hutu groups, the Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) and the National Liberation Forces (FNL), have refused to take part in the peace process and are threatening its successful implementation. «Continued fighting against the legitimate transitional government set up pursuant to an inclusive peace agreement is totally unjustifiable and unacceptable,» the Security Council said. The UN gave no details of what action will be taken if the rebels ignore their demand. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 9 February 2002)

* Burundi. Appels et négociations — 8 février. Le Conseil de sécurité des Nations unies a réitéré son soutien au gouvernement de transition du Burundi et a fait savoir aux groupes rebelles qui s’obstinent, que la poursuite de la violence dans le pays était injustifiée et inacceptable. D’autre part, le gouvernement burundais a déposé sur le bureau de l’Assemblée nationale un projet de loi portant immunité provisoire en faveur des opposants politiques rentrés d’exil, a révélé le 8 janvier à Bujumbura le président du Parlement, Jean Minani. - 10 février. On apprenait de source officielle que les belligérants burundais entameront le 18 février à Pretoria (Afrique du Sud) un nouveau round de négociations sur le cessez-le-feu. - Le 11 février, les membres du comité de suivi de l’accord de paix se sont réunis pour leur 7ème session destinée à analyser quelques questions encore pendantes. - Le 12 février, le président Buyoya est attendu à Bruxelles pour une visite de travail. Il sera reçu par M. Romano Prodi, président de la Commission européenne, et M. Poul Nielson, commissaire européen chargé du développement et de l’aide humanitaire. - 13 février. Une délégation ministérielle conjointe du Royaume Uni, des Pays-Bas et de la Norvège a effectué une visite-éclair à Bujumbura, dans le cadre d’une tournée sous-régionale consacrée aux conflits qui minent la région des Grands Lacs. En même temps, on  apprenait qu’au moins 7 personnes ont été tuées et 6 autres blessées depuis le début de la semaine dans des attaques armées attribuées à la rébellion au centre et à l’est du pays, où prévalait une certaine accalmie ces derniers mois. (D’après PANA, Sénégal, 8-13 janvier 2002)

* Burundi. EU promises Burundi more assistance — The European Union has said it intends to offer Burundi more assistance in finding ways of maintaining peace and security. European Commission President Romano Prodi has assured Burundian President Pierre Buyoya, who is visiting Brussels, that the European Union will offer «more productive» help to the country’s peace process. «We intend to pursue cooperation and maintain our commitments,» Mr Prodi said after meeting Mr Buyoya. EU assistance to Burundi totalled $138 million last year. The Burundian president, who was «very satisfied» with the outcome of their meeting, explained that although the transitional government, which he leads, is in place, they are still unable to halt the continuing ethnic violence. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 14 February 2002)

* Cameroun. Champion du football africain — Le Cameroun a remporté pour la quatrième fois la Coupe d’Afrique des Nations (CAN). Le dimanche 10 février, la finale de la coupe, jouée au stade du 26-Mars à Bamako, opposait l’équipe du Cameroun “Les Lions indomptables” à celle du Sénégal. Le Cameroun l’a emporté par des tirs au but (3 à 2) à la fin d’une partie qui s’était terminée sur un 0-0. Avec quatre titres continentaux, le Cameroun égale le record détenu par le Ghana et l’Egypte, et devient la première équipe africaine à remporter la CAN deux fois de suite. Le Cameroun disputera en Corée du Sud et au Japon sa quatrième Coupe du monde consécutive. (D’après Libération, France, 11 février 2002)

* Centr.Afr.Rep. Libya’s presence in Bangui — Libyan forces in the Central African Republic (CAR)’s capital, Bangui, are facing growing opposition from local residents. Central Africans are asking themselves: what have the Libyans done for us? They say that they want the foreign soldiers to leave Bangui because the Libyans do not serve their interests. The troops were first deployed in Bangui to defend the country’s president Mr Ange Felix Patasse, following a failed coup attempt last May by disgruntled CAR soldiers. Western diplomats say that about 300 soldiers and military advisors stayed on to guard the presidential residence and occasionally the radio and television stations and airport. Mr Patasse sought assistance from the Libyans again in November last year when the dismissed army chief, General Francois Bozize, captured the north of Bangui. Libyan tanks bombed General Bozize positions and restored peace in the country. However, while some the capital’s inhabitants admit that the Libyan presence prevented an outbreak of civil war in the country, many now would like to see the back of the foreign troops.  «We resent the influence Gaddafi is having on our president and on our country,» says head of the largest coalition of opposition parties, Paul Bellet. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 12 February 2002)