* Africa. Coffee growers in crisis — Millions of small coffee growers worldwide are in a crisis due to a rapid decrease of prices offered for the commodity on the world market, says Oxfam International in a report released on 12 September. The crisis threatens the livelihoods of the farmers and their stay on the land. Unable to cover costs of production, small farmers fail to earn enough income to feed their families, send children to school and purchase essential medicines, Oxfam International adds. The price of coffee has plummeted 70 percent on the world market since 1997, resulting in a widespread humanitarian crisis for 25 million coffee growers in over 50 developing countries. (...) Ethiopia’s export revenues from coffee have slumped from $257 million to $149 million in just one year. That loss, Oxfam International observes in its statement, «is nearly double the country’s 2002 projected savings from debt relief.» Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi will, on 23 September, open a one-day conference at the UN Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, for discussion about the state of the coffee industry. (Editor’s note: The charity Oxfam is launching a «Coffee Rescue Plan» urging political and business leaders to take immediate action, such as destroying surplus stocks and guaranteeing a fair price to farmers.) (PANA, Senegal, 12 September 2002)

* Africa. African nations ratify anti-terrorism pact — On 12 September, a group of African nations pledged cooperation in rooting out terrorism and vowed to refuse safe havens, visas and other forms of assistance to terrorists. At a four-day conference of the African Union, Sudan, Ghana and South Africa ratified an anti-terrorism pact, giving the final signatures needed to push through a convention adopted in 1999, said Algerian Minister for African Affairs Abdelkader Messahel. Until now, only 12 of the 53 members of the African Union had ratified the document that calls on signatories to beef-up anti-terrorism laws and to «prevent their territories from being used as a base for the planning of terrorist acts.» It needed ratification by 15 members to take effect. Among the members that had already ratified it were: Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Eritrea, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Mali, Rwanda, Senegal, Tunisia and Western Sahara. Officials said Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda were the next nations expected to ratify the pact, called the Convention on the Prevention and Combatting of Terrorism. The document also calls for better exchange of information and cooperation among signatories of police and other authorities in the pursuit of terror suspects. The conference was held in Algiers, and Algeria’s President Bouteflika vowed he was committed to continuing the international fight against terrorism. He proposed opening in Algeria a centre for study and research for the fight against terrorism. (CNN, USA, 12 September 2002)

* Afrique. Assemblée générale de l’Onu — A la deuxième journée de l’Assemblée générale de l’Onu, les dirigeants africains se sont engagés à piloter les progrès du continent. La constitution de l’Union africaine et l’adoption du Nouveau partenariat pour le développement de l’Afrique (Nepad) illustrent la détermination du continent de sortir de la pauvreté, mais l’aide internationale reste nécessaire pour assurer le succès de ces intiatives, ont souligné en substance plusieurs dirigeants africains. Le président Kufuor du Ghana a affirmé que les investisseurs étrangers devraient être attirés par les conditions économiques favorables en Afrique. Le président de Madagascar, M. Ravalomanana, a remercié l’Onu d’avoir aidé au règlement de la crise dans son pays. Madagascar est disposé à redoubler d’efforts pour reprendre la voie du développement, a-t-il lancé. Le président Buyoya du Burundi a affirmé que le climat politique s’était considérablement amélioré dans son pays, mais d’autres défis doivent être surmontés, notamment la violence. Le président du Congo-Brazzaville a souligné l’établissement de nouvelles institutions démocratiques, et déclaré qu’avec cinq de ses voisins le Congo avait lancé une campagne destinée à la préservation des ressources naturelles du bassin du fleuve Congo, une intiative qui devrait inciter d’autres efforts au niveau régional. (Centre de nouvelles de l’Onu, 13 septembre 2002)

* Africa. Action against the Media — Congo RDC: On 11 September, the International Freedom of Expression Community (IFEX) expressed concern that publisher Delly Bonsange and publication director Raymond Kabala of the Kinshasa-based newspaper Alerte-Plus, had received prison sentences and fined. The two journalists were convicted of making «written falsehoods» and «harmful accusations» after publishing information about the Security and Public Order Minister’s health. Côte d’Ivoire: Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) expresses concern (13 September) over a raid on 9 September by ten policemen at Mayama Editions, publishers of two daily newspapers, Le Patriote and Tassouman. Eritrea: On 17 September, RSF called on the international community to take sanctions against the rulers of Eritrea to force them to lift their year-old ban on all privately-owned media and to free 18 journalists. Sierra Leone: On 13 September, RSF expressed concern about a worsening of press freedom in Sierra Leone. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 17 September 2002)

* Africa. African Union — The newly-formed African Union (AU) has set out its first ever policy to tackle corruption which, it says, is costing the continent at least US $148 billion a year. A high-level meeting is being held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa this week to adopt a comprehensive draft policy that has been a year in the making. Ministers from the AU are expected to adopt a series of tough  proposals which aim to tackle the graft that has blighted the continent. It is the first time that countries in Africa have drawn up a universal policy, to be called the AU Convention on Combating Corruption —designed to tackle its insidious effects. It calls on all public officials to declare their assets when they take office and train them on ethics. The bill also urges the private sector to fight and highlight unfair competition. (IRIN, Kenya, 17 September 2002)

* Africa. People in need — Southern Africa: The UN says (16 September) that the food crisis in southern Africa is worsening, and that almost 14.5 million people in the region are in urgent need of food aid. A senior UN official says the intensity of the crisis is increasing faster than expected and says the situation has deteriorated most in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Burundi: The Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC) of the Arusha peace accord has urged donors and the international community to alleviate «the unbearable suffering» of the Burundian people by releasing funds to the country. In a statement, the IMC congratulated the World Bank for its decision to immediately grant an economic rehabilitation loan amounting to US $54 million. It added that Burundi’s «dire economic and social situation» was — after the ceasefire negotiations — the IMC‘s main area of concern. The IMC recommended the immediate release of political prisoners and those being held without proper legal procedures, in accordance with the spirit of the Arusha agreement. Central African Republic: The World Food Programme (WFP) is to provide three months’ worth of food to 9,166 households of internally displaced persons (IDP)s in Bangui. Up to 55,000 people will receive maize meal, pulses, vegetable oil, iodized salt and corn soya blend in an operation scheduled to start by the end of this month. The food will be shared among the IDPs as well as some Congolese refugees and their host communities. Ethiopia: It is estimated that almost half the cattle in Afar have been wiped out during the severe drought that has hit the region. (UN report on 16 September). Somalia: A camp for internally displaced people in the self-declared autonomous region of Freq was razed to the ground when a fire broke out there earlier this month. The fire swept through the Boqolka Bush camp — on the outskirts of Bosaso — on 3 September, destroying the personal belongings and household items of about 400 families living there. The cause of the fire has not yet been established and no casualties were reported. Uganda: The rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) on 9 September attacked another refugee camp in northern Uganda — the third such attack in just over two months - looting and displacing more than 6,000 Sudanese refugees. The attack on the camp at Maaji in Adjumani District, followed an earlier raid on the same camp in July. On 5 August, the LRA attacked the Acholi-Pii camp in neighbouring Pader District, putting all its 24,000 resident Sudanese refugees to flight. The Ugandan authorities and UNHCR this week said they were finalising plans to resettle the Acholi-Pii refugees at safer sites in western and northern Uganda. Zambia: On 16 September, the UN warned that its emergency relief operation in Zambia will come to a halt in two weeks unless the government can overcome its objections to GM food. Zimbabwe: On 12 September, UNICEF said that malnutrition rates are increasing at an alarming rate. «All the assessments show that it is actually getting worse. As we move away from the harvest season towards the new planting season, things have got worse». (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 17 September 2002)

* Africa. Human rights — United Nations: MISNA reports that on 12 September, Sergio Vieira de Mello (Brazil), former head of the UN Transition Administration in East Timor, inaugurated his mandate as the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. He replaces Mary Robinson in this post. He announced that his first objective will be to transform the human rights theme into a source of unity, not division. 54-year-old De Mello, has wide experience in crisis zones such as Bosnia, The Great Lakes (Central Africa). Mozambique, Bangladesh and Peru. Eritrea: On 18 September, the Eritrean Government was severely criticised by Amnesty International for unlawfully detaining dozens of political prisoners and journalists. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 18 September 2002)

*  Africa. NEPAD — 16 September: The UN General Assembly is debating Africa’s new plan for economic development in a special, all-day session. The world leaders are discussing Africa’s recovery plan (NEPAD). which targets increased foreign investment and better economic growth. Ten African heads of state are amongst the representatives of 80 nations thrashing out the key issues surrounding the effective implementation of NEPAD. Kofi Annan urges Africa to make combating AIDS and promoting girls’ education the priorities of its new plan for development. The same day, Human Rights Watch says that General Assembly member states should emphasize political reform and respect for human rights over traditional economic development issues. 18 September: The World Health Organisation pledges to intensify its efforts to ensure NEPAD‘s success. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 18 September 2002)

* Afrique. Le désert perd du terrain — Une équipe de géographes européens a constaté, en rassemblant quinze ans de photos-satellites du Sahel, un net verdissement de la zone, signe que les terres cultivables regagnent progressivement du terrain sur le désert. Ce phénomène, à l’oeuvre depuis le milieu des années 1980 mais remarqué seulement aujourd’hui, concerne le sud de la Mauritanie, le nord-ouest du Niger, le centre du Tchad, une grande partie du Soudan et une partie de l’Erythrée. Le recul le plus net concerne le nord du Burkina Faso, qui voit en conséquence le retour de familles entières d’agriculteurs dans la région, selon la revue New Scientist. (La Croix, France, 19 septembre 2002)

* Africa/USA. Bush meets with 11 African leaders — 13 September: Against a backdrop of promised peace in Africa and possible war in the Persian Gulf, President Bush is meeting with 11 African leaders in the thick of that continent’s oil production. Bush was to meet privately with the leaders of West and Central African nations before returning to Washington from the UN General Assembly. A senior administration official who briefed reporters on Bush’s agenda for today’s talks said he wanted to try to shore up the fragile peace agreement between Rwanda and Congo, and more broadly encourage «responsible African leadership to pursue the political and economic and social well being of their people.» Bush is also laying the groundwork for his first trip to Africa, which is planned for early in the new year. Divided among three separate sessions, the leaders of these countries were meeting with the president: Republic of Congo, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, South Africa, and Sao Tome and Principe. The countries on Bush’s guest list for Friday are either already steady oil producers or in the heart of West Africa’s oil exploration boom, which now provides the United States with 15 percent of its oil. Their leaders’ audiences with Bush come as the Bush administration seeks secure oil ahead of a threatened conflict with Iraq, a major exporter. (Washington Post, USA, 13 September 2002)

* West Africa. Peace caravan planned in Mano River Union — Security ministers from the Mano River Union countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone on 11 September renewed efforts to build peace in the sub-region by making operational decisions taken at a sub-regional meeting in Morocco in April, according to officials. They agreed, among other things, that a peace caravan comprising about 20 high-level officials from each of the three countries should tour their common borders, «from Guinea to Sierra Leone to Liberia, and from Liberia to Sierra Leone to Guinea» — in December. The ministers held a two-day meeting together with other top-level government officials in Freetown. The meeting, which ended on 11 September, was a follow-up of the Morocco initiative that was convened by King Mohammed VI in Rabat to help mend relations between their countries. The 11 September meeting was attended by ministers and officials of the Mano River Union. It was called by Sierra Leone, which was mandated in Morocco to organise it. (IRIN, Kenya, 12 September 2002)

* Afrique de l’Ouest. Sécheresse au Sahel occidental — Les pluies inadéquates et imprévisibles assombrissent les perspectives agricoles dans plusieurs parties de la région du Sahel, en Afrique de l’Ouest. Plusieurs pays seront confrontés à de sérieux problèmes en matière de sécurité alimentaire dans les prochains mois. Dans le Sahel occidental, le CILSS (Comité inter-Etats de lutte contre la sécheresse au Sahel) relève que “les pays vivent dans la crainte d’une crise alimentaire”. La Mauritanie est en butte à un déficit en céréales de 205.000 tonnes. Le Cap-Vert a fait savoir qu’au moins 30.000 de ses habitants sont déjà confrontés à des graves pénuries alimentaires. En Gambie, la récolte de riz a été sévèrement affectée, tandis que 60% de la récolte de millet et 40% de celle du maïs risquent d’être perdus cette année. Au Sénégal, le gouvernement a récemment minimisé les informations faisant état de pénuries alimentaires imminentes, mais les inquiétudes demeurent. En Guinée-Bissau, la situation est préoccupante dans diverses régions. Toutefois, la situation agricole au Burkina Faso, au Tchad, au Mali et au Niger est globalement meilleure cette année: l’apport accumulé des céréales dans ces pays pourrait être de 24% supérieur à la moyenne des cinq années précédentes. (D’après IRIN, Abidjan, 16 septembre 2002)

* Southern Africa. Merck seeks wider coalition on AIDS — Merck, the US pharmaceutical company, this week called for the strengthening of a private sector coalition to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic ravaging southern Africa. Merck is working with the authorities in Botswana and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support the health service there. But now Ray Gilmartin, the company’s chief executive, has called for a «larger coalition» of United Nations agencies, pharmaceutical companies, large employers and governments to confront the crisis in the region. Southern Africa has the highest HIV/AIDS infection rates in the world, with more than 20 per cent of its economically active population HIV positive. The illness, whose death toll is expected to peak within the next 10 years, will retard economic growth and deepen poverty in a region where human development indicators in many countries are in reverse. Governments in the region complain that they cannot afford costly treatments to prolong the lives of sufferers and do not have the infrastructure to support their use. The South African government fought a court case last year against the pharmaceutical industry to secure greater access to cheaper generic drugs, but it has resisted making anti-retroviral drugs widely available through its health service. The private sector is beginning to fill the gap. Large companies, such as Anglo-American and De Beers mining groups and Old Mutual financial services group, are negotiating with international drug companies over the  provision of anti-retroviral drugs to their workforces. (Financial Times, UK, 13 September 2002)

* Algérie. Week-end sanglant — Le jeudi soir 12 septembre, onze personnes ont été assassinées par un groupe armé sur une route près de Sidi Lakhdar (120 km à l’ouest d’Alger), selon une source officielle. Cette tuerie, attribuée au Groupe islamique armé (GIA), porte à près de 50 le nombre des morts depuis début septembre. - Au total, durant le week-end algérien du jeudi et vendredi, 32 personnes ont été tuées dans des violences impliquant des groupes armés. Cette soudaine flambée de violence survient alors que s’achève le samedi à Alger une rencontre africaine sur “la prévention et la lutte contre le terrorisme”. Avec cette recrudescence, le GIA et le Groupe salafiste GSPC, hostiles à la politique dite de “concorde civile” du président Bouteflika, semblent vouloir peser sur le déroulement des élections locales prévues le 10 octobre prochain. - Le dimanche 15 septembre, trois militaires ont encore été tués et 22 blessés dans une embuscade tendue par un groupe armé islamiste dans la région de Skikda (510 km à l’est d’Alger). -Le 17 septembre, un militaire a été tué et deux autres blessés dans l’explosion d’une bombe en Kabylie. Et au centre d’Alger, la police a tué trois islamistes armés qui seraient venus poser une bombe. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 18 septembre 2002)

* Angola. World Banks pledges $120 million — 12 September: The World Bank pledges $120 million to help Angola rebuild after more than two decades of civil war, but tells the authorities they must take measures to dispel suspicion of high-level corruption. Meanwhile, the United Nations’ top adviser on the country, Ibrahim Gambari, leaves New York, today, for Angola to become the chairman of the recently reestablished Joint Commission for the Angolan peace process. «The peace process has reached a very critical stage,» Gambari says. «But, the humanitarian situation is still very critical, and the country will need $ 171 million in foreign aid before the end of the year. The United Nations is trying to organize a donors’ conference before the end of the year, Gambari adds. Angola has earned hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years from offshore exploration by foreign oil companies but has asked the international community for aid to help ease the plight of 4 million people driven from their homes by the war. «International organizations can only start helping Angola when the Angolan government realizes that it has to help itself,» Callisto Madavo, the World Bank’s vice president for Africa, says. He says recent allegations that about $ 1 billion has disappeared from state coffers, demonstrates the need for the Angolan government to improve its image. At the same time, the World Bank emphasises the need for financial transparency. (CNN, USA, 12 September 2002)

* Angola. Landmine casualties — Angola suffered the most landmine casualties in Southern Africa last year, with 660 people — most of them civilians — killed or injured, according to a new report by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). The ICBL‘s «Landmine Report for 2002», said although the number of casualties in Angola dropped by 21 percent over the 840 cases reported in 2000, it illustrated the challenges facing the country as it attempts to rebuild after almost three decades of civil war. Angola is not a known producer or exporter of landmines, but 76 different types of anti-personnel mines manufactured in 22 countries have been found or reported. Angola, however, has become the latest country to ratify the Ottawa Convention to ban landmines. (IRIN, Kenya, 16 September 2002)

* Burkina Faso. Développement rural — Le 16 septembre, la République de Chine a conclu avec le Burkina des conventions de financement d’un montant total de 38 milliards de FCFA (quelque 58 millions d’euros), couvrant une durée de cinq ans. Les 16 conventions, sous forme de subventions non remboursables, sont destinées au développement rural et à l’appui aux activités rémunératrices des femmes. Environ 20 milliards de FCFA sont destinés à des projets de riz, de constructions de barrages et de produits de pêche. D’autre part, une subvention de l’Agence française de développement (AFD), d’un montant de 5,378 milliards de FCFA, est destinée à un programme d’infrastructures hydrauliques d’alimentation en eau potable en milieu rural et semi-urbain. (D’après PANA, Sénégal, 16 septembre 2002)

* Burkina Faso. West African bank raid suspect arrested — 17 September: Police have arrested the chief suspect in a $3m robbery at the West African central bank. Prosper Sia Popo, a security official at the bank at the time of the robbery, was arrested in Ouagadougou on 16 September. Mr Popo has confessed to helping organise the raid but says he was the only bank employee involved. Mr Popo had been on the run since the robbery in Côte d’Ivoire on 27 August. He has refused to reveal the whereabouts of the stolen money. Police had concluded the robbers must have had help from within the bank because of the speed of the theft. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 17 September 2002)

* Burundi. 3 nouveaux partis politiques — Le 12 septembre, le ministère de l’Intérieur a agréé trois partis politiques nouvellement créés, portant à 18 le nombre des formations politiques officiellement reconnues dans le pays. Il s’agit de l’Alliance libérale pour le développement (ALD) du parlementaire Joseph Ntidendereza, de l’Union pour la paix et le développement (UPD) de l’homme d’affaires Gedi Ferrouz, et de la Nouvelle alliance pour la démocratie et le développement (NADD) du professeur Jean-Paul Burafuta. Dans leurs déclarations, les nouveaux venus se sont engagés résolument àoeuvrer au retour à la paix, à la sécurité et à la concorde des Burundais. Ils ont par ailleurs fait état de leur opposition à l’accord de paix interburundais d’août 2000 à Arusha, qui aurait consacré à leurs yeux l’ethnicisation à outrance de la société burundaise. Six autres nouveaux partis sont dans l’attente d’un agrément administratif. Dans l’opinion nationale, on estime que les partis poussent ces derniers temps comme des champignons par simple calcul matérialiste. “Il faut avoir un parti pour entrer dans les institutions”, affirme-t-on. (PANA, Sénégal, 12 septembre 2002)

* Burundi. Talk of peace but violence continues — 12 September: Four rebel movements of Burundi want to take part in ceasefire negotiations with the transitional government of President Pierre Buyoya. The talks are being facilitated by South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma, and will resume in Dar es Salaam. So far only the transitional government, the rebel PALIPEHUTU-FNL and two CNDD-FDD factions led by Peter Nkurunziza and Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye have been engaged in the talks. But, according to demands of other rebel movements outside the talks, Burundi would have no peace unless a ceasefire deal expected out of the ongoing negotiations was all-inclusive. «We are stepping up pressure from inside Burundi and Tanzania,» Leonce Ndarubagiye, a spokesperson of the CNDD faction led by Leonard Nyangoma said today. Brandishing a copy of a statement signed by three other groups, he said the talks facilitated by Zuma were making a mockery of the 2000 Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Accord, which brought Burundi’s transitional government to power. CNDD of Nyangoma, FROLINA of Joseph Karumba, PALIPEHUTU of Etienne Karatasi and Cossan Kabura’s PALIPEHUTU-FNL signed the statement. 16 September: The peace talks will resume on 19 September. Zuma’s office has stressed that the general ceasefire agreement being sought is a «key part» for the implementation of the Arusha Agreement. South Africa’s Vice-President Zuma will leave for Dar es Salaam on 18 September for the resumed talks. 17 September: A senior Burundian parliamentarian has called for an official investigation into the reported killing of 183 people, mostly civilians, last week by uniformed men. The chairman of the parliament’s human rights committee, Leonidas Nibayazi, says the men ordered people out of their houses in the province of Gitega and «then told them to lie down and shot them in cold blood». He did not, however, identify those responsible. Military uniforms are normally worn by armed Hutu rebels as well as government troops in Burundi. (ANB-BIA, Belgium, 17 September 2002)

* Burundi. Massacre - Pourparlers — Le 9 septembre, 183 personnes, en majorité des civils, ont été exécutées dans le centre du Burundi par des hommes non identifiés, revêtus d’uniformes militaires. Ce  massacre a été révélé le 17 septembre par les autorités de Bujumbura. La tuerie a eu lieu à 130 km à l’est de la capitale, sur la commune d’Itaba. Sur les 183 personnes massacrées, 112 ont été formellement identifiées comme étant des civils. Le chiffre de 183 morts a été donné par M. Ntibayazi, président de la Commission des droits de l’homme du Parlement burundais; mais selon Mgr Ntamwana, archevêque de Gitega (proche d’Itaba), les violences auraient fait des centaines de morts, peut-être un millier. Selon le gouverneur de la province de Gitega, la population attribue ce massacre à l’armée, mais celle-ci le dément formellement. Le gouvernement a ouvert une enquête. Cependant, le gouvernement «doit s’expliquer sur son silence, estime M. Ntibayazi. Nous ne comprenons pas comment un tel massacre peut se passer sans que le gouvernement réagisse, alors que l’administration est au courant depuis une semaine». Jeudi 19, l’armée burundaise a reconnu avoir tué le 9 septembre à Gitega 173 personnes, dont une majorité de civils, qui étaient, selon elle, “complices” ou “otages” de la rébellion. – L’annonce du massacre intervient juste avant la reprise, en Tanzanie, d’un nouveau cycle de pourparlers de paix entre le gouvernement et le principal mouvement rebelle hutu, les Forces pour la défense de la démocratie (FDD) de Pierre Nkurunziza. Prévue pour débuter le mercredi 18 septembre, la reprise de ces négociations a été repoussée à jeudi. Par la suite, le gouvernement devrait reprendre ses négociations avec des émissaires de l’autre mouvement rebelle, le Front national de libération (FNL). (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 19 septembre 2002)