ANB-BIA - Av. Charles Woeste 184 - 1090 Bruxelles - Belg TEL **.32.2/420 34 36 fax /420 05 49 E-Mail: anb- bia@village.uunet.be _____________________________________________________________ WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 24-02-2000 PART #1/2 (Africa -> Kenya) ====> (From Lesotho to Zimbabwe see 24b_02_2k) * Afrique. Concessions minimales a la Cnuced - La 10e Conference des Nations unies sur le commerce et le developpement (Cnuced) a Bangkok s'est conclue sur un appel pour une mondialisation a visage humain, mais malgre leurs declarations d'intention, les pays du Nord ont peu cede aux demandes du Sud. Durant toute la semaine, les pays en developpement ont exprime leurs inquietudes quant aux effets nefastes que la globalisation peut avoir sur leurs economies fragiles. Les pays industrialises ont voulu se montrer rassurants, rivalisant d'imagination pour faire miroiter les avantages de la mondialisation. Toutefois, le directeur du Bureau international du travail (BIT) a denonce les consequences insupportables de la liberalisation sur les plus faibles, et celui du FMI a fustige la communaute internationale qui donne d'un cote mais reprend de l'autre. Selon lui, la reduction de la dette des pays pauvres n'aura aucun effet positif si, dans le meme temps, les produits des pays en developpement ne peuvent etre vendus plus facilement dans les pays du Nord. Ce n'est qu'aux dernieres heures de la conference, le 18 fevrier, que les delegations se sont mises d'accord. Malgre leurs belles declarations d'intention, les pays du Nord se sont engages seulement du bout des levres a ouvrir leurs marches aux produits des pays les moins avances. (D'apres La Croix, France, 21 fevrier 2000) * Africa. Action against the Media - Angola: On 22 February, the Media Institute of Southern Africa reported that journalist Rafael Matques has been barred from travelling to Washington to attend a conference. Congo RDC: Gerard-Desire Angengwa Agbeme, managing editor of the Kinshasa weekly La Voix de la Verite, appeared before the Kinshasa/Pont Kasa-Vubu court on 22 February, charged with "defamation and making damaging statements, public insults and threats". Kenya: Johann Wandeto, a journalist working for the People newspaper was, on 15 February, sentenced to 18 months in jail without the option of a fine for publishing what the court described as an alarmist report. The hearing of the case against two senior journalists, Vitalis Musebe and Mukao Kwayera, former managing editor and news editor respectively of the People, which was due to start on 18 February, has been deferred to 20 March. Sierra Leone: In a letter sent to the Justice Minister on 18 February, Reporters sans Frontieres protested against the detention of two journalists, Ayodele Lukobi Johnson and Ayodele Walters, both of the Rolyc Newspaper. They both have been charged with sedition. Swaziland: The daily, The Swaziland Observer, has been shut down (18 February) by the Govt. over a string of critical reports by the newspaper. Zambia: On 17 February, the minister of information and broadcasting services, Newstead Zimba, alleged that the independent media in Zambia, exercises "abuse of press freedom and other fundamental freedoms". Zimbabwe: The police have arrested (23 February) two journalists, Andy Moyse and Chengetai Zvauya of the Standard newspaper, and the paper's managing director, Clive Wilson, on charges of defaming the government-appointed commission which drafted proposals for a new Constitution. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 February 2000) * Afrique/Etats-Unis. Renforcer le partenariat - Le 17 fevrier, a l'ouverture d'un sommet sur l'Afrique a Washington, le president Clinton a defendu sa politique africaine et appele a un renforcement du partenariat americano-africain. "Nous pouvons rester indifferents, ou nous pouvons faire la difference", a dit M. Clinton, alors que la secretaire d'Etat Mme Albright rencherissait: "Les Etats-Unis peuvent jouer un role vital en Afrique. Il y va aussi de leur interet national". M. Clinton a appele le Congres a adopter, fin mars, le projet de loi visant a creer une zone de libre-echange entre les Etats-Unis et l'Afrique. Il a insiste aussi pour que le Congres accorde un financement a l'operation de l'Onu au Congo-Kinshasa. - Le 20 fevrier, un projet a ete vote par les participants recommandant la mise en place d'un programme de reconstruction comparable au plan Marshall pour l'Afrique. Il pourrait aussi donner une nouvelle orientation a la politique des Etats-Unis a l'egard de ce continent. Les propositions du Sommet national sur l'Afrique, qui espere jouer un role de puissant lobby pour les questions africaines, comprennent 250 recommandations. "Le temps est venu pour l'elaboration d'une politique nouvelle a l'egard de l'Afrique", explique le plan, approuve a l'issue de ce sommet de cinq jours. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 21 fevrier 2000) * Africa/USA. The National Summit On Africa - 16 February: Thousands of activists, business people and others, have gathered in Washington for a conference, The National Summit On Africa, aimed at altering the old political equation that not only has often left Africa without critical US support, but has left US politicians who push African issues, without much support at home. Also, President Bill Clinton calls on Congress to pass a long- delayed African trade bill by next month and promises US support for debt relief, disease prevention and conflict resolution across the troubled continent. The meeting is envisaged by organisers as a major building block in developing an active and lasting constituency for Africa. Addressing The National Summit on Africa, Mr Clinton says it is important to implement the trade legislation as soon as possible, as part of a programme of economic and political revival for the continent. "I urge the Congress to resolve their differences and send me a bill for signature by next month," Mr Clinton says. "This is a job that needs to be done". 20 February: A proposed new plan for US-African relations is to begin landing on policy-makers desks this week, following its passing by The National Summit on Africa. The plan calls for a Marshall Plan- style reconstruction programme among some 250 recommendations aimed at uplifting the impoverished continent. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 22 February 2000) * Africa/France. Football "slave trade" - Unscrupulous agents are bringing young African footballers to Europe and dumping them if they fail to make the grade, prompting a French official to dub the practice "the new slave trade". France is in the vanguard of trying to outlaw soccer clubs paying for players under the age of 18 in an effort to halt the trade in young African hopefuls. At the Paris St Germain training ground just outside Paris, there are many young African players going through their paces. They all have agents and are well looked after by the club and put up in a smart hostel. There is a disciplined regime of football in the mornings and schooling in the afternoon. The question is, how to protect youngsters who don't know what they are letting themselves in for. Michele Benguigui is one of France's top agents. He says the law needs to be tightened with stricter licensing of who can be a soccer agent. Until then, he says, children will be easy prey. The French Government is determined to stamp out this modern-day "slave trade". A new law will prevent cash transfers for children under the age of 18, with restrictions on the activities of both agents and clubs in their ability to put young adolescents under contract. (Jon Sopel, BBC News, 14 February 2000) * Southern Africa. Floods continue - 17 February: Mozambique faces a new onslaught of floodwaters as rain which fell in South Africa's highlands rushes towards the coast. The government in Maputo says more than 200,000 people have already been affected by the floods. Although the heaviest rains are over, rain is still falling in southern Mozambique, and the greatest threat comes from swollen rivers that are carrying more water into the country. Reports say the normally sluggish Limpopo River is 5km wide in places. Flooding is causing toxic waste to seep out of a depot in Matola, where hundreds of tons of obsolete pesticides are stored. The depot was not designed for safe storage of toxic waste. Assessments of the flood crisis in Botswana carried out this week, show that over 30,000 people are now requiring emergency assistance. 18 February: According to UN officials, the lives of 150,000 people are in immediate danger because of continuing torrential rain and flooding in Mozambique. They say the families - - living in the Limpopo Valley north of Maputo -- have no food and little clean water, and outbreaks of dysentery are rife. The OAU makes an urgent appeal for international assistance to alleviate the suffering of the flood victims in Mozambique. 21 February: Residents in southern Mozambique are put on maximum alert as tropical cyclone Eline sweeps the country. The central provinces of Inhambe, Zambezia and Sofala are expecting the full force of the storm. The National Institute of Meteorology says the cyclone, moving at 24 km/h could bring further torrential rains and winds of up to 129 km/h. 22 February: Cyclone Eline batters Mozambique's coast. It is now reported to be easing and heading towards the border with Zimbabwe. Botswana is also bracing itself for Cyclone Eline. 24 February: Strong winds and rain from another tropical storm have now begun battering the northern part of Mozambique. President Chissano has made an urgent appeal for international help. He says the country is facing a tragedy and urgently needs dinghies to help ferry people still stranded by the floods. Mozambique needs immediate help to restore vital parts of its damaged infrastructure. The cyclone has also caused destruction in eastern and southern parts of Zimbabwe. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 February 2000) * Algerie. Vers une vague de privatisations - Le gouvernement algerien s'apprete a lancer une vague de privatisations. Une agence de privatisation, rattachee directement aux services du Premier ministre, doit remplacer prochainement a cet effet l'actuel Conseil de privatisation qui a montre ses limites, a annonce le quotidien Le Soir le 19 fevrier. Les experts charges d'elaborer les statuts et les grands axes de travail de la nouvelle agence doivent rendre compte de leurs travaux au Premier ministre au plus tard a la fin fevrier. Le ministre de la coordination des reformes a precise que 903 entreprises publiques seront privatisees: 519 entreprises publiques economiques et 384 entreprises publiques locales. (AP, 19 fevrier 2000) * Angola. Chefs des "Tigres" detenus - Deux chefs des "Tigres" katangais demeurant en Angola, qui avaient ete "enleves" dans la nuit du 17 au 18 fevrier a Luanda, sont detenus par la justice militaire angolaise, affirment leurs proches. Il s'agit du general Kafunda, chef d'etat-major special du 24e regiment Tigre, et du lieutenant general "Tonton" Ibrahim, chef de la justice militaire du 24e regiment. Ce regiment regroupe des ex-gendarmes katangais de Moise Tshombe et leurs descendants qui n'ont pas voulu se rallier a Laurent Kabila. L'Angola est allie au president Kabila. Les deux hommes ne se sont pas vu communiquer les raisons de leur arrestation. (La Libre Belgique, 22 fevrier 2000) * Burundi. Evidence of new massacres - 18 February: Evidence has emerged of a new wave of killings of Hutu civilians by the Burundi army in the south-east. When armed Hutu rebels attacked the village of Gisuru at the end of last month, a devastating pattern of events unfolded in the hills of Burundi's south-eastern province of Ruyigi. The rebels raided the dispensary, stole money from three Catholic nuns and made off with livestock from local farmers. Arriving when the rebels had gone, the Burundian army, which is largely composed of Tutsi soldiers, went on the rampage. 37 Hutu civilians, including babies, children and women, were killed in an army massacre at Bugama, confirmed by eyewitnesses. the names of the victims were recorded by leading members of the community. (BBC News, 18 February 2000) * Burundi. Les camps de regroupement - La directrice generale de l'Unicef, Carol Bellamy, en visite de deux jours au Burundi, a enjoint au gouvernement burundais de progresser dans le demantelement des camps de regroupement. "Elle a felicite le gouvernement de sa decision de demanteler les camps, mais nous esperons que le rythme va s'accelerer", a fait savoir une representante de l'Unicef, le 21 fevrier. Le gouvernement a garanti a Mme Bellamy qu'il entendait poursuivre le demantelement des sites, base sur un "plan de suppression progressive", mais jusqu'a present, seul un des quelque 53 sites implantes a Bujumbura rural a ete ferme. (IRIN, Nairobi, 22 fevrier 2000) * Burundi. Arusha Talks - 20 February: Nelson Mandela arrives in Arusha, Tanzania, to chair a new round of peace talks aimed at ending Burundi's civil war. The participation of the radical wings of the two Hutu groups, the Forces for the Defence of Democracy (FDD) and the National Liberation Forces (FNL) is still unconfirmed. "If we want to bring peace in Burundi, these rebel groups have to be included", he says. 21 February: Start of the talks with a summit of seven African heads of state, including Mandela's successor in South Africa, Tabko Mbeki, and two European ministers -- France's deputy minister for International Co- operation and Britain's minister for African affairs. A plenary session of 18 Burundian delegations is due on 22 February. The leaders of the main Hutu rebel group have not turned up. Nelson Mandela says he believes unrest will continue in Burundi unless the Tutsi minority relinquishes its monopoly of power. The President of Tanzania whose country has been flooded with tens of thousands of Burundian refugees, says that Burundi's leaders must know that political goodwill is not bottomless. 22 February: Speaking via satellite link to leaders from 7 countries meeting in Arusha, US President Bill Clinton urges them to seek reconciliation in order to achieve peace in Burundi. Earlier, Nelson Mandela said he would ask Washington to give financial backing to the Burundi peace initiative. President Clinton responded that the USA would help to "create the economic conditions" necessary to sustain peace, but did not say what form the help would take. Nelson Mandela says he is preparing a peace draft plan. 23 February: Mark Bomani, a representative for Nelson Mandela, says there should be a procedural limit to the parties entering the talks. Otherwise continued late entries may delay the conclusion of the talks. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 February 2000) * Burundi. Reprise des pourparlers d'Arusha - Les pourparlers de paix inter-burundais presides par l'ancien chef d'Etat sud-africain Nelson Mandela ont repris le lundi 21 fevrier a Arusha (Tanzanie), en presence de six chefs d'Etat africains (ougandais, tanzanien, kenyan, sud-africain, mozambicain et burundais), trois ministres europeens (belge, britannique et francais) et un envoye americain, ainsi que du secretaire general de l'OUA. Le president americain Bill Clinton adressera un message aux participants en video- conference. "Il faut que, oubliant leurs querelles, tous les pays impliques parlent d'une seule voix a propos du Burundi", a declare M. Mandela avant l'ouverture du sommet. Sur le plan interieur, il a choisi d'adopter une autre tactique que son predecesseur, J. Nyerere, et d'inclure tous les belligerants, sans exclusive. Il entend aussi mener ses negociations sur plusieurs axes: desarmer les combattants, integrer davantage de Hutu au sein d'une armee jusqu'ici dirigee par des Tutsi, etablir un calendrier electoral et, enfin, mettre sur pied un gouvernement de transition. Cependant, les branches les plus radicales de la rebellion hutu, le FDD et le FNL, ne se sont pas presentes a la table de conference. M. Mandela a par ailleurs critique la minorite tutsi au pouvoir: "L'un des sujets les plus critiques, c'est qu'une minorite de 15% de la population puisse continuer a monopoliser le pouvoir politique, economique et militaire", a-t-il declare. Il a aussi d'ores et deja lance l'idee d'une amnistie. Les ministres europeens, eux, ont promis d'aider financierement le Burundi a trouver un accord, estimant toutefois qu'il sera difficile d'avoir la paix au Burundi sans paix chez son voisin, le R.D.Congo. Le ministre francais, Charles Josselin, a appele a la tenue d'un sommet sur la region des Grands Lacs afin de batir la paix dans une approche commune. Le sommet de deux jours sera suivi de deux semaines de pourparlers entre les delegations burundaises. Le president burundais Pierre Buyoya a invite les rebelles armes hutu a negocier directement avec son regime la fin de la guerre civile. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 fevrier 2000) * Congo (RDC). Tensions au Kivu - 17 fevrier. Le mouvement de resistance civile au Kivu semble avoir provoque des dissensions au sein du principal mouvement rebelle, le Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD). Interroge par l'AFP, le president du RCD, Emile Ilunga, a reconnu que son mouvement avait mal apprecie les besoins reels de la population et qu'il faudrait donner plus d'attention aux aspects sociaux. Un des membres a indique que "le comite executif du RCD a pose un ultimatum aux instances dirigeantes pour des reformes structurelles en profondeur". Le 17 fevrier au matin, l'emetteur local Radio Goma a annonce que Mgr Kataliko retournerait a Bukavu a la fin de la semaine; information non confirmee par d'autres sources. - 19 fevrier. Le College des consulteurs de l'archidiocese de Bukavu a fait savoir que la "greve liturgique", proclamee la semaine passee, continuera en signe de protestation contre la deportation de Mgr Kataliko. Une lettre sera lue dans les eglises, invitant a la priere et la reflexion, ainsi qu'a la prudence et au discernement. D'autre part, selon l'agence Misna, la population de Butembo a proclame, le 18 fevrier, une greve generale pour protester contre l'assassinat d'un cambiste par un militaire ougandais. Ce dernier a d'ailleurs ete immediatement lynche par les gens. Les militaires ougandais auraient, la semaine derniere, tue egalement deux pasteurs protestants dans une agglomeration voisine. La population craint que tous ces incidents soient deliberement provoques pour creer un climat permettant d'attenter a la vie de l'archeveque Kataliko, relegue dans leur region. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 19 fevrier 2000) * Congo (RDC). Reddition de 20.000 Mai-Mai - 20.000 guerriers et civils Mai-Mai se sont rendus au cours des deux derniers mois aux rebelles congolais dans deux provinces de l'est du pays, a indique le 19 fevrier un responsable rebelle. "Vingt mille Mai-Mai et leurs familles sont sortis de la foret et de la brousse apres une operation militaire de quatre semaines: ils se sont rendus et sont rassembles dans trois camps", a annonce Dieudonne Shindano Waya, president d'un des mouvements rebelles, le RCD pour le Katanga. (La Libre Belgique, 21 fevrier 2000) * Congo (RDC). Decret d'amnistie - Le 19 fevrier, le president Kabila a signe un decret d'amnistie pour tous les Congolais qui ont combattu son regime depuis aout 1998. Il concerne tous les Congolais poursuivis ou condamnes pour atteinte a la surete interieure ou exterieure de l'Etat et tous les Congolais residant au pays ou a l'etranger ayant "de quelque maniere que ce soit, porte atteinte a la securite de l'Etat". Pour en beneficier, il faut immediatement mettre fin a tout acte portant atteinte a la surete de l'Etat. Les rebelles doivent se faire enregistrer par les autorites du lieu ou ils rentrent en territoire gouvernemental; ceux qui sont a l'etranger ont 60 jours pour rentrer au pays ou se faire enregistrer par l'ambassade congolaise du pays de residence. Le decret s'inscrit dans le cadre de prochaines mutations politiques annoncees par le chef de l'Etat a la suite d'une vaste consultation nationale, a laquelle les principaux partis d'opposition refusent de s'associer. Ils suspectent d'ailleurs l'amnistie d'avoir pour objectif immediat de saper l'alliance entre les mouvements rebelles et leurs allies. Jean-Pierre Bemba, du Mouvement de liberation du Congo, a deja reagi en declarant qu'une telle discussion devait etre prise "au niveau des discussions inter-congolaises" prevues par les accords de paix de Lusaka et regroupant gouvernement, rebelles, opposition civile et societe civile. - D'autre part, le 18 fevrier, le Conseil de securite de l'Onu a tenu des consultations fermees pour entendre un compte- rendu sur la situation en RDC. M. Kofi Annan a recommande que la mission de l'Onu y soit etendue a plus de 5.500 casques bleus. Un vote sur cette question devrait se derouler dans les jours a venir. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 22 fevrier 2000) * Congo (RDC). The "National Consultation" - 23 February: A National Consultation, dedicated to reconciliation in Congo, is due to begin on 24 February in Kinshasa. This is an initiative promoted by the country's main religious leaders and participants will come from all over the country, though various prominent figures will not be attending. No member of the rebellion has in fact arrived in Kinshasa, despite President Kabila's decree of an amnesty. Also, on the internal front, the National Consultation seems to have been undervalued, given that some of Congo's main parties have declined to attend. (MISNA, Rome, 23 February 2000) * Congo (RDC). Consultation nationale? - Ce mercredi 23 fevrier, doit s'ouvrir a Lusaka un sommet des pays qui se font la guerre au Congo, dans l'espoir de relancer les accords de paix signes l'an dernier. Ce sommet se tient a la veille de l'ouverture, prevue le 24 fevrier a Kinshasa, de la "Consultation nationale", une idee lancee par les confessions religieuses et destinee a preparer le Dialogue inter-congolais prevu par les accords de Lusaka. Mais cette consultation ne comprendra aucun mouvement rebelle. De plus, les principaux partis politiques, qui craignent que le regime Kabila recupere cette initiative, ont annonce qu'ils n'y participeront pas. Le 5 fevrier, le comite permanent de la Conference episcopale a indique qu'il avait decide de surseoir a la participation de l'Eglise catholique a cette consultation, reaffirmant son soutien aux accords de Lusaka. (D'apres La Libre Belgique, 23 fevrier 2000) * Congo (RDC). Archbishop Kataliko - 17 February: Radio Goma announces that Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko will return to Bukavu by the end of the week. For the moment, there is no further confirmation from other sources. 20 February: Archbishop Kataliko is still relegated to Butembo, despite the official announcement, released in the past few days by Radio Goma. The liturgical strike continues in the Archdiocese. The churches remain closed in solidarity with the Archbishop, and the faithful are united in prayer in the neighbourhood communities. 22 February: Hamuli Rety, leader of a resistance group in Congo RDC based in Paris, the Committee of Resistance, Territorial Integrity and State of Rights, says: "Contacts from my sources in South Kivu say the Archbishop is still not back in his diocese. The population is anxious to see the Archbishop back but it appears he is still being prevented from returning". 23 February: The MISNA press agency reports that the standstill in liturgical and social activities in the Archdiocese of Bukavu continues. Also, 21 Protestant Churches and organisations, including the Church of Christ in Congo of the Bukavu province which reunites 20 different communities, have adhered to the standstill, as a sign of solidarity. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 February 2000) * Congo (RDC). Lusaka -- Congo's Leaders "committed" to peace - 20 February: On 23 February, Zambia is to host a special summit for leaders from the Southern Africa region, to review the outcome of the recent UN Security Council meeting in New York on the peace process in Congo RDC. The special summit is due to be attended by all signatories to the 10 July 1999 Lusaka peace agreement. Presently, the Joint Military Commission (JMC), which is supervising the implementation of the peace agreement in Congo RDC, is holding a plenary session in Lusaka to discuss among other things, the failure by some countries to pay allowances to their representatives on the Commission. 22 February: Defence and Foreign Ministers from Southern Africa open a day long meeting in Lusaka, ahead of tomorrow's special summit. 23 February: At the summit, leaders of the warring parties involved in Congo's conflict, reiterate their commitment to implementing the Lusaka peace accord. The summit tackled some of the issues of concern to the UN, should a peacekeeping force be deployed in Congo. A joint statement by the delegates at the end of the summit said they were ready to give assurances on the security of UN personnel. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 February 2000) * Cote d'Ivoire. Toujours l'ivoirite - Les conditions d'eligibilite a la presidence, adoptees par une sous-commission de la Commission consultative de l'elaboration d'une nouvelle Constitution et d'un code electoral, sont quasiment identiques a celles qui avaient declenche la crise politique entre Alassane Ouattara et l'ancien president Bedie. Le texte adopte stipule que tout candidat a la presidence doit etre "ivoirien de naissance, ne de pere et de mere eux-memes ivoiriens de naissance". Les travaux de cette sous-commission devront toutefois etre presentes au gouvernement de transition et au Comite national de salut public qui pourront amender ces textes. (Afrique Express, France, 18 fevrier 2000) * Cote d'Ivoire. Menaces contre les droits de l'homme - Dans une declaration publiee le 18 fevrier, la Ligue ivoirienne des droits de l'homme (LIDHO) a denonce des signes preoccupants indiquant que les droits de l'homme et la stabilite sociale sont menaces en Cote d'Ivoire, apres l'arrestation de l'ancien ministre de l'Interieur. "Nous voyons croitre les graines de la tyrannie", declare la LIDHO en reference au nombre croissant d'arrestations et de detentions ordonnees par le Conseil national de salut public (CNSP) au pouvoir. Le plus preoccupant, ajoute la declaration, est que les arrestations sont menees par le CNSP et non par les autorites judiciaires. L'ancien ministre de l'Interieur, Emile Constant Bombet, deja arrete puis relache apres le coup d'Etat, a ete a nouveau arrete le 15 fevrier par les autoriets militaires pour presumees "activites subversives"; il aurait tenu une serie de reunions a son domicile. (IRIN, Abidjan, 21 fevrier 2000) * Egypte. La visite du pape - Le pape Jean Paul II sejournera en Egypte du 24 au 26 fevrier. Selon des responsables catholiques au Caire, cette visite devra couronner notamment 25 ans de dialogue avec l'islam sunnite. Le pape rencontrera la plus haute autorite de l'islam sunnite, le cheick d'Al-Azhar, Mohamed Sayyed Tantaoui, qui a salue cette visite qui, selon lui, favorisera un "echange benefique". Selon l'eveque catholique Youhanna Qolta, charge de l'organisation, le souverain pontife tentera egalement, au cours de sa visite, de combler le fosse entre l'Eglise catholique et l'Eglise grecque-orthodoxe. Le 24 fevrier, Jean Paul II rencontrera le pape Chenouda III, le chef de l'Eglise copte orthodoxe, la principale Eglise chretienne d'Egypte. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 22 fevrier 2000) * Egypt. The Pope in Egypt - 19 February: Preparations for the Pope's visit are almost complete. The Pope will stay at the Nunciature with a few of his entourage and the rest of the delegation will stay at the Hotel Guezira Sheraton. 22 February: The following are his main engagements during his visit: On 24 February, the Pope arrives and will be met at the airport by President Mubarak and the Catholic Bishops. The same day he will go to the residence of Shenouda III, head of the Copt-Orthodox Church in Egypt. Then Pope will call on Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar, the highest authority for Sunni Muslims. On 25 February, there is a Mass for the Catholic community in the Cairo sports stadium and in the evening there will be an ecumenical celebration in the Copt-Catholic Notre Dame Cathedral. On 26 February, the Pope will fly to St. Catherine's monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai. He returns to Rome the same day. 24 February: The Pope leaves for Egypt. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 February 2000) * Erythree/Ethiopie. Reprise des combats - Le 23 fevrier, Asmara a annonce une reprise des combats dans la guerre entre l'Erythree et l'Ethiopie, accusant Addis Abeba d'avoir lance une attaque sur le front est de la frontiere entre les deux pays, dans le secteur de Burie, apres huit mois d'accalmie. Cette attaque n'a pas ete confirmee par l'Ethiopie ni par aucune source independante. Le 20 fevrier, le Premier ministre ethiopien avait menace de recourir a "tous les moyens" pour "restaurer la souverainete" de son pays. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 24 fevrier 2000) * Eritrea/Ethiopia. Tension on border - 18 February: An Eritrean army officer has said his country expects the war with Ethiopia to resume at any moment. The officer said the army was on high alert, in expectation of an imminent Ethiopian offensive. Tension in Eritrea is higher than at any time in the past eight months, when the fighting last subsided. A EU delegation toured the region earlier this month to try to revive efforts to end the conflict, which broke out over a border dispute in 1998. 19 February: The Tigray Liberation Front, the dominant party in Ethiopia's four- party ruling coalition, observes its Silver Jubilee anniversary with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi expressing the people's determination "to reverse" Eritrean aggression. 22 February: The US mediator for the Horn of Africa, Anthony Lake, is due in Asmara, Eritrea, for talks aimed at ending the conflict with Ethiopia. 23 February: Eritrea says new fighting has broken out on its disputed border with Ethiopia. Eritrean state radio reported that Ethiopian forces launched an attack at dawn today on Eritrean positions along the Bure front, towards the eastern end of the border. The radio says Eritrean forces repulsed the attack and "inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, killing and wounding over 200 Ethiopian soldiers and capturing four others". (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 24 February 2000) * Ethiopia. Irish Development aid - 21 February: Ethiopia is recipient of the largest Irish development co-operation programme in Africa in 2000, by getting US $14.25 million, mainly towards the fundamental needs of rural dwellers. The Irish co-operation development programme for the year 2000, will focus on education, health, agriculture, rural roads, credit services and management in rural areas. Other major beneficiaries of the Irish development co- operation programme in Africa include Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Uganda and Lesotho. (PANA, Dakar, 21 February 2000) * Ethiopia. UN conference to stem the African "brain drain" - 22 February: A UN conference on stemming the emigration of African professionals to the West has opened in Addis Ababa. One of the organisers, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, escribed the emigration problem, known as the brain drain, as one of the greatest obstacles to Africa's development. The International Organisation for Migration estimates that 20,000 skilled Africans leave every year for jobs in the West. At the same time, Africa spends $4 billion a year on recruiting Western expertise. (BBC News, 22 February 2000) * Gabon. Conference of African child trafficking - 22 February: Trafficking in child workers in west and central Africa is to be discussed at an international conference opening today in Libreville, Gabon. Representatives from about twenty countries are attending the three-day gathering, organised by the Gabonese government, the international Labour Organisation and UNICEF. Information about the trade in children given up by their families and sent to work in richer countries, has only emerged in recent years and it's unclear how many are affected. Most of the children originate in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Togo, and are sent to Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon and Nigeria. (BBC News, 22 February 2000) * Kenya. Journaliste condamne a 18 mois de prison - Le 15 fevrier, Johann Wandetto, journaliste du quotidien The People a Nairobi, a ete condamne a 18 mois de prison. Il a ete inculpe de "publication d'informations alarmistes", suite a la parution d'un article, le 6 mars 1999, affirmant que des militaires de la garde presidentielle etaient tombes dans une embuscade et avaient ete desarmes par des bandits, a Kamatira, dans la region du West Pokot. Dans une lettre adressee au procureur general, Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) a demande la liberation du journaliste, rappelant qu'un emprisonnement pour delit de presse est considere par les instances internationales comme disproportionne par rapport au prejudice subi par la victime. "Aujourd'hui, plus aucun Etat democratique ne prononce de peine d'emprisonnement dans les affaires de presse", a ajoute M. Menard, le secretaire general de RSF. (RSF, France, 21 fevrier 2000) * Kenya. Coffee Act set for review - 23 February: Agriculture Minister Chris Obure has said the Coffee Act is set for review. The Minister said the proposed review will be done in consultation with farmers and other stakeholders in the coffee industry. Obure said the move was in line with the Government's commitment to the liberalisation of the coffee sector. He made the remarks at a ceremony to inaugurate the new board members of the Coffee Board of Kenya held at his office. The minister urged the new board members to end the institution's unethical procurement procedures, and ensure transparency and accountability in all the processes. (East African Standard, Kenya, 23 February 2000) END OF PART #1/2 (Africa -> Kenya) ====> From Lesotho to Zimbabwe see 24b_02_2k