ANB-BIA - Av. Charles Woeste 184 - 1090 Bruxelles - Belg TEL **.32.2/420 34 36 fax /420 05 49 E-Mail: _____________________________________________________________ WEEKLY NEWS ISSUE of: 23-03-2000 - PART #2/2 (Maroc => Zimbabwe) ===> From Africa to Madagascar see: 23a_03_2k * Maroc. Candidature a l'UE - "Le Maroc reste candidat a l'Union europeenne", a declare le 16 mars le porte-parole du roi Mohammed VI du Maroc pour qui "cette question n'est plus un tabou". Hassan Aourid, qui s'exprimait lors d'un point de presse presentant les enjeux de la visite d'Etat du roi en France, du 19 au 23 mars, a ajoute que "le pretexte geographique n'est plus de mise" en se referant au recent feu vert donne par l'UE pour le depot de candidature de la Turquie. Le Maroc et l'Union europeenne sont deja lies depuis le 1er mars par un accord d'association. (AP, 16 mars 2000) * Maroc. Visite du roi en France - Le roi Mohammed VI est arrive en France, dimanche 19 mars en fin d'apres-midi, pour une visite d'Etat de trois jours. Le lundi 20, il a rencontre a plusieurs reprises le president Chirac. Les jours suivants, il s'entretiendra avec le Premier ministre Lionel Jospin et les presidents de l'Assemblee nationale et du Senat. La France est toujours le premier fournisseur et premier client du Maroc. Ces dernieres annees, elle a accepte d'effacer 2 milliards de francs de dettes marocaines; et le 21 mars, la France et le Maroc ont signe un nouvel accord de conversion de la dette marocaine de quelque 700.000 FF. Par ailleurs, Paris pourrait se reveler un precieux allie, face a l'Espagne, a l'heure ou Rabat se prepare a renegocier avec l'Union europeenne des accords de commercialisation de produits agricoles venus a echeance en l'an 2000. Dans ses discours a Paris, Mohammed VI a plaide pour une nouvelle forme de partenariat entre son pays et l'Union europeenne, un nouveau statut qui serait plus qu'une association mais, provisoirement, en-deca d'une adhesion. Nicole Fontaine, presidente du Parlement europeen, a reagi, estimant qu'une entree du Maroc dans l'UE "ne serait pas raisonnable, pas souhaitable dans la conception geographique qui est la notre. Le Maroc n'est pas en Europe", a-t-elle dit, tout en souhaitant un renforcement du partenariat euro-mediterraneen. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 23 mars 2000) * Mozambique. Menace d'epidemies - Le 17 mars, l'OMS a estime que "la menace d'epidemie de malaria au Mozambique augmentait", alors que les inondations se resorbent apres plusieurs semaines de pluies. La meteo reste cependant instable et des inondations genent encore par endroits l'acheminement de l'aide. La tendance a la baisse des eaux s'est poursuivie, mais la situation reste critique pour le fleuve Buzi (centre) qui a cru ces derniers jours. De nouvelles pluies sont annoncees pour les jours a venir, mais de plus faible intensite. Le retrait prochain de plusieurs helicopteres militaires, arrives en fin de mission, inquiete les agences humanitaires. (ANB_BIA, de sources diverses, 18 mars 2000) * Mozambique. A country still in need - 16 March: Mozambique says it is disappointed that the Paris Club of creditor nations has suspended rather than cancelled, its debt repayments. Mozambique's total debt payments for the year 2000 had been estimated at US $73 million. The Paris Club announcement means all Mozambique's payment to member countries will be suspended until a global accord is reached on debt cancellation. 17 March: More than 300,000 people are still in need of daily aid a month after the country's worst flood in living memory. The relief effort has been hampered by heavy rain over the past five days and more is forecast for the centre and north of the country. Aid workers have been scrambling to rush food, clean water and medicine to survivors. International aid agencies are urging nations involved in the relief operation to keep their helicopters in the region until the end of the month. A British military spokesman says the contingent's four Puma helicopters based in Maputo were being withdrawn because roads in the Limpopo region have improved and trucks are able to get through. 19 March: Light rain showers across much of Mozambique are expected to last well into the week. 23 March: Aid workers say they expect towns in southern Mozambique to be swamped by flood waters after a dangerous rise in the level of the Limpopo river. The warning comes a day after the Mozambican government and the UN launched a new appeal for international aid money to assist victims of the floods. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 March 2000) * Namibie. Nujoma entame son 3e mandat - Le 21 mars, lors de ceremonies marquant le 10e anniversaire de l'independance du pays, le president Sam Nujoma a prete serment pour un troisieme mandat presidentiel de cinq ans, en presence de neuf chefs d'Etat africains. M. Nujoma a ensuite investi officiellement son Premier ministre Hage Geingob, et son gouvernement comprenant 22 membres. Decorant a cette occasion quatre soldats namibiens ayant combattu en R.D.Congo, il reaffirme son soutien au gouvernement de Laurent Kabila, en soulignant que la Namibie avait envoye des troupes en RDC "dans un esprit de recherche et de maintien de la paix". Sur le plan interieur, M. Nujoma a affirme notamment que le principal objectif de son nouveau mandat etait de favoriser les petites et moyennes entreprises et de creer 50.000 nouveaux emplois. (ANB- BIA, de sources diverses, 22 mars 2000) * Nigeria. Le centre et le conflit religieux - Prises au milieu du conflit nord-sud a propos de la sharia, les populations des Etats du centre du Nigeria ont indique qu'elles ne voulaient plus etre un outil aux mains d'une quelconque section du pays poursuivant des "objectifs myopes", rapportait le quotidien The Guardian le 16 mars. Une organisation du centre, le Middle Belt Progressive Movement, a annonce sa determination a garantir que l'oligarchie du nord n'utilise pas l'introduction de la loi islamique pour faire derailler le jeune gouvernement democratique nigerian. Les membres du mouvement appartiennent aux Etats de Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kwara, Plateau, Niger, Taraba, Adamawa et Gome, ainsi que de certaines parties de Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Kebbi et du territoire de la capitale federale. Estimant avoir ete marginalise par les politiciens du nord, qui ont dirige le Nigeria depuis l'independance en 1961 jusqu'en mai 1999, le mouvement a signale qu'il mobilisait les jeunes des regions du centre pour garantir que cette zone ne sera dominee par personne. (IRIN, Abidjan, 16 mars 2000) * Nigeria. "The Jubilee and National Reconciliation" - At the end of the Catholic Bishops' Plenary Meeting held in Ikeja from 13-18 March, the Bishops issued a communique. The Bishops said the need for national reconciliation is borne out by events that are occurring in Nigeria. "Deep wounds exist in the hearts of many citizens, some of which have lasted for decades and are passed on gradually to younger generations.". The Bishops stated that "there are yawning gaps within our nation that give rise to conflict. There is an enduring gap between the rich and the poor. There is a developing gap between the elected officials and the people". They admitted that "the issue of Sharia and its place in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has continued to be a source of serious conflict". The Bishops concluded that many of the problems causing conflict in the nation can be prevented, and what has gone wrong, put right, if there is a commitment to dialogue. Finally the Bishops urged "every Christian to live out his or her faith by practising charity and seeing everyone as brothers and sisters". (Cath. Secretariat, Nigeria 18 March 2000) * Nigeria. Explosion d'un oleoduc - Le 22 mars, au moins 50 personnes sont mortes brulees vives par l'explosion d'un oleoduc dans l'Etat d'Abia, dans le sud-est du Nigeria. L'explosion s'est produite au moment ou les victimes tentaient de recuperer le carburant qui fuyait de l'oleoduc perce par des vandales. De tels accidents se produisent frequemment au Nigeria, ou la pauvrete amene les habitants a prendre d'enormes risques pour siphonner du carburant sur les pipelines. En octobre 1998, plus de mille personnes ont ete tuees dans l'explosion d'un pipeline a Atiworo, au nord de Warri. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 23 mars 2000) * Rwanda. Privatisations - La privatisation d'entreprises publiques a rapporte a l'Etat 3 milliards de francs rwandais (pres de 10 millions de dollars) pendant trois annees consecutives, a declare le 14 mars le secretariat a la privatisation du gouvernement. Le programme se poursuit. Pres de la moitie des 70 entreprises vouees a la privatisation ont ete vendues ou sont en voie de l'etre. Le gouvernement a l'intention de separer les secteurs de l'eau, de l'electricite et du gaz actuellement geres par l'entreprise publique ElectroGaz, dans le but de la privatiser. L'Etat envisage aussi de modifier le systeme de reglementation pour pouvoir vendre la societe publique de telecommunications Rwandatel. (IRIN, Nairobi, 16 mars 2000) * Rwanda. Threatening to sue UN - 16 March: The Rwandan government says it is considering suing the United Nations over a report accusing it of helping the Angolan rebel UNITA movement break international sanctions. A Government spokesman said that UN investigators had reached their conclusions through listening to "disinformation" rather than through proper research. (BBC News, 16 March 2000) * Rwanda. Droit de succession pour les femmes - Le 20 mars, le representant special de l'Onu pour l'enfant et les conflits armes, Olara Otunnu, a salue la recente legislation du gouvernement rwandais accordant aux femmes le droit a la propriete fonciere et immobiliere. Le genocide de 1994 avait laisse des milliers de foyers diriges par des enfants de sexe feminin qui ne pouvaient pretendre a l'heritage des biens familiaux selon la coutume. "On estime a environ 45.000 le nombre de foyers diriges par des enfants orphelins, dont 90% sont des filles qui n'avaient pas acces a la terre, principale source de revenus de leur famille... Je felicite le gouvernement du Rwanda... C'est une mesure concrete qui effacera une des consequences du genocide", a declare Olara Otunnu, qui etait en negociations avec le gouvernement sur ce dossier depuis sa visite au Rwanda en fevrier 1999. (IRIN, Nairobi, 21 mars 2000) * Rwanda. Nouveau gouvernement - Le 20 mars, le president Bizimungu a nomme un nouveau gouvernement, douze jours apres la nomination du Premier ministre Bernard Makusa. Le Front patriotique rwandais (FPR) domine largement ce nouveau gouvernement: 10 des 18 ministres sont issus du FPR, alors que le principal parti representant les Hutu, le Mouvement democratique et republicain de M. Rwigema, n'a obtenu que deux protefeuilles. Trois autres partis se repartissent les quatre departements restants. Un nouveau mouvement politique apparait, le Parti democratique islamique, qui obtient le portefeuille des Affaires etrangeres. Pour la premiere fois, la repartition du gouvernement rwandais d'unite nationale ne respecte pas le partage du pouvoir entre partis politiques etabli en 1994 par les accords de paix d'Arusha. (La Libre Belgique, 21 mars 2000) * Rwanda. President Bizimungu resigns - 23 March: President Pasteur Bizimungu has resigned, after serving as the country's head of state since the 1994 genocide. "From today, 23 March 2000, I resign from the post of President of the Republic of Rwanda," Mr Bizimungu said in a statement. One reports says he resigned "for personal reasons". Mr Bizimungu was one of the few Hutu members of the Tutsi-dominated government which took over following the mass killing of Tutsis by Hutu extremists. It is however generally acknowleged that the real power has been in the hands of the Tutsi Vice President and Defence Minister, Paul Kagame. (BBC News, 23 March 2000) * Rwanda. Le president Bizimungu demissionne - En conflit avec son propre gouvernement et le Parlement, le president rwandais Pasteur Bizimungu a annonce jeudi sa demission dans une lettre adressee a la presidence de la Cour supreme. D'origine hutu, Bizimungu etait en conflit ouvert avec le Front patriotique rwandais (FPR), dont il est pourtant le N. 2, notamment depuis que les deputes ont mis en cause pour corruption l'ancien Premier ministre hutu Pierre-Celestin Rwigema. Bien que sans pouvoir reel, la presidence de M. Bizimungu representait beaucoup pour la majorite hutu du pays. En realite, le pouvoir appartient au general Paul Kagame. Ancien chef de la rebellion tutsi du RPF, il est officiellement vice-president et ministre de la Defense. Dans un discours devant l'Assemblee nationale lundi, M. Bizimungu s'en etait pris aux deputes apres la demission le 28 fevrier dernier de M. Rwigema, accuse de corruption. Mais de hauts cadres du FPR et certains deputes ont repondu que le president invoquait la carte ethnique pour cacher le fait qu'il pourrait lui aussi etre accuse un jour de corruption. On l'accuse ainsi d'avoir fait immatriculer deux de ses camions au Congo-Kinshasa voisin pour eviter d'avoir a payer des taxes au Rwanda, de n'avoir pas dedommage des gens qu'il avait fait exproprier d'un terrain sur lequel il fait construire un immeuble et d'avoir toujours bloque des lois permettant aux deputes de voter une motion de censure contre tel ou tel ministre. Le president demissionnaire avait egalement bloque pendant un mois la designation du gouvernement, mecontent qu'on ait ecarte son conseiller diplomatique Patrick Mazimhaka, un des fondateurs tutsi du FPR qui est soupconne de mauvaise gestion. Apres la demission de M. Bizimungu, l'interim au sommet de l'Etat devrait etre assure par le president de l'Assemblee nationale Vincent Biruta. Le nom du futur chef de l'Etat sera decide par les 18 ministres et les 70 deputes. La date du vote n'est pas connue. (Hrvoje Hranjski, AP, 23 mars 2000) * Sahara occidental. M. Annan espere toujours - Le secretaire general de l'Onu, M. Kofi Annan, espere que les parties concernees par le conflit au Sahara occidental se reuniront "d'ici a la fin de mai" pour tenter de sortir de l'impasse. Il a affirme, lors d'une conference de presse a Paris, que l'idee d'un referendum pour decider du sort du territoire n'avait pas ete abandonnee, mais qu'il n'etait pas possible d'en fixer la date. Environ 80.000 electeurs ont ete identifies, mais 130.000 recours ont ete deposes dans des cas litigieux, a-t-il rappele. - Le 18 mars, a la veille de la visite a Paris du souverain marocain, le Front Polisario a demande a la France "d'oeuvrer pour la paix" dans cette region. (Le Monde, France, 18-21 mars 2000) * Senegal. Presidential election - 18 March: President Diouf says he'll abide by the outcome of tomorrows presidential election, and challenges the opposition leader, Abdoulaye Wade, to do the same. 19 March: Presidential election. 20 March: President Abdou Diouf concedes defeat in the presidential elections, ending his Socialist stranglehold on power and allaying fears of a violent outcome. The gentlemanly manner with which Mr Diouf bowed out to 73-year-old Abdoulaye Wade, his long- term rival, after a stream of results showed him to have an insurmountable lead, marks a significant triumph for constitutional process on a continent sorely in need of democratic precedent. Mr Wade went into the election with a powerful coalition behind him, advocating change and including high ranking socialist defector, Moustapha Niasse. 21 March: The UN praises Senegal for the peaceful presidential elections. Provisional results give Mr Wade more than 60% of the vote. (ANB- BIA, Brussels, 21 March 2000) * Senegal. L'alternance - Le dimanche 19 mars, 2,7 millions d'electeurs inscrits etaient appeles a participer au deuxieme tour des elections presidentielles au Senegal, ou la lutte s'annoncait serree entre le president sortant Abdou Diouf (41,3% au 1er tour) et son rival de toujours, Me Abdoulaye Wade (31% au 1er tour). Le scrutin s'est deroule sans incident majeur. - Le lundi 20 mars au matin, Me Wade revendiquait deja la victoire, les resultats partiels le creditant de 65% des suffrages. Peu avant midi, sans attendre le resultat officiel, un communique de la presidence reconnaissait la defaite d'Abdou Diouf. Apres 19 ans au pouvoir, le chef de l'Etat venait de telephoner a son adversaire pour le feliciter de son election et pour evoquer les modalites de la passation du pouvoir, debut avril. Une foule en liesse s'est rassemblee devant le domicile de Me Wade, que les Senegalais ont surnomme "le pape du changement". Le president elu devrait etre investi dans ses fonctions le 2 ou le 3 avril et nommer ensuite le Premier ministre qu'il s'est deja choisi en la personne de Moustapha Niasse. - Le 22 mars, selon les resultats provisoires officiels annonces par la cour d'appel de Dakar, Abdoulaye Wade a ete proclame vainqueur de l'election presidentielle: il a recueilli un total de 968.526 voix soit 58,5% des suffrages, contre 41,5% pour le president sortant Abdou Diouf. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 23 mars 2000) * Sierra Leone. Commission electorale - Une commission electorale independante a ete creee pour veiller aux preparatifs des elections prevues en 2001. La commission, dont les cinq membres ont ete approuves par le Parlement, a prete serment le 20 mars devant le president Kabbah; elle est presidee par un inspecteur general de la police a la retraite, Walter Nicol. - D'autre part, le 22 mars, une marche organisee par l'ONG catholique Caritas, a rassemble plusieurs milliers de personnes a Freetown pour protester contre le recrutement des enfants- soldats et pour qu'ils soient rapidement rendus a leurs familles. Selon des indications, environ 10.000 enfants ont ete enleves par des forces armees, et a peine la moitie d'entre eux ont ete liberes. (D'apres IRIN, Abidjan, 21-22 mars 2000) * Sierra Leone. March against recruitment of child soldiers - 21 March: MISNA reports that a march will be held on 22 March in Freetown, against the recruitment of child soldiers. An initiative that will take off from the eastern neighbourhoods of the city and conclude in the western sector, near the Miatta Conference Centre of the Ministerial Building, where UNICEF representative for Sierra Leone, Joanna van Gapen, will read a document. Also, Foday Sankoh, Johnny Paul Koromah and Hinga Norman and others have adhered to the demonstration. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 22 March 2000) * Somalia. New bid for reunification - 18 March: The latest attempt to reunify Somalia enters a crucial phase today. Sixty Somalis chosen to represent a cross-section of society are due to being a UN-backed consultative meeting in Djibouti. Unlike the previous twelve failed peace plans, it's the first initiative not to focus on the warlords and faction leaders who have dominated and destroyed much of Somalia in recent years. The UN representative to Somalia, David Stephen, says Somalia has been without a government for nearly a decade and the initiative offers the best chance of reunification. Opposition to the plan has come from the two northern regions of Somalia -- Puntland and the self-declared Republic of Somaliland -- which have established autonomous administrations and relative peace. 20 March: The talks have had to be postponed due to reports of renewed clashes between rival clans in the Mudug region, a few kilometres north of Mogadishu. They are now due to start tomorrow. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 21 March 2000) * Soudan. L'opposition s'est scindee - L'union entre l'opposition nordiste et la rebellion sudiste soudanaises a vole en eclats a Asmara, avec la decision, annoncee le 16 mars par le parti Oumma, de quitter l'Alliance nationale democratique (AND) creee en 1995 pour renverser le regime de Khartoum. La formation de l'ancien Premier ministre Sadek El Mahdi a claque la porte de l'AND apres une semaine de reunion des dirigeants des huit partis jusque-la allies pour lutter contre le gouvernement. En revanche, le second parti d'opposition nordiste, le Parti unioniste democratique d'Osman El Mirghani, est reste au sein de l'AND, oppose a tout compromis politique. Mais le secretaire general de l'Oumma a declare: "L'Oumma est favorable a une solution politique. Nous ne pouvons gagner militairement. Il existe une ouverture [du regime] pour un travail politique". (Le Monde, France, 19 mars 2000) * Sudan. Opposition alliance splits - 17 March: The Umma Party, led by former prime minister Sadiq al-Mahdi, has withdrawn from the exiled opposition coalition which has been campaigning to remove the government of Khartoum. The split happened during a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Asmara (Eritrea). The secretary-general of the NDA, Mubarak al'Mahdi, who is also a very senior official of the Umma Party, resigned his position and walked out of the meeting. The Umma Party, which is a leading northern- based group, wants to return to Sudan, as part of a reconciliation with the Khartoum government. The party argues that changes in recent months in the political situation in Sudan -- which have seen the ousting of Islamist Speaker of Parliament Hassan al-Turabi -- had given the Opposition a chance to reform the system from within. 22 March: The MISNA press agency reports that the Sudanese government has expressed its appreciation for the cease-fire declaration by the Umma Party and its military wing, the Umma Liberation Army, thus ending hostilities with government forces. Also, with Ummah's disassociation from John Garang's Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 23 March 2000) * Uganda. Ssemogerere to finally step down - The Democratic Party's president-general, Dr Paul Ssemogerere has finally decided to quit the party leadership. He will also not challenge President Museveni for the national presidency. A process has already started to revitalise the leadership of the party from top to bottom. Although he is quitting the party leadership, Ssemogerere says he is going to focus his remaining energy on the struggle against the forthcoming referendum. (Sunday Vision, Uganda, 12 March 2000) * Uganda. Government will foot the referendum bill - President Yoweri Museveni has vowed to fully finance the national referendum in June, which has hitherto been threatened by lack of funds. The President has vowed to mobilise all his supporters to swamp the voting places to ensure there is no boycott. Asked whether he is worried about boycott threats by the Opposition, the President said: "I have never cared about the opposition. They are not serious and have never bothered about the problems of Uganda. They have never had any useful solutions to our problems". (The East African, Kenya, 13-19 March 2000) * Ouganda. Croissance menacee - Les pays donateurs s'inquietent des importantes depenses militaires de l'Ouganda, qui risquent de ralentir la croissance economique du pays, a indique le 17 mars le representant de la Banque mondiale pour l'Ouganda et la Tanzanie, a trois jours d'une reunion du groupe consultatif des bailleurs de fonds a Kampala. L'Ouganda est implique dans le conflit au Congo ex-Zaire et fait face a des mouvements internes de rebellion dans le nord et l'ouest de son territoire. Lors de l'annee fiscale 1998- 99, les depenses militaires s'elevaient a 128 millions de dollars, soit 2,4% du PIB. (Le Monde, France, 19 mars 2000) * Uganda. Cult deaths shock Uganda - The graphic severity in last week's events (17 March), in which as many as 400 members of the millennial Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments died after setting fire to their makeshift church in south-western Uganda, has proved a particular shock. President Museveni has condemned the burning as "horrific, senseless and a tragic act", and called on religious and community leaders to be vigilant about the activities of other sects. For the past decade, cultism has been a growing phenomenon in Uganda. These often double as NGOs, which promise to restore social services and a sense of community. More than 200 new churches have registered in recent years. Many of these churches are funded by western organisations, but there is also a resurgence of home- grown bodies led by priests who have spurned traditional churches --as in Kanungu. The reasons for their proliferation are manifold. AIDS, which has hit Uganda particularly badly, has been interpreted by many as a heavenly portent for the end of the world. This has been exacerbated by millennial doom- sayers. The erosion of the extended family has also played a part in prompting rural Ugandans to look for new support mechanisms. Often, unscrupulous leaders can turn this search into a source of revenue or political gain. (Financial Times, UK, 21 March 2000) * Ouganda. Suicide collectif - Le vendredi 17 mars, les membres de la secte du "Mouvement pour le retablissement des Dix commandements de Dieu" se sont donnes la mort en s'immolant par le feu, croyant la fin du monde imminente. Cette tragedie, qui a eu lieu dans l'eglise de la petite ville de Kanunugu, dans le sud- ouest de l'Ouganda a 320 km de Kampala, pourrait etre le deuxieme suicide collectif le plus meurtrier du siecle. Le premier bilan s'etablissait a 235 morts, mais deux jours apres le suicide, un porte-parole de la police a declare que jusqu'a 470 personnes pourraient avoir peri. D'apres les premiers elements de l'enquete, les adeptes (hommes, femmes et enfants) de la secte se sont barricades dans l'eglise, apres avoir au prealable vendu tous leurs biens comme le leur avait ordonne leur chef; ils ont chante et danse pendant plusieurs heures avant de mettre le feu a l'edifice. La totalite des 234 adeptes enregistres a probablement peri dans les flammes, de meme que certains nouveaux arrivants. On ignore si les chefs de la secte figurent parmi les victimes. Les enqueteurs traitent l'affaire a la fois comme un suicide et comme un meurtre, en raison du nombre important d'enfants impliques. Au cours des derniers mois, en septembre et novembre 1999, la police ougandaise avait demantele deux autres sectes, les accusant d'etre une menace pour eux-memes et pour la communaute. - Le 22 mars, le bilan des victimes etabli par la police s'elevait a 530 morts, dont 78 enfants. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 22 mars 2000) * Zambia. Contributing to Mozambique - A number of Mozambique's immediate neighbours are making positive contributions to help Mozambique in that country's hour of need. Zambia, despite her numerous economic problems, has contributed 120 tonnes of relief food and medicines worth US $1.2 million, to help those displaced by the devastating floods. Mozambique's ambassador to Zambia, Dr Christopher Jamo, has praised Zambia for providing the assistance. The Medical Stores in Lusaka, against a backdrop of reported drugs' shortages in some hospitals, has donated 55 tonnes of medical supplies worth US $450,000. The Medical Stores donated quinine, antibiotics, injections, dressings, bandages and surgical items. A chartered DC8 aircraft, airfreighted the food and medical supplies to Maputo. It should be noted that the donated medical supplies, formed part of excess stock which had been lying in the warehouses for some time, and will have no effect on drug distribution to Zambia's hospitals. The Managing Director of the Medical Stores, Davis Storey said there is no shortage of drugs in Zambia, rather, there is irrational use of drugs by hospital managers, devoid of prudent skills in distribution techniques. (Fred Chela, ANB-BIA, Zambia, 9 March 2000) * Zambia. Final sale of ZCCM - The Zambian government and the Anglo American Corporation (ACC) will finalise the sale of Konkola Copper mines and the remaining shares of the mining conglomerate, Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) on 31 March. This was stated in a joint statement released in Lusaka on 15 March. The statement was signed by the ACC and its subsidiary Zambia Copper Investment (ZCI). "The release of this circular is an important step in the process of completing the transactions and reflects the significant progress made towards the fulfilment of the remaining conditions, which include the approval of the ZCI shareholders. Completion of the transaction is now scheduled to occur on 31 March. (Gideon Thole, ANB-BIA, Zambia, 16 March 2000) * Zambia. Cooperation pacts signed with Cuba - On 16 March, Zambia and Cuba signed two separate agreements to facilitate improved bilateral and multi-lateral cooperation between the two countries. The two agreements are on promotional and reciprocal protection of investments and cooperation between the foreign affairs ministries of both countries. The agreements were signed by visiting Cuban foreign minister Felipe Perez Roque and his Zambian counterpart Keli Walubita and Finance and Economic Development Minister Katele Kalumba. Mr. Walubita said the signing of agreements would enhance relations between the two counties. "Let us therefore look to the future with renewed hope and determination towards greater co-operation between our ministries both at bilateral and multi- lateral levels," he said. Mr. Walubita said both countries should rededicate themselves to the universally agreed principles to effectively contribute to the global efforts of world peace, international understanding and co-operation. (The Times of Zambia, 16 March 2000) * Zimbabwe. "Business a usual" - Britain's High Commissioner was back in Zimbabwe on 16 March promising "business as usual" one week after being recalled to London in the dispute over diplomatic bags. Peter Longworth said that Britain rejected Zimbabwe's attempts "to justify its unjustifiable actions", adding that the opening of the crates of anti-bugging equipment had been a "grave and unprecedented breach" of the Vienna Convention. But he emphasised that he hoped relations with President Mugabe's government could return to normal. He said: "This has been a very unfortunate incident, it is unprecedented, and I hope it won't put anything in the way of our dealings with the government, but it's a very serious event. The High Commission is open for business as usual and I am back to conduct that business. We are in contact with the Zimbabwean government." His return came as evidence mounted of government backing for the escalating wave of invasions of white- owned farms. Thousands of squatters who claim to be veterans of the independence war against white rule had occupied 612 farms by last night, and their leaders threatened a war if the ruling Zanu-PF party lost next month's elections. Mr Longworth said that Britain was very concerned by the invasions and "the potential for violent confrontation they cause". But he said that Britain remained ready to discuss land reform with the government. (David Blair, Daily Telegraph, UK, 17 March 2000) * Zimbabwe. From crisis to crisis - 19 March: Zimbabwe is on course for a constitutional crisis as thousands of President Mugabe's supporters disobey a High Court ruling to quit the white- owned farms they are occupying. "We are not moving off the farms. If anything we are going to move on to more farms because we are on a mission to reclaim the land of our forefathers," says Joseph Chintimba, a spokesman for the Zimbabwe Liberation War Veterans Association. "We fought for this land and we are getting it now. Anyone who wants to deny us the land of our forefathers will have to fight us and we are ready for that fight". 20 March: The Land and Agriculture Minister, Kumbirai Kangai, has been arrested as part of an investigation into multi-million dollar fraud at the state-run Grain Marketing Board. The widely publicised arrest is a political bombshell in Zimbabwe. In the squatter crisis, police say they have not yet received orders to evict the squatters. In the world of communications, Internet service providers are drawing up a petition to try to persuade President Mugabe not to approve a new law giving him powers to monitor and intercept electronic mail and other communications. The Posts and Telecommunications Bill, which has just received parliamentary approval, is awaiting presidential assent before becoming law. 21 March: Kumbirai Kangai appears in court charged with two counts of violating the Prevention of Corruption Act by flouting tendering procedures at the state-run Grain Marketing Board. (ANB-BIA, Brussels, 22 March 2000) * Zimbabwe. Ordre d'evacuation des fermes - Le 17 mars, les milliers d'anciens combattants qui occupent les grandes proprietes agricoles appartenant a des Zimbabweens blancs ont recu l'ordre de la Haute Cour du Zimbabwe d'evacuer les lieux dans les 24 heures. Selon la decision de la justice, le juge Paddington Garwe a donne satisfaction au syndicat des fermiers blancs CFU en qualifiant cette occupation d'"illegale" en depit de l'approbation donnee au mouvement par le president Mugabe. Il a donne 24 heures aux squatters pour quitter les quelque 500 fermes occupees au cours de ces dernieres semaines. - Selon l'agence PANA, le 20 mars, les veterans de la guerre d'independance n'ont toujours pas quitte les fermes, defiant l'injonction de la Haute Cour. Rejoints par des milliers de paysans ordinaires, ils ont meme occupe d'autres fermes. La police a refuse d'expulser de force les envahisseurs, proposant que les politiciens trouvent une solution a cette affaire. (ANB-BIA, de sources diverses, 20 mars 2000) WEEKLY NEWS 23-03-2000 - END OF PART #2/2 (Maroc => Zimbabwe) ===> From Africa to Madagascar see: 23a_03_2k