Category Archives: Africa

New African Union chair President Felix Tshisekedi of DRC sets ambitious agenda for 2021

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article from the United Nations

The 34th Session of the African Union Summit ended on 7 February 2021 with the new Chair, President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), outlining an ambitious agenda for the year.


Félix Antoine Tshilombo Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Addressing a virtual gathering of fellow heads of state and government at the two-day summit, President Tshisekedi said his priorities would be tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, accelerating the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and fostering peace and security on the continent.

Combating climate change, expediting regional integration, investing in human capital, promoting Africa’s culture and empowering women and youth will also get his attention.

The theme for this year’s summit and the rest of 2021 is Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want.

President Tshisekedi stressed that “Arts, culture and heritage constitute the basis for African renaissance” and afford an opportunity to “look back at our roots.”

He added: “Culture is the beginning and the end of everything; it covers every aspect of human life.”

President Tshisekedi took over from President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa as AU Chair.

Before handing over the reins of the rotating chairmanship of the AU, President Ramaphosa remarked that Africa, like the rest of the world, was confronting a pandemic that is exacerbating inequalities and threatening the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  

Africa’s recovery requires debt relief, new funding and debt deferment, Mr. Ramaphosa said, and called for “an injection of fresh resources by the IMF through reallocating and issuing new special drawing rights, with a bias towards the developing world.”

The South African leader said that was necessary to “correct glaring inequalities in fiscal stimulus measures between advanced economies and the rest of the world.”

He highlighted several mechanisms that can help Africa succeed in its development aspirations, among which are the AfCFTA, which will help drive trade, investment and job creation, and enable a stronger and faster recovery.

Another mechanism is the “Silencing the Guns” campaign, which has been extended to 2030, and now consists of a roadmap and practical steps to achieve its objectives. There will be a two-year periodic review of implementation.

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(Click here for a version of this article in French.)

Question for this article:

Can the African Union help bring a culture of peace to Africa?

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The AU-declared Decade of Women’s Financial and Economic Inclusion (2020-2030) is expected to support women’s access to financial services, he said.

As well, the Africa Medical Supplies Platform will assist countries to access affordable medical supplies.

“We are committed to developing African solutions to African problems,” Mr. Ramaphosa added.

Insecurity decried

On his part, Mr. Tshisekedi bemoaned insecurity in some parts of Africa. He listed The Sahel region, Central African Republic (CAR), eastern DRC, and northern Mozambique as some of the places currently affected by varying levels of insecurity.

The Summit also witnessed the re-election for a second term of the AU Commission (AUC) Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. “I am deeply humbled by the overwhelming and historic vote of confidence,” Mr. Mahamat tweeted after his victory.

A highlight of the Summit was the election of Monique Nsanzabaganwa as the AUC’s first-ever female deputy head.  Before her elections she was the deputy governor of the National Bank of Rwanda.

The new US President Joe Biden delivered a special video message to African leaders, his first to an international gathering since assuming office.

President Biden said: “The United States stands ready now to be your partner, in solidarity, support and mutual respect.”

In his response, the AUC Chairperson Mr. Faki said he was looking forward to “resetting the strategic AU-USA partnership,” signaling renewed multilateralism in addressing global challenges after an apparent frosty relationship with the previous US administration.

On his first day as president, Mr. Biden lifted the ban imposed by the Trump administration on travelers from many African countries, including Eritrea, Libya, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan and Tanzania.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres congratulated Mr. Faki on his re-election, saying that, “You can count on my support to continue building on the successful partnership between the AU and the UN, rooted in shared values and mutual respect.”

Before the Summit, Mr. Faki took stock of the significant achievements of his first term, including the establishment of the AfCFTA in March 2018 and the launch that year of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) or “Africa’s Open Skies,” which liberalizes Africa’s airspace.

He said progress had also been made in efforts at resolving the conflicts in Somalia, South Sudan, the CAR and the Sudan.

In his next term, Mr. Faki intends to focus on “Silencing the Guns” in conflict countries, promoting the AfCFTA, empowering women and youth, strengthening ties with strategic partners, among others.

“Africa and Asia, Africa and Europe, Africa and America—how can we not be proud that our continent is today at the centre of these immense geostrategic entities?” he posed.

[Editor’s note: Tshisekedi also confirmed the AU participation in the 2nd Biennale of Luanda on the Culture of Peace to be held in Angola in 2021.]

Africa, DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

Central Africa: Ambassador Sita José Analyzes Luanda Biennial With ECCAS Commissioner

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from the Angola Press News Agency

The executive director of the 2nd Edition of the Peace Biennial, ambassador Diekumpuna Sita José, analyzed Friday, strategic and operational issues with the commissioner for gender promotion and human and social development of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Yvette Ngadu.

The second edition of the Luanda Biennial – Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace is scheduled for September this year.

During the meeting, the interlocutors analyzed issues related to the intervention of the regional organization in attracting support and partners to contribute for the success of the regional event, which is under the shared responsibility of Angola, Unesco and the African Union.

According to ambassador Sita José, Yvette Ngadu expressed the willingness of the regional organization to help mobilize partners and collect initiatives for a wider participation of African countries in the cultural meeting with the greatest annual projection.

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(Click here for the Portuguese version of this article.)

Question related to this article:

The Luanda Biennale: What is its contribution to a culture of peace in Africa?

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[Editor’s Note: The following is translated by CPNN from the original Portuguese version]

The Angolan diplomat said that the concept of the second edition will revolve around culture, heritage and peace as a contribution to a more sustainable and united Africa.

The event, a tripartite event (Angola, African Union and UNESCO) aims to promote harmony and brotherhood between peoples through cultural and civic activities and manifestations, with the integration of African elites and representatives of civil society, traditional and religious authorities, as well as intellectuals, artists and sportsmen.

The biennial also aims to establish increasingly close cooperation with Unesco, with a view to promoting a true culture of peace in Africa.

The 1st edition held from 18 to 22 September 2019 brought together 16 African countries and 600 international participants, with the theme of commitment to peace and sustainable development.

It is a platform to promote cultural diversity and African unity, a favorable place for cultural and intra-African exchanges, being a special meeting, which brings together actors and partners of a pan-African movement every two years for prevention of violence and conflicts and the consolidation of peace.

The coordinator of the 2021 Biennial established by Presidential Decree is the Minister of State for the Social Area, Carolina Cerqueira, who, in 2019, was a signatory, as then Minister of Culture, in Paris, of the Agreement with Unesco for the responsibility of the parties in the realization of the Biennial of Peace.

Africa, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Ambassadors praise Angola’s efforts for peace in Africa

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from O País

The African Union (AU) Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) encouraged Angola on Tuesday [January 26] to continue efforts to promote a pan-African movement to prevent violence and conflicts, through its commitment to disseminate a culture of peace in Africa

According to a note from the Permanent Representation of Angola to the AU, the incentive was expressed during the PRC meeting, which has been taking place since 20 January, in virtual format

The document underlines that in the same session a communication was presented on the 1st Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace in Africa – Luanda Biennial, held in Angola, from 18 to 22 September 2019

In his communication, the Permanent Representative of Angola to the AU, Francisco José da Cruz, said that after the “successful 1st Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace in Africa – Bienal de Luanda ”, the Angolan Government is already creating the conditions for the next edition, this year, with the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, creating a Multisectoral Commission for this purpose.

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(Click here for the Portuguese version of this article.)

Question related to this article:

The Luanda Biennale: What is its contribution to a culture of peace in Africa

Can the African Union help bring a culture of peace to Africa?

Will UNESCO once again play a role in the culture of peace?

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In addition to the expected promotion of peace and security, the objective is to frame the event in the spirit of celebrating the African Union’s Year of 2021 Theme: “Art, Culture and Heritage: Levers to build the Africa we want”.

The PRC was unanimous in considering that the holding of the Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace in Africa – Bienal de Luanda is part of the African Union’s efforts to seek peace, with the Department of Social Affairs congratulating Angola’s proposal and calling for the support of AU Member States.

The document presented recalls that the Government of Angola and UNESCO agreed on 18 December 2018 to hold the 1st Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace in Africa – Luanda Biennial, in September 2019, in order to strengthen the Pan-African movement towards a culture of peace and non-violence, through the establishment of a multilateral partnership between governments, civil society, the artistic and scientific community, the private sector and international organizations.

The strategic objective of the event is to promote a peaceful and prosperous Africa through the defense and encouragement of actions that prevent conflicts in the management of national and cross-border natural resources on the African continent, as well as to educate a generation of young Africans as agents of peace, stability and development.

The first edition was based on three main axes: Partner Forum – An Alliance for Africa; Thematic Forums: Forum of Ideas, Forum of Youth and Forum of Women; Festival of Cultures.

The 41st Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (CRP) has been running since 20 January, in virtual format, preceding the 38th Executive Council (Heads of diplomacy) and the 34th Session of the AU Assembly (Heads State and Government), scheduled for 3 and 4, and 6 and 7 February, respectively.

The meeting has several reports under discussion, including on the activities of the PRC sub-committees, the Specialized Technical Committees of the African Union Commission, other AU bodies and the Specialized Agencies. The African Union consecrates 2021 as the “Year of Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers to Build the Africa We Want”. The year 2020 had as its theme “Silence Arms: Creating Favorable Conditions for Africa’s Development”.

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

In Malawi, Chief Theresa Kachindamoto Fights against Child Marriage

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

An article from Afrique Femme

Since being appointed traditional leader of a central region of Malawi, Theresa Kachindamoto has been fighting against child marriage. Thanks to her, hundreds of marriages have been annulled and as many girls returned to school, while her action at the national level has helped initiate laws that now prohibit child marriage.

Theresa Kachindamoto is an Inkosi, a traditional chieftain in Malawi, in Dedza district, near Lake Malawi, in the center of the country. The youngest of twelve children in a family descended from a line of traditional chiefs, she was secretary for 27 years in a school in the Zomba district, in the south of the country. Married and mother of five boys, she was chosen 16 years ago “for her kindness to people” to take on the role of chief in her native region. As such, it exercises informal authority over more than 900,000 people.

Child marriage: a stronghold of tradition

The actors of change in Africa all know it, and Theresa Kachindamoto also says it: “In the field of gender equality, the strongest bastion of change most difficult to shake remains the cultural and traditional practices”. It is sometimes even the guarantors of beliefs and cultural norms, in other words the heads of communities, who block measures against child marriage, female genital mutilation and other measures aimed at improving the condition of women. Theresa Kachindamoto believes that culture is not static, and it is on the lever that she can act, by using her authority as a traditional chief, to promote the education of girls, but also of boys, and fight against child marriages.

The first thing that struck her when she took office, she recalls, was the number of girls under 15 already married with two children: “I said no, that’s too much! do something !” In June 2015, already, she told the Maravi Post, “I had 330 marriages annulled: in 175 of them the girl was only a child, and in 155 of these marriages the father of the family was just a young boy. I wanted to send them back to school, and I succeeded.” To the Nyasa Times, she assured: “I don’t want the children to marry. They have to go to school. In my area, we have now made our own laws to ban child marriages, and we do not allow any exception … A child should never stay locked up at home, nor work the land, nor do household chores during school time. Never should a village, community or religious head seal a marriage without having examined the dates of births of the couples”.

Educate a girl and you educate a whole region … You educate the world.

Together with parents, teachers, the village committee, religious leaders and NGOs, Theresa Kachindamoto has banned child marriages in her community and annulled more than 3,500 child marriages made prior to her arrival. The children were sent back to school. “Educate a girl and you educate a whole region… You educate the world,” she says.

Change the laws

Getting parents to change their minds, especially the poorest, who had received a dowry, is not easy, but she convinced the fifty or so chiefs who are subordinate to her in her district to abolish child marriage and to cancel existing unions. Only four of them did not fully comply with the new rules – they were removed from their posts, before being reinstated in their position as soon as the chief was certain that all marriages had been annulled.

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(Click here for the original French version)

Questions for this article

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

Can the women of Africa lead the continent to peace?

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It was door-to-door work, above all, she says, that enabled her to convince the population of the need to cancel early unions. Theresa Kachindamoto knows that it takes a lot of strength and courage to change habits and customs, especially where human rights clash with cultural beliefs. “It is not easy to change people’s views and thought patterns. Whether you are a woman or a man, it takes a lot of strength.”

Her action helped initiate laws at the national level: “I was at the forefront of rallies for Malawi to set the minimum age for marriage at 18. I participated in all actions aimed at convincing the government to adopt the law, she explains to the online media AfricaPortal. In her functions, she takes advantage of the ceremonies to sensitize the communities, “so that the changes are well understood.” Mission accomplished: in 2015, the law on marriage, divorce and family relations set 18 as the minimum age of marriage for girls and boys in Malawi, and then, in 2017, a constitutional amendment banned child marriage altogether, prohibiting any exceptions.

When I was appointed chief, no other woman held this position in my region.

Before campaigning against early marriages, chef Theresa Kachindamoto upset decades of cultural norms by assuming a traditional position of authority. Since then, she has used her influence to instill more gender equality in this environment: “When I was appointed chief, no other woman held this position in my region,” she explains to AfricaPortal. I succeeded in convincing the royal families to choose women and 55 women were nominated to occupy positions of subordinate chiefs. I am proud to have succeeded in rebalancing the genders among the chiefs. Even the male chiefs see me as a example in this regard. And all play a role in the application of customs that hamper advances in child marriage. ”

Despite laws prohibiting child marriage in Malawi, around 46% of young girls are married before the age of 18, and 9% before age 15, one of the highest rates of early marriage in the world, according to the estimates of UNICEF.

In this country where more than 20% of the population lives below the extreme poverty line, with less than $ 1.90 per day, where the poverty rate has risen from 50.7% in 2010 to 51.5% in 2016, where the HIV infection rate is at 10% and where containment measures against the Covid-19 pandemic severely affected the informal and rural economy, child marriage is still seen as an issue for families in great difficulty.

To fill the void left by the ban on early marriage, which plays a functional role in society, Theresa Kachindamoto wants to focus on the education of children. “Parents come to me asking me to help their children financially, since I am at the origin of the dissolution of a marriage intended to spare them poverty.” So the chief has launched an awareness campaign showing the importance of schooling for girls and boys, as well as the health dangers of early marriage, starting with complications during childbirth.

Empower Women

To fight against early marriage, Theresa Kachindamoto also wants to help young women to set up their small businesses. For this work of economic empowerment, she is inspired by the Ugandan model and its initiatives for female entrepreneurship. “I am taking the example of the network of African Queens and Cultural Chiefs (Aqwcln) to change the lives of women, girls and children in Africa. The Aqwcln provides essential support to women by enabling them to develop their businesses. In my opinion, the best way to advance gender equality is to educate women civically and financially, so that they can fully take their place in society. ”

With her practical solutions to poverty, her political and awareness-raising action in a perspective of gender equality, the chef Theresa Kachindamoto has won the hearts of the populations she oversees. “We take the time to talk about all these beliefs that risk destroying our beautiful society and those who will build our nation,” she told AfricaPortal. We agree to abolish toxic customs and promote constructive customs, and to put in place rules that must be respected and ratified by all actors in society. No one, not even the chief, can force a minor to marry. ” 

(Thank you to Kiki Adams, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

Africa, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

The Africa Young Women’s Manifesto

. WOMEN’S EQUALITY .

Excerpts from the Africa Young Women’s Manifesto. [Note: the document is very heavy and takes at least 5 minutes to open.]

The Africa Young Women’s Manifesto is a political document that sets out critical issues of concern for young women of Africa and makes demands for addressing them. The Manifesto is the result of five Africa Young Women Beijing+25 Regional Barazas that convened over 1500 participants and over 30 partners with the objectives of FEM: Foster-Enable-Mobilize. [See the CPNN article on October 27 and the virtual events noted for October 30 and for November 25.]

The Manifesto therefore provides a platform of a common set of demands for the achievement of gender equality and equity as well as Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030. It allows young women to articulate their concerns and secure a clear and unreserved commitment by the Generation Equality Forum and Action Coalitions Leadership, which blueprint will inform policies, institutional processes and intersectional programmes and measures. These demands will ensure that girls and young women are able to participate actively, equally and effectively at all levels of social, educational, economic, political, cultural, civic life and leadership as well as scientific endeavors.

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Question for this article

Can the women of Africa lead the continent to peace?

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The process of developing and promoting the Manifesto also built upon the experiences of young women which ensures the manifesto is owned by a broad constituency. Young women are thereby empowered to use their voices to bring more youth into this movement. Participants of the five regional consultations came from across 45 countries, namely Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte D’Ivoire, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eswatini, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Ghana, Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Morocco, Mauritania, Madagascar, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

The Manifesto includes detailed sections with demands for :

* Economic Justice

* Criminalization of Gender-based Violence

* End of Gender Discrimination

* Access to Justice and Protection

* Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights

* Mental Health and Well-Being

* Inclusive, Equitable and Quality Education

* Digital Justice

* Silencing the Guns

* Intergenerational Co-Leadership

Africa, WOMEN'S EQUALITY

Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

Submitted to CPNN by Jerry Bibang (translation by CPNN)

The national coordination of the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace (PAYNCoP Gabon) organized yesterday, Wednesday, January 13, the elective general assembly of the Permanent Secretary of PAYNCoP at the pan-African level. It was Jerry Bibang, currently National Coordinator, who was elected by his peers to coordinate the activities of the Pan-African organization, which specializes in peace and security issues relating to young people.

The election took place at the Gabonese Cultural Center, located in Sotéga, in the 2nd arrondissement of the municipality of Libreville. The meeting brought together several youth organization officials as well as a representative of the UNESCO who served as election observer.

(Click here for the original French version of this article)

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Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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Following an electoral process started last week by the call for candidatures, then the selection of files, the election recorded four (4) candidates, in particular that of the association “Face à demain”, of the Network of United Nations Youth Leaders Organization (Rojalnu), the Christian Union of Youth of the Evangelical Church of Gabon (UCJEEG) and the Citizen Movement for Good Governance in Gabon (MCB2G).

At the end of the process, Jerry Bibang, the MCB2G candidate, was chosen to coordinate the action of PAYNCOP at the pan-African level. “This election is seen as a sign of confidence, a strong message that our peers convey to us: that of continuing, if not, doing better than the work started at the national level,” he explained.

This message is also in line with our ambition, which is to breathe new life into our Pan-African organization, which really needs it. The site is vast, the challenges are many and varied but we are motivated and optimistic for this new challenge which consists essentially in coordinating the action of more than thirty national coordinators, including French-speaking, English-speaking, Spanish-speaking and even Portuguese-speaking, he added.

For Franck Mays Assoume, UNESCO representative and election observer, the conduct of the electoral process was satisfactory; it was democracy and consensus that triumphed in this election. We therefore invite other organizations to follow the example of PAYNCOP Gabon.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Nairobi, Kenya : International Peace Research Association Conference 2021

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An announcement from the Global Campaign for Peace Education

Established in 1964, the International Peace Research Association (IPRA) undertakes research on issues pertaining to international peace and security. Every two years, it holds a conference to discuss findings and solutions to problems affecting peace, security and development across the world. It does so in partnership and/or collaboration with academia, policy-makers, research institutions, and various other multi-disciplinary thinktanks globally.


IPRA shall be holding its 28th Biennial General Conference themed, PEACE TECHNOLOGY; Positioning Fourth Industrial Revolution and Emerging Technologies in Fostering Global Peace’ in Nairobi -Kenya from the 11th to 15th January 2021 hosted by Multimedia University of Kenya (MMU). Since 1964, this shall be the first gathering of the Global Network of Peace Researchers in the East Africa region and the third (3rd) of this kind in Africa as a continent (1998 – Durban, South Africa ; 2016 – Freetown, Sierra Leone).

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Question for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

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Part of the objectives of the 28th IPRA General Conference are inclined towards discussions and proposals surrounding plenary themes on Peace Technology in the Anthropocene, International Humanitarian & Human Rights Law, Arms Control and Technology Revolution, Information Technology and Peace, Sports Science and Peace, Climate Change and Early Warning Systems, Forensics and Counter-Terrorism, Media, Virtual Network and Education, Mental Health, Spiritual Security and Spiritual Intelligence. Other specific objectives shall be addressed under the various sub-themes represented in IPRA’s ten (10) Commissions which can be accessed at: http://iprapeace.org/index.php/commissions.

Global Trade, Corporate Surveillance and Peace

The Republic of Kenya continues to contribute to peace and security efforts across the continent and globally. The country having hosted many refugees who fled from civil conflicts in their respective countries of Somalia, South Sudan, the Great Lakes Region (Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo), continues to discharge its mandate to promote peace and security under the various regional and international conflict resolution mechanisms. Kenya also enjoys a vast expanding digital revolution with approximately 38 percent of its predominantly young population being within the age group of 15 – 35 years.

Thus, the 28th IPRA General Conference in Nairobi, Kenya is expected to highlight progress and challenges of 21st century revolutionized Information, Communication and Technology, their effects on global (dis)order and present ultimatums on viable next steps.

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global,

PAYNCoP Gabon : Celebrating International Volunteer Day

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY . .

Special to CPNN from Jerry Bibang (translation by CPNN)

Celebrated under the theme “Together, it’s possible through volunteering,” the International Volunteer Day was the opportunity, this year, to appreciate the contribution of volunteers in the fight against the health crisis, which has become a social and economic crisis as well.


(click on image to enlarge)

PAYNCoP Gabon [National Coordination of the Pan-African Youth Network for the Culture of Peace] took part in the event organized by the Central Africa Office of the OIF [International Organization of La Francophonie] and the United Nations system, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth. The event recognized the actions carried out to fight against the covid 19 pandemic.

(Click here for the original version in French.)

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Question related to this article:
 
How can we work together to overcome this medical and economic crisis?

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“Since the onset of the disease, we have carried out awareness-raising and support actions for the most vulnerable,” said Jerry Bibang, the National Coordinator. These actions included :

– the sensitization of young people via social networks on barrier measures, in partnership with the National Youth Council (CNJ);

– the project to fight fakes news around covid19 (infodemic), in partnership with UNESCO;

– raising awareness among young people through comics strips, in partnership with Yali Gabon and Laboratoire Citoyen du Nouveau Monde;

– the project to set up a hand washing kit in the under-integrated neighborhoods of Libreville, in partnership with Engineers Without Borders;

– the urgent support project for people living with a disability, thanks to the support of Unesco;

– and the project to combat the spread of covid19 among young people and women in prisons, with the support of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) and the Omar Bongo Foundation for Peace, Science and Culture (FOBO).

“Through our actions, we have directly reached 950 people and impacted more than 1000 people indirectly. It is also an opportunity for us to reiterate our gratitude to the partners who place their trust in us, notably UNESCO, UNOCA, FOBO and many others.”

“Despite these efforts, we are nonetheless aware that the challenges are still many and varied. One of our challenge is to be able to make vulnerable people economically autonomous by setting up income-generating activities.

Peace is not limited to the absence of war, it is also the absence of unemployment, of inequality, of injustice …

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Kalemie, DRC: 200 young Twa and Bantu trained as actors of peace

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from Radio Okapi

Two hundred young Twa and Bantu have been trained as actors of peace within the framework of the Tusikilizane Joint Project initiated in Tanganyika by UNFPA, FAO and UNESCO. This project consisted in training in the culture of peace young people and women from two communities previously in conflict. Provincial authorities say they support the project.


A view of the commercial district in Manono, 450 km southwest of Kalemie (Katanga / DRC).

(Click here for the original French version of this article)

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Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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It was the Twa-Bantu conflict, which raged in five of the six territories of Tanganyika province, that motivated the three agencies of the United Nations system (UNFPA, FAO and UNESCO) to plan the Tusikilizane Joint Project. Since 2018, Tusikilizane has targeted 200 young people from two communities previously torn apart by bloody conflicts.

This project has just ended its activities in the territories of Kabalo, Kalemie and Nyunzu, after having trained for two years the nucleus of two hundred young people as actors of peace.

UNESCO Country Representative in the DRC, Jean-Pierre Ilboudo, explains:

“Their role is therefore a relay role, which will make that from 200, we will go to 2000, to 2 million to 20 million, to 200 million later. ”

Fifty other women from two communities also benefited from numerous sessions, tools and other capacity-building workshops to involve them in peacebuilding and social cohesion in the region.

“Now that they understand, they would rather work for the welfare of the country and not be manipulated by adventurers. The government is there to support them ”, assured the provincial Minister of Youth and representative of the provincial governor, Radjabu Ali Lugogo Raligo.

Africa, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Niger: 7th edition of the National Press Freedom Day under the theme “Journalism in the electoral period”

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article from the Agence Nigérienne de Presse

The Minister of Communication, Mr. Habi Mahamadou Salissou chaired, this Monday, November 30, 2020 at the press house, the opening of the activities for the National Press Freedom Day.


Placed under the theme “journalism during an election period: fact checking, promotion of the culture of peace, peaceful coexistence of populations”, this 7th edition takes place in a very particular global context, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a global health crisis which also affects our country Niger.

According to the Minister of Communication, “the theme of this year comes at a crucial period, namely the organization of general elections, during which the journalist’s sense of professionalism will be put to the test,” in this regard, he continued, “the verification of the facts, immediately verifying the veracity of the facts and the accuracy of the data, will be an important parameter, in particular through the observance of a code of good conduct”.

“I therefore invite journalists to favor the use of information verification techniques during the electoral period and to become more aware of their major role in the election process because citizens have the right to reliable information ”, added Minister Habi Mahamadou Salissou, who specified that “journalists should avoid getting carried away by the frantic race for scoops and media buzz”.

According to the Minister, “We must work for the advent of a media environment during an election period based on professionalism and its rules. We must therefore establish platforms and academic programs for teaching verification techniques. IFITIC and the Arts and Communication department of the UAM of Niamey should help in this regard “.

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Click here for the original version in French)

Question(s) related to this article:

African journalism and the Culture of Peace, A model for the rest of the world?

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“Without true professionalism, freedom of the press cannot prosper. That is why the State will continue its efforts aimed at creating all the conditions favorable to the emergence of a professional, free and independent press, and to the improvement of the living and working conditions of journalists “assured Mr. Habi Mahaman Salissou. .

On this occasion, the Minister of Communication called on the various players in the field to “move towards the signing of a collective press agreement” while reaffirming the commitment of the Ministry of Communication to ensure that the Convention process is successful “.

He congratulated Niger on the advance made in the latest ranking of Reporters Without Borders, dropping from 66th to 57th place in 2020, out of 180 countries.

“Dear journalists, let us together maintain this course and continue to use the freedom of the press on the understanding that some of you must stop abusing it. It is in this way and only that we will together promote press freedom in our country, and in the interest, well understood by all “he concluded.

The president of the board of directors of the House of the Press Mr. Ibrahim Harouna for his part indicated that “ the professionalism of the media is crucial during the election period, it is also for us the moment to call all the candidates to the presidential elections to commit to respect for press freedom in our country”.

The living and working conditions of Nigerien journalists remain very difficult. The Covid-19 pandemic has come another hard blow to the field. Several journalists have been laid off and many more have lost their jobs.

“Our appeal to the government for support for the media has gone unheeded. It is time for me to once again call on all the players in the process of signing the collective agreement to be more committed to finalizing this process” he added.

It was with the presentation of prizes to the various winners of the press house competition and the special Mariama keita prize that the opening ceremony ended.

The President of the Republic Issoufou Mahamadou initialed the Declaration of Table Mountain which promotes press freedom in the signatory countries, on November 30, 2011, he recalled.

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