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U.S. Catholic Bishops Visit Zimbabwe and South Africa September 8th, 2009
A delegation of American Catholic bishops has recently visited the church in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Bishop John H. Ricard of Pensacola, Florida, and Bishop John C. Wester of Salt Lake City, Utah visited Zimbabwe from August 26 to 28. They then traveled to South Africa where they stayed until September 6th, and where they were joined by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, retired Archbishop of Washington D.C. The purpose of the delegation was to observe first-hand the important humanitarian aid work done by the Church, especially in fighting HIV/AIDS and poverty. The bishops are members of the USCCB Subcommittee on Africa. They visited church officials and projects funded by the Pastoral Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa which raises money in the US to help the Church in Africa.
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President Obama’s Trip to Ghana: Opportunity for New U.S. Approach to Africa July 9th, 2009
The President of the United States, Barack Obama, makes his first presidential visit to Sub-Saharan Africa when he travels to Ghana, West Africa on July 10 and 11. President Obama will hold bilateral talks with host President John Atta Mills and will address Ghana’s parliament where he will deliver a major speech on Democracy and Food Security.
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First 100 Days of Zimbabwe’s Transitional Government May 28th, 2009
On Sunday May 24, Zimbabwe marked the first 100 days of the Government of National Unity between President Robert Mugabe (ZANU-PF) and Movement for Democracy Change (MDC) under Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangairai. It has a difficult and challenging 100 days of strained relations between rival political factions in Zimbabwe.
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Congo Conflict Mineral Disclosure Act Introduced May 8th, 2009
Companies registered in the US that sell products using columbite-tantalite (also known as coltan), cassiterite or derivatives from minerals from Democratic Republic of Congo or neighboring countries will be required to annually disclose to the Securities and Exchange Commission the origin of those minerals. This provision is contained in new legislation called the Congo Conflict Mineral Act 2009 (S.891) introduced on April 23 the by Senators Sam Brownback (R-KS), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Russ Feingold (D-WI).
The sale of minerals is linked to the funding of killings, atrocities and rapes crimes committed by armed groups in Democratic Republic of Congo. The Congo Conflict Mineral Act brings accountability and transparency to the importation and sale of mineral products from Congo by disclosure of their origin. Cassiterite, Colton and tantalite are minerals commonly used in cell phones, laptop computers and other electronic products used by millions of people in the United States and other developed countries.
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South Africa: Election 2009 April 21st, 2009
South Africa, the economic powerhouse of the continent of Africa, holds its fourth democratic general elections on 22 April 2009.
The Africa National Congress (ANC) which has been in power since the end of the apartheid regime in 1994 is expected to win the election with Jacob Zuma becoming President.
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