AFRICA

Which way for African democracy as more countries remove presidential term limit from their constitution?

The restoration of democracy with regular elections in the 1990s held the promise of resolving the explosive issue of power succession blamed for the conflicts that devilled post-independent Africa. After independence in the 1960s, most of the ruling parties abolished multiparty democracy and instituted one-party states. The argument for the change was the promotion of stability, as the acrimonious contest …

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Nigerian civil society calls on UK to end role as a safe haven for corrupt individuals

To support President Muhammadu Buhari’s ongoing war on corruption in Africa’s most populous country and biggest economy, a coalition of 95 Nigerian civil society groups has demanded that the British government ends the country’s role as a safe haven for Nigeria’s looters.  An army of 95 Nigerian civil society groups has banded together to demand that the United Kingdom end …

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Awards for Excellence in African Journalism Announced

PRESS STATEMENT Nairobi, 19 April 2016 – The African Media Initiative is pleased to announce the launch of its pan-African journalism contest – the 2nd Zimeo Awards for Excellence in Media. The contest is open to professional journalists in Africa reporting or writing for print, radio, TV and digital.  At this stage, AMI is calling on all interested journalists to …

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Buhari appoints adviser on Nigerian Diaspora

A former member of Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives has been appointed the Senior Special Assistant on Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to the President. The appointment of Abike Dabiri-Erewa, a leading member of the ruling APC, is interpreted as a sign of the government’s recognition of the enormous contributions of the Diaspora to Nigeria’s development. The World Bank Migration and …

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Why African youths are obsessed with Europe

Nigerian psychologist, Prof Erhabor Sunday Idemudia, talks about migration from Africa A conference of European and African leaders took place in the Maltese capital, Valetta, in November to find a solution to the refugee crisis. The EU offered African countries aid amounting to 1.8 billion euros to fight the causes of emigration and relieve Europe of the pressure of young …

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What German President Gauck’s visit to Nigeria may bring to ties between both countries

German President Joachim Gauck’s visit to Nigeria in February to intensify bilateral relations between both nations especially in economic and security matters, according to analysts. The 4-day tour from 8-13 February, which took Gauck to the federal capital Abuja and the economic hub Lagos, saw the German president meeting political and business leaders to discuss areas of common interests. In …

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Interview with the man who led Tunisia to peace

The inspiring story of painstaking negotiations, compromise and convictionHoucine Abassi, head of Tunisia’s General Labour Union (Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail or UGTT), is regarded as the Father of the National Dialogue in Tunisia. After the revolution following the overthrow of the Ben Ali dictatorship in January 2011, a power tussle among competing political and cultural forces ensued. The wrangling led …

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Medicinal Plants in Sierra Leone

BOOK  Medicinal plants and traditional medical practices in Sierra Leone have much to offer the rest of the world. Dr Cyrus MacFoy, professor, researcher and consultant, highlights more than 200 plants used to cure more than 100 diseases and illnesses in this information guide. He provides the plants’ locations, their botanical and local names, their English common names, and the …

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Germany, South Africa to deepen relations

Germany and South Africa have agreed to work more closely in areas such as climate action, trade, development and measures to address terrorism, said Chancellor Angela Merkel at a press conference after she held talks with President Jacob Zuma in Berlin on 10 November. It was during the South African leader’s official visit to Germany and the first time the …

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