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Chameleon wins a wife.

One day frog swam to the surface of a little pond and glanced around him for a place to rest: “The water is cold today – he complained – it would do me good to bask in the sun for a little while.” And so, he left the water and crouched on a warm, flat stone at the edge of the pond.

After some time, a beautiful young girl from the local village named Ngema came to the pond to fetch some water. The Frog remained seated on the stone without moving a muscle so that the young woman eventually began to stare at him, asking herself aloud whether
or not he might be ill.

“No, I am not ill – Frog called to her irritably – why do you imagine such a thing? Can’t you see how strong I am?” “Other frogs usually leap back into the water as soon as they see the villagers approach – replied the girl – but you don’t seem at all frightened and that is why I thought perhaps you must be sick.”

The Frog turned his two big eyes towards Ngema, rose up on his hind legs, and stretched himself impressively towards the sky. “Underneath this body, I am really a fine young man, – he boasted -. I have enough cattle and goats to buy any number of beautiful girls like yourself, but a curse rest on me and I must remain here until it is lifted.”

The Flog continues: “When my father lay on his death bed, he said to me: ‘My son, you will spend most of your time by the water until the day comes when you meet a girl there and ask her to marry you. If she accepts, it will mean happiness for you both, but if she refuses, she will die.’ So, I ask you to marry me here and now, and it is entirely up to you whether you live or die.”

The girl sat down on the grass and began thinking hard. After a while she stood up again and answered the Frog worriedly: “If that curse rests on you, then it rests on me as well. I have seen you and you have asked me to be your wife. I will not refuse you now, for I have no wish
to die just yet.”

So Ngema reluctantly agreed to marry the Frog and led him home to her parents’ hut on the outskirts of the village.

In the courtyard at the front of her parent’s house, there stood a very beautiful palm tree. Among its broad, leafy branches sat a Chameleon watching the approach of the young girl and the Frog.

Ngema escorted her companion indoors and left him there to discuss the wedding arrangements with her father while she sat down at the base of the tree to grind some corn for the midday meal.

The Chameleon now moved cautiously towards her, descending from branch to branch slowly and carefully, his eyes darting suspiciously from side to side, until at last, he stood within a few feet of her. But before he had the opportunity to address the girl, she suddenly turned towards him: “I have been watching you all this time – she said – and I can scarcely believe how long it took you to move such a short distance. Do you know that it has taken you over an hour to reach this spot?’

“I won’t apologize for that – answered the Chameleon -. I am a stranger to you, and had I rushed upon you, you would have been frightened and called out to your people. But in this way, I haven’t alarmed you and now we will be able to talk quietly without anyone disturbing us.”

“I have been so anxious to meet you but wanted to choose my moment carefully. I came here early this morning to tell you I love you and my greatest wish is for you to become my wife.”

The young girl set aside her bowl of corn and fell silent for several moments. At length, she raised her head and answered the Chameleon rather indifferently: “You are too late with your request, and besides, I could never marry anyone who moves as slowly as you do. People would laugh to see us together.”

“Our elders say that empty gourds make a great noise, but it amounts to very little in the end,-  replied the Chameleon -. Think again before
you reject, me. Ngema sighed deeply as she pondered these words. “Well – she said finally -, Frog is inside the house asking my father’s permission to marry me. Whichever of you can satisfy him will earn the right to become my husband.”

So, Chameleon waited for Frog to emerge and then entered the house to see if he could reason with the young girl’s father. Their conversation was not half so difficult as Chameleon had expected and before long, he reappeared smiling to himself, having agreed with the old man that he would return to claim his bride within a few days.

As soon as he had put all his affairs in order, Chameleon returned as promised to the girl’s home, anxious to get on with the wedding ceremony. But to his disgust, he found Frog still pleading for Ngema’s hand, insisting that he was by far the richer of the two and that he would make a much more suitable husband.

Chameleon stormed into the room and interrupted Frog in midstream: “You call me a slow and worthless creature – he yelled furiously – but I call you a slippery, boneless, hideous carbuncle.” And the two continued to hurl abuse at each other for some time, each of them determined to prove their worth before the young girl’s family.

At last, the old man called for them both to stop and when they were ready to listen he offered them the following solution: “I will fix a bride price – he told the pair -, which must be delivered before the end of six days. The first of you to arrive here with everything I demand will win my daughter’s hand in marriage.”

Then the old man listed out the various goods he desired from each of them and without further discussion Frog and Chameleon went their separate ways, eager to assemble their respective cargoes as hastily as possible. The Frog enlisted a great number of his friends to help him and overnight he had prepared a vast quantity of beer and food of every kind, including sweet potatoes, corn, dove peas, shea-nuts and bananas, which he piled onto an enormous caravan ready to take
to the girl’s house.

Early the next morning, a long line of frogs began hopping down the road, travelling at great speed in order to ensure that they would reach their destination before the Chameleon. But as they moved along, they began to attract the sniggers of the roadside workers, for they failed to notice that at every hop, the beer spilt from the gourds, the bananas dropped from the baskets, and the food crumbled to pieces in the open bags and fell to the ground.

When the company approached Ngema’s house, they received a very warm welcome from the large crowd who set off to meet them. Songs of praise were sung by the women of the village and a loud chorus of cheering could be heard for miles around. But when, later that same evening, the villagers eventually came to unfasten the loads, they were horrified to see that all the sacks were completely empty and not a drop of beer remained in the gourds.

The villagers called the father of the girl and reported to him their discovery: “Come and examine the gifts Frog has brought you – they told him -, he has arrived here with empty sacks and dry bowls.”

The old man looked at the Frog sternly and raised his voice in anger: “Why have you come here to mock us? Do you think I would exchange my precious child for such worthless cargo? Go and seek a wife elsewhere, for I have no time for a son-in-law who would attempt to trick me like this.”

The Frog did not pause to argue his case, for he knew that his impatience and arrogance had cost him his bride and that now the curse would never be reversed.

He hung his head in shame and silently slunk away, hopping despondently down the road with the rest of his companions.

Three more days passed by and most of the villagers had abandoned all hope that Chameleon would ever show his face among them. But then, from the opposite direction on the fifth morning, the people spotted a caravan of carriers making very slow progress toward the village. It was mid-afternoon by the time it reached the outskirts, and as before, the villagers went forward to welcome their guests.

But this time, the women of the village were very anxious to inspect the loads before disturbing the father of the bride. They approached the caravan warily, but their fears were quickly laid to rest, for as soon as they began to unwrap the cargo, they found the sacks overflowing with food and the gourds full to the brim with beer.

Ngema smiled as she moved forward to greet the Chameleon, remembering how he had once described to her the hollow sound of an empty gourd. The celebrations now began in earnest and the satisfied father gave his daughter to the victorious Chameleon who took her for his wife the very next day. (Photo: 123rf.com)

Folktale from Kikuyu people, Kenya

 

Mauritania. Caught in the Nets of the Fishing Mafia.

The fishing tradition goes back a long way in Mauritania. But as more and more Chinese fishmeal factories have set up in the country, local fishermen are often left empty-handed. This unscrupulous business threatens the basic supply of the Mauritanian population.

At first glance, the Mauritanian fishing village of Nouamghar, about 150 kilometres northeast of the capital Nouakchott, appears deserted. A few dozen simple houses are scattered along the beach. The waves of the Atlantic hammer their facades, and the plaster is peeling off everywhere. Some families prefer to live in traditional tents, surrounded by fences made of fishing nets to protect their privacy.It is early in the morning and silence reigns in the house of 69-year-old Sheikh Muhammed Salim Biram. The white-bearded man, a former fisherman, is sitting on the floor outside the living room, tying a new net.

In Nouamghar, people have made their living from fishing for generations. Photo: Swm

In Nouamghar, people have made their living from fishing for generations. “In the past, the fishes used to come very close to the beach” says the sheikh. Today the fishermen go far out on the sea and often come back empty handed”. His two sons listen to their father’s words, without daring to interrupt him.
The old man continues: “My neighbours come to me and complain because they haven’t caught anything. But what can I do against the government?”. The sheikh believes the blame for the disappearance of the fish lies with the politicians. “They brought the Chinese into the country – he grumbles -. They steal our fish and make meals for their pigs while our people don’t have enough to eat”.

Coveted fishing grounds
The abundance of Mauritanian fish has sparked a craving for fishing over the last century. At first, Europeans fished off the almost 600 km-long Atlantic coast. For some years now, trawlers from all over the world have been fishing in the waters off West Africa. Most of them fly the Chinese flag. But the most lucrative business takes place on land, in factories hidden behind high walls and protected by armed guards.
In Nouadhibou which is Mauritania’s second largest city and serves as an important trading centre, some 550,000 tonnes of fish are processed into fishmeal and fish oil each year, and 130,000 tonnes of fishmeal are exported. Fishmeal is rich in protein, mainly used in fish farming, but also in animal fattening. Almost a quarter of the world’s wild fish is processed into fishmeal.

Almost a quarter of the world’s wild fish is processed into fishmeal. Photo: Swm

“There are 30 fishmeal factories in the city and another ten in southern Mauritania. It is evident that there are too many; our neighbour Morocco, which has a coastline twice as long as ours, only has ten,” says Aziz Boughourbal, managing director of Mauritanian Holding Pelagic. He goes on to say: “Although every fishmeal producer must also produce fish for consumption, most of the big fishmeal producers do not”. Boughourbal’s company has its own fishing boats but also buys from traditional dugout boats that moor in an anchorage about 80 meters from the shore. There, the fish are sucked up and pumped through a pipeline to the factory. A conveyor belt then transports the fish into cylinders where they are steamed at 95 degrees. When the sardine shoals are ready, the Boughourbal factory can ramp up production to 400 tons of sardines per day. The product is packed in phylogram bags and shipped to Japan, Russia, and the EU.

The sea smells
Most of the factories are located on a promontory behind the local fishing port. A paved road, “Fishmeal Avenue”, is lined with trucks that bring fish from the port. Eight factories are located right next to the port, where fishing boats are also repaired. “Foreigners are not welcome here. They have brought us nothing but trouble”, says boat builder Muhammed Fal. “First of all, the Chinese, who pollute the sea here with impunity”. He points to the warehouses of the Chinese SFHP fishmeal factory, hidden behind a yellow wall. From a hose coming out of the factory, the reddish and smelly water pours into the sea.
“They pour all the dirt into the bay”, Muktar Nguye tells us. The 26-year-old has just returned from fishing with his pirogue, with about two tons of mullet on board. “In the past, we rarely went home with less than six tons”, the young man says.

Chinese fishing vessels outnumber the small fishing vessels. Photo: Swm

He could get 25,000 Ouguiyas, about 600 Euros, for the catch. “I have to use it to pay for fuel and six crew”. Nguye used to fish mainly for sardines but there aren’t enough anymore, he says. Chinese fishing vessels outnumber the small fishing vessels. It’s not the competition in fishing that annoys Nguye, but the lack of respect for people and the environment: “They dump used oil, diesel and plastic residue into the water” says Nguye. “The sea stinks and the smell scares the fish away”.
He steers his dugout close to shore, where his men wait in waist-deep water with empty plastic crates on their heads. They fill them with fish and walk ashore to unload the fish onto the flatbed of an antique Peugeot 404. An hour later, Nguye’s boat is empty. He collects his money and goes home.
He lives with two older brothers, their wives, and children on the outskirts of town; the house is only half finished. Space is scarce, and each family occupies a room. “We want to add a floor – says the fisherman – but lately the fishing has been poor and we don’t have the money”.Nguye is a member of the National Fishermen’s Association (FNP), where he advocates for fishermen’s interests. Here their concerns are taken seriously. “There is a war going on out there” says FNP chairman Sid’ahmed Abeid. “We are still enduring everything, but sooner or later, the fishermen will rebel”.
Eventually, the government must intervene, he says, because the Chinese do not respect the closure periods or protected zones. “And when they are stopped, they invoke the treaties and threaten the intervention of the embassy or of their government”, he points out.
The government avoids conflict with China because the country depends on finance flowing from Beijing. Already in 2006, China and Mauritania concluded a cooperation agreement. As a result, the Chinese have financed about 40 projects across the country, including the international airport and the new foreign ministry.

A Chinese world of its own
In Nouadhibou, the Chinese have been living in a parallel universe for years. Except in their factories, they have almost no contact with the locals. On the main road, there are numerous shops selling items imported from China.
There are a dozen Chinese restaurants in the city that also serve beer, vodka and the Chinese liquor called baijiu, despite Sharia laws.
Most Chinese travel to Mauritania to make money. After a few years, they return to China or move on to another African country.

Many locals are unhappy with the privileges the central government has granted to China. Photo: Swm

Many locals are unhappy with the privileges the central government has granted to China’s Poly Hong Dong fishmeal factory, for example, which has close ties to the Chinese People’s Army. It obtained the license to produce fishmeal under undisclosed conditions. It was allowed to build its own fish farm directly across from the factory. The Chinese company owes this permission to its local partner who does business with the presidential family. In Mauritania, foreign factories must have a local partner because foreigners are not allowed to buy or lease land. Local companies lease the land and take part of the profits – a business that could hardly be more lucrative.

Lawless spaces
“The factories have powerful local backers,” says Malum Obet. A high school teacher who is part of a popular group that reports violations by fishmeal factories. The group conducted an investigation and found that only three Nouadhibou producers are complying with the law. No Chinese factories were among them. Obet says, “The Chinese are poisoning the population and treating their workers like slaves.  Although the law requires it, many workers do not have a contract. As day laborers, they sometimes work 16-hour days, with no additional pay. Nevertheless, many people queue up for work because there are no other jobs in the area”.

An industrial zone is planned to be built 60 kilometres north of the capital where new Chinese fishmeal factories are to be built. Photo: Swm

The government of President Mohamed Ould Ghazouanie, by and large, keeps out of the conflict. Mohamed Salem Louly, the adviser to the fisheries minister, says they are aware of the danger of overfishing.
For this reason, the ministry, together with the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries Research, has determined the catch levels at which stocks can grow sustainably. On this basis, quotas were set well below the critical limits.The reality is different because the Coast Guard lacks the money for patrolling. And the situation could get worse. An industrial zone is planned to be built 60 kilometres north of the capital where new Chinese fishmeal factories are to be built.
In Nouamghar, people can feel the effects of the crisis. “Young people are leaving the village because there is not enough work”, said Sheikh Muhammed Biram. “Some are trying to emigrate to Europe”. His children are also waiting for an opportunity to leave. Some friends have tried to reach the Canary Islands in a wooden boat, crossing the Atlantic for 1,000 kilometres. But not all of them arrived safely.

Andrzej Rybak/Kontinente

 

Music. King Ayisoba.

Kolongo is a musical genre that takes its name from a two-stringed lute of the Frafra ethnic group, between Burkina Faso and Ghana. Among its main performers is King Ayisoba, a Ghanaian musician.
The artist has just released Work Hard, one of the best African
albums of recent years.

In Africa there is one great family of musical instruments ranging from one to five strings, with a handle and a wooden sound box or consisting of a half gourd, on the open side of which a skin is stretched: with various names, they range  – just to give a few examples  –  from the guembri of the Gnaoua of Morocco to the tidinit of Mauritania, from the Ngoni of Mali to the xalam of Senegal, and much further afield in the continent. Instruments that have travelled extensively in time and space: traces of them can be found in the paintings of ancient Egypt and the slave trade brought them to the other side of the Atlantic. It is probably to instruments of this kind that the origin of the American banjo must be traced. In his Notes on the State of Virginia (1785), Thomas Jefferson, later the third president of the United States, speaks of “the banjar, which they (the slaves) brought from Africa.”

The kologo also belongs to this family. It is made with a half gourd as a soundbox and has two strings that were traditionally cow veins and today are made of nylon; one string is high and one low, and the tuning of the instrument is not fixed, but is related to the scale in which the player sings. The kologo is typical of the Frafra ethnic group that settled between southern Burkina Faso and northern Ghana.
In the northeastern region of Ghana, the kologo is at the centre of a music phenomenon that is not confined to a purely traditional dimension and is anything but residual.
The protagonists are musicians who have often learned to play the instrument by themselves, generally in early adolescence if not in childhood; many pieces are performed only with voice and kologo, others also with percussion and with instruments such as the flute.
The singing is generally rather ‘shouted’, with peremptory and often harsh voices, and the lyrics are sometimes in Frafra and sometimes in pidgin English.Pulsating and engaging, even when it remains totally acoustic, the music is extremely dynamic and modern and has achieved great popularity, so much so that it acts as a counterweight on the national scene to the most popular modern genres such as hip-hop,
R&B and Afrobeat.

There are dozens of competent interpreters and there is no shortage of stars. One of these is King Ayisoba, who has also given impetus – not only for his own benefit – to the international circulation of this music. He is behind the initiative of a beautiful anthology called ‘This Is Kologo Power!’ with recordings by various artists mostly made in Accra, a compilation edited by Zea of the historic Dutch punk group The Ex and released in 2016 by the Amsterdam label Makkum Records. Compared to the very free-range examples of kologo offered by this collection, we have the slightly more elaborate, but nonetheless uncompromising, musical integrity of King Ayisoba’s album 1000 Can Die, produced by Zea and released in 2017 by a very prominent label in the field of world music, the very active Glitterbeat. Alongside completely acoustic songs, there are also others with a calibrated use of electronics and some by guest artists, including the Ghanaian rapper and producer M3nsa, and two historical figures (both of whom have since passed away) such as the Jamaican producer and singer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and the Nigerian saxophonist Orlando Julius.

Glitterbeat has now released a new album by King Ayisoba, Work Hard, which offers an interesting evolution of his music: again, Zea has a hand in it but the substance is decidedly Ghanaian. The context is evidently that of the kologo as a genre, even if in Work Hard it is not so much the kologo as an instrument that is in the foreground, but – on the pressing and sometimes hypnotic bases of percussion, including electronic ones – a formidable variety of voices, in an assortment of expressive scales. The voices are often hoarse and with something grotesque or mocking, voices that articulate in a rhythmic, shouting and scathing manner, female and falsetto voices, children’s voices and voices in chorus, all in a very vital and dynamic game, full of humour and corrosive spirit, the result of an orchestration in which great musical talent is intertwined with a wise sense of ‘theatrical’ staging. The language is almost always Frafra, and the themes are not taken for granted: in Bossi Labome, for example, King Ayisoba points out the difference in treatment depending on whether adultery is committed by a woman, a reason for reprobation, or by a man, even a reason to boast.
It is very difficult today to have a clear perception of the mosaic of music which in Africa has an effective vivaciousness and strong roots in specific areas: to compose it would take many albums such as the highly enjoyable This Is Kologo Power! which had the merit of providing us with a sample of his music. King Ayisoba’s Work Hard is one of the best and most original African albums of recent years: This Is Kologo Power! It allows you to listen to Work Hard placing it in a context, and to understand the musical texture that nourished its creativity. (Photos: CCA -Share Alike 3.0/ Schorle)

Marcello Lorrai

 

Social-economic inequality.

According to the estimates of the last census, carried out in 2022, the Dominican Republic has a population of 10,695,000. Of these 3/4, equal to 73% are mestizos, 16% white and 11% black.

The other minor ethnic groups present in the country are Asians, especially Chinese, and Europeans (mainly Spanish). There is also a small presence of Jewish migrants, made up of about 600 people, which originated between 1940 and 1945 thanks to the visas granted by the Dominican government to allow them to escape Nazi persecution
during the Second World War.
The Dominican Republic is also home to small but vibrant communities of Lebanese, Syrians, and Palestinians who arrived during the Ottoman Empire period of the early 20th century. All of these groups have made great contributions to the growth and culture of the Dominican Republic, and this is reflected in the food, customs, and celebrations of the various regions of the country.

Santo Domingo City. CC BY 4.0/ Ronny Medina. About one million people live in the capital.

Spanish is the official language with variations spoken in different parts of the country and the Spanish dialect that is commonly used is Dominican Spanish, a subset of Caribbean Spanish based on the Canarian and Andalusian dialects of southern Spain. This language borrows some words from the Arawak language and from the African languages spoken by the populations who arrived on the island, including some words from archaic Spanish.
From an administrative point of view, the country is divided into 31 provinces which must be added the district of the capital Santo Domingo which constitutes the major economic and cultural centre, as well as the oldest European city in the ‘new world’, since the year of its foundation dates back to 1496. About one million inhabitants live there, while the entire metropolitan area, called Gran Santo Domingo, has a much higher population of about 2.6 million. In addition to Santo Domingo, the main cities include Santiago de los Caballeros with about one million inhabitants, Los Alcarrizos which has 245,000, and La Romana 225,000. The rest of the population live in smaller urban centres, while around 30% of the population live in rural areas.

The Basilica-Cathedral of Our Lady of Altagracia in Salvaleón de Higüey. Around 70% of the population belongs to the Catholic church. Photo: Ph

From a religious point of view, about 70% of the inhabitants belong to the Catholic faith, 20% adhere to the Protestant faith, and the remainder follow Islam, Judaism, Caribbean Vodou, Eastern religions or other beliefs, or declare themselves non-religious. It must be said that the Catholic Church, over the centuries, has contributed decisively to the socio-economic development of the Dominican Republic through the implementation of numerous development projects and the creation
of schools and hospitals.
The living conditions that the population has to deal with are not at all satisfactory. Despite the economic growth of the last decade, it is estimated that a large portion of the population still live below the poverty line. This is clearly seen in aspects such as the quality of health and the lack of basic means for a large part of the population such as drinking water or electricity. In recent years, this economic and social disparity has generated numerous internal tensions also favoured by the spread of corruption, a social scourge that affects the judicial system and the proper exercise of police activity.
The spread of child prostitution is another direct consequence of the endemic state of poverty of the Dominican population. The phenomenon, which was also accentuated following the economic and financial crisis of 2008, was denounced by the major international organizations also due to the high number of cases which often give incentives to families in a state of poverty. In fact, as the economic crises worsen, there is an increase in the phenomenon which, in addition to minors, involves the adult population, both female and male. The latter is based mostly in tourist resorts such as Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, and Santo Domingo. There is also the international traffic of Dominican women, destined to be exploited above all in Western Europe,
Argentina, Brazil, and Costa Rica.

Illegal Haitian working in the sugar plantation. CC BY 2.0/Fran Afonso

In the last decade, within the political-administrative apparatus, there has also been an increase in individual and group interests, corruptive networks with a significant presence of actual criminal components, which have deeply penetrated and weakened the political system causing a significant reduction of trust in democracy and political parties. These, with few exceptions, end up occupying a grey area that makes the differences between them irrelevant and mobile. At the same time, favouritism has become widespread even among social actors.
These problems are also to be associated with those of Haitian migrants gathered in villages called bateyes, lodgings built among the plantations with recycled materials without sanitary facilities or running water. Many of them, once the harvest period is over, find themselves in the position of not being able to leave the country because they are in debt and illegally present. Their children were born in Dominican territory, but the lack of documents prevents their recognition either by the Dominicans or the Haitians, with the result that basic rights such as access to school and medical care are denied. This limbo, which offers these subjects no alternative, means they must work on the plantations in conditions of slavery, thus fuelling the vicious circle. (Open Photo: ©aleksrybalko/123RF.COM) – F.R.

World Bank. New President, Old Doubts.

Marrakech will host the annual assemblies of the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from 9 to 15 October. The event, which marks a return to Africa comes 50 years after the assembly in Kenya. This time the World Bank will be led by a new president. Ajay Banga’s new course faces three challenges: competition with the banks of China and BRICS, involving
private finance, combining efforts against climate change
and the fight against poverty.

The World Bank (WB) – strongly controlled by the USA with a majority share of over 17% – and its president, always nominated by the American administration, cannot fail to take into account the directives coming from Washington. This will also be the case for the new president, who will naturally want to make his personal contribution and at the same time take into consideration, at least in part, the proposals and policies of the other member countries.
The brief declarations of appreciation for the appointment of Ajay Banga – elected on May 3 – by President Joe Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, help to understand the new mission. Biden highlighted that Banga “Is uniquely equipped to lead the World Bank at this critical moment in history. He has spent more than three decades building and running successful global companies, creating jobs, and driving investment in developing economies, and guiding organizations through periods of fundamental change. He has a proven track record of managing people and systems and working with global leaders around the world to deliver results”.

President Joe Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Photo. Usa Gov.

Biden will support his efforts to transform the World Bank, which “Remains one of humanity’s most important institutions for reducing poverty and expanding prosperity around the world”. For her part, Yellen noted the ability of the new president to mobilize resources and public and private partnerships to face the most urgent issues of our time, including global warming.
As chairman of the World Bank Group, Banga also becomes chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

In competition with two banks
His first task will be geopolitical since it is the ongoing economic, political, and military conflicts that determine the redefinition of global power. The WB will be strengthened to benchmark and blunt the international operations of two other emerging banks, China’s Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), with India as its second-largest shareholder, and the New Development Bank (NDB), created by the group of BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).

The headquarters of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Beijing,. CC BY-SA 4.0/ N509FZ

The AIIB is also the banking and financial instrument of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the so-called New Silk Road, which finances development and infrastructure projects, especially in much of Asia. It undoubtedly reflects Chinese economic and geopolitical interests, but at the same time, it is already able to respond, in part, to the many requests for development from poor countries, especially in Africa.
During the 2019-20 fiscal year, the World Bank disbursed $14.5 billion to Africa, but only a small fraction of that went towards building new infrastructure.By comparison, the African Development Bank (AfDB) disbursed $5.1 billion, most of which went to infrastructure.
In the same year, the AIIB paid $6.23 billion to its Asian members for green infrastructure projects in the fields of energy, water,
and urban development.

The logo of the NDB in the bank’s HQ in Shanghai. CC BY-SA 4.0/ Bb3015

The NDB promotes agro-industrial and infrastructural projects and trade exchanges between the BRICS countries and places the support and involvement of poor and emerging countries among its priorities. In fact, the two banks cover the shortcomings of the WB and in many cases replace it. Furthermore, in their trade and investments they favour the use of local currencies, bypassing the dollar.
They do so not out of a mere anti-American spirit, but because after the Great Crisis of 2008, they know that the entire international financial and monetary system, born in Bretton Woods, is in free fall, and they do not want to be crushed by it.

Challenges and false steps
In the geopolitical operation, Banga will focus on Africa, which will increasingly be the continent where the forces fighting for global hegemony will collide. His international profile is perfect, he knows and frequents world leaders, in recent years he has worked a lot with several African countries and, if necessary, can play the card of his Indian origins, the largest developing country. It is no coincidence that he made a long journey of contacts in many states, especially those of Africa such as Kenya, Ghana and the Ivory Coast, to promote his candidacy.
The second task of the new president is to involve the private financial sector in the activities of the World Bank. “There’s not enough money without the private sector,” he told reporters last March. No one could be against private aid and investment. The real question is one of money for whom and for what really controls and drives operations.

Kenya. Nairobi. In recent years Ajay Banga has worked a lot with several African countries. Photo Swm.

Undoubtedly Banga has vast experience in the field of finance, in particular, however, in the speculative sort, the type that is greedy and insensitive to the needs of the poor and of those who have to fight to improve their basic living conditions. His entourage lets it be known that it is intended to distinguish poor countries from those with acceptable development. The former would depend only on the subsidised credits of the IDA, while the latter, which sometimes already venture into international markets to sell their bonds, could be involved in some form of ‘creative finance’. It is feared that IDA funds will become increasingly scarce in the future.
His previous experience as a MasterCard executive in South Africa can be enlightening. In 2016, he made an agreement with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and with Net1, a financial services company owned by BM, and with its subsidiary Cash Paymaster Service (CPS) to use MasterCard debit cards for the distribution of pensions and other state benefits.
It was supposed to be an initiative of greater administrative efficiency in support of destitute citizens who in this way could avoid endless queues at the counters, possible muggings, and other problems. It was greeted positively by all as an example of inclusion.

South Africa. Shopping Centre in Johannesburg. When Ajay Banga was a MasterCard executive in South Africa, he made an agreement with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and with Net1, to use MasterCard debit cards for the distribution of pensions and other state benefits. Photo.Swm

It was an experiment for a potential pool of 500 million people worldwide. It should be borne in mind that, until the end of the last century, the World Bank was openly opposed to electronic money transfers as it feared that they would negatively alter the consumption patterns of the poorest people. The second step, however, was to collect the personal data of at least 18 million citizens. On the basis of this vast source, a series of offers of contracts of various types, small insurances, such as those for funerals, telephone subscriptions, etc. was instigated.
Monthly payments for these services were automatically deducted from debit cards. However, many citizens soon found themselves in great difficulty when they realized that there was very little left for day-to-day living. The most dangerous element was the entry of financial engineering. Given that the flow of money was guaranteed by the state, those who issued the debit cards, the insurance companies and the other financial services involved behaved, in fact, like uncontrolled banks, the so-called shadow banking, and started with securitization, i.e., the issuance of securities based on the value of the contracts in their possession. This is exactly what happened in the 2008 crisis with subprime mortgages and the creation of the gigantic bubble of financial derivatives issued on real estate mortgages. In 2020, the CPS
filed for bankruptcy.

Climate change and poverty
The third task concerns the role of the World Bank in the face of climate change. Banga has said that “poverty reduction and shared prosperity cannot be separated from the challenges of managing nature”. A sacrosanct principle on paper. We need to see how it is handled in reality because not all parts of the world are the same. The Bank’s roughly $100 billion a year to help developing countries cope with climate change is well short of the trillion needed. Many developing nations fear that the focus on climate change will divert attention from the fight against poverty. These countries have been hit hard by the pandemic, rising food and energy prices, and unsustainable debt levels.
It must be noted that on the African continent, a large part of budget expenditure is covered by revenues from energy sources, such as oil, gas and coal, or other raw materials.

Many developing nations fear that the focus on climate change will divert attention from the fight against poverty. 123rf.com

This aspect must be duly taken into account in the so-called green transition. In this regard, we must remember that the centre of global pollution is elsewhere. According to estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA), in 2050 the United States, China and India together will generate CO2 emissions equal to 42% of the total, more than Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, combined. It would be unacceptable if under the presidency of Banga – a former advisor of BeyondNetZero, the climate change fund of General Atlantic, of which he was vice president – the WB used the ‘ecological yardstick’ to condition its interventions and its investments in the poor countries of Africa. We must bear in mind that its current mission is to end extreme poverty and improve the living conditions of 40% of the citizens of each country who live at the lowest end of income distribution. (Open Photo: Ajay Banga, 14th President of the World Bank Group. WB)

 Paolo Raimondi

 

Africa. UN Peacekeeping missions in crisis.

Last June, the UN Security Council ended the mandate of MINUSMA in Mali while the DRC government announced the end of MONUSCO’s mandate within six months. There are also tensions between MINUSCA and the Central African government.
Increasingly, African fragile states are banking on private military companies to regain control of their territory.

On the last 30 June, the UN Security Council decided unanimously to end the mandate of MINUSMA, the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, following the Bamako authorities’ request for an immediate withdrawal of the blue helmets. As a consequence, the Council adopted resolution 2690 to organise the cessation of its operations, the transfer of its tasks, and the withdrawal of its personnel before 31 December 2023.
This is not the first time a UN mission in Africa has been kicked out: in 2010, the UN operation in Chad (MINURCAT) was asked to leave by President Idriss Déby.
MINUSMA is the UN’s largest operation with a $ 1.26 billion annual budget and 17,430 personnel as against $ 300 million and several hundred staff in the Chadian case.
MINUSMA was established by the Security Council in 2013 after an uprising in northern Mali by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda. Ten years later, its efficiency is questioned by the authorities. The Malian interim government, formed in the wake of the 2020 and 2021 coups, justified its request, citing a “crisis of confidence” with the UN. MINUSMA “has certainly not achieved its fundamental goal of supporting the efforts of the government in securing the country”, said the Malian ambassador to the UN, Issa Konfourou, after the vote.

MINUSMA Peacekeepers in Ménaka Region in Mali. UN Photo/Harandane Dicko

On the 1st June 2023, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres admitted that fighting was continuing in the North, with Islamic State in the Greater Sahara expanding the area under its control. Meanwhile, in Central Mali, groups affiliated with Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin still pose a significant threat. Between July 2022 and May 2023, 1,002 civilians died and 445 others were injured because of armed conflict. These unsatisfactory results coincided with some 300 fatalities for MINUSMA, making it the deadliest UN peacekeeping operation worldwide. The relations between the UN and Mali also deteriorated sizeably after the publication of a report in May 2023 accusing the Malian Armed Forces and the Russian mercenaries of the Wagner Group to have committed a massacre of 500 civilians at Moura, in Central Mali, in March 2022. The UN withdrawal could bear many consequences. Armed group signatories to the 2015 peace agreement referred to MINUSMA’s departure as a “fatal blow” to the peace process. Several northern armed groups already withdrew from the peace agreement in December 2022. Other sources suggest that such withdrawal will embolden jihadists and put an end to the protection of humanitarian aid operations. The departure of the UN could also deprive the authorities of the UN logistical support for the elections in 2024.
MINUSMA’s departure is also likely to worsen Mali’s international standing, possibly leading to further reductions in international donor engagement. Inevitably, Mali will be more dependent on Wagner. Finally, the departure of MINUSMA raises questions about the future of UN peacekeeping worldwide, says a former political advisor of MONUSCO, the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

MONUSCO Helicopter Operates in Mutwanga, North Kivu. UN Photo/Michael Ali

The days or months of MONUSCO itself are numbered as well. MONUSCO is the third largest UN peacekeeping operation concerning its budget ($ 1.12 bn) after MINUSMA and UNMISS, the UN Mission in South Sudan, whose budget reaches $ 1.2 bn. It is also the third largest in size with a staff of 17 753 after UNMISS (17 954) and MINUSCA, the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (17,885). MONUSCO, is present in the DRC since 1999. Yet, Kinshasa announced on 13 June 2023 the withdrawal of MONUSCO within six months.

The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix said that the blue helmets would leave Congo “as soon as possible”. UN Photo

The Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix on a visit to Kinshasa on the last 7 June declared that the blue helmets would leave Congo “as soon as possible” but “in a responsible way”. Accordingly, some conditions must be met beforehand. The list includes the decrease of security risks, of the negative impact of armed groups and the increase of the capacities of the Congolese army. On 19 June, MONUSCO’s boss, Bintou Keita confirmed that the departure of MONUSCO was on track but that the withdrawal should take place in a peaceful and worthy way. Besides the conditions mentioned by Lacroix, she spoke of the implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reinsertion of armed group fighters and the organization of credible, transparent, and peaceful elections on time, in December 2023 as prerequisites.
The Congolese Minister of Communication, Patrick Muyaya, said that no date for such withdrawal could be fixed yet. But the Kinshasa government is adamant to put an end to MONUSCO’s mandate. Since 15 November 2022, it is putting pressure on the UN to leave the country. The UN presence in the DRC has become unpopular. By the end of July 2022, angry youth demonstrated against MONUSCO in several cities of Eastern Congo, calling for its withdrawal. Their grievance is that MONUSCO failed to end insecurity in the area.
The lack of combativity of the blue helmets, accused to be “per-diemists” and to be only concerned with cashing high salaries and daily allowances is blamed by the local people. The UN already closed offices in the Kasai and Tanganyika provinces.
In an interview with Radio France Internationale, on 19 September 2022, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres admitted that MONUSCO was unable to fight successfully against the M23 rebels who are active at the Rwandan and Ugandan borders. Accordingly, the M23 is a modern army, with heavy equipment which is more sophisticated than MONUSCO’s one. The statement infuriated Kinshasa. According to Congolese Foreign Minister, such statements are demoralizing Congolese troops.

MONUSCO’s departure will leave thousands of internal displaced persons in Eastern Congo without protection. © UNHCR/Hélène Caux

Nevertheless, MONUSCO’s withdrawal could be postponed for another year since President Felix Tshisekedi needs the UN logistical assistance to transport the ballot boxes and the election kits and to compile the results as it did for previous elections in 2006, 2011 and 2018. Meanwhile,  the Congolese authorities have already prepared the alternative by hiring mercenaries. A Bulgarian-registered company called Agemira RDC, led by French businessman Olivier Bazin, signed a deal in May 2022 for the refurbishment and the maintenance of two Russian-made Sukhoi SU-25 fighter aircraft and of two MI-24 attack helicopters, manned by Georgian pilots, on the Goma airbase.
Hundred military instructors from the Romanian private military company Associata RALF led by former French legion officer, Horatiu Potra, arrived in Goma at the end of 2022. Previously Potra trained the Emir of Qatar’s guard and worked as an instructor of Faustin-Archange Touadera’s presidential guard, in the context of a Russian contract. Another consequence of MONUSCO’s departure would be to leave thousands of internal displaced persons in Eastern Congo without protection and to stop reporting about human rights violations.
The mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) expires on 15 November 2023. Since the end of MINUSMA, this mission stands now as the most important UN peacekeeping operation both in terms of budget ($ 1.26 bn) and staff numbers (17,885). Its priorities consist in protecting civilians, the rule of law and humanitarian aid, supporting the peace process, the implementation of the ceasefire and the reform of the security sector and the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation program.

The mandate of the MINUSCA expires on 15 November 2023. UN Photo

Like other UN missions, MINUSCA is criticized for the misbehaviour of some of its members. On the last 21 June, it decided to repatriate the Tanzanian blue helmets accused of sexual abuse like their colleagues from DRC and Gabon who were repatriated earlier for the same reason. Over the last few years, many other incidents occurred between MINUSCA and the local population. On 21 February 2022, four French soldiers of MINUSCA were arrested at the Bangui airport by the Central African Armed Forces (FACA). In November 2021, the presidential guard shot on a bus transporting Egyptian members of the UN Police and injured ten of them. During that month, the Portuguese Justice revealed that former MINUSCA members of the Portuguese Special Forces were involved in diamond trafficking.
These incidents contributed to deteriorate of the climate between local authorities and MINUSCA, especially after the deployment of 1,200 Wagner mercenaries in 2018 in the context of an agreement with Moscow. These mercenaries have been accused of human rights violations but they have also allowed the Bangui authorities to regain control of most of the cities of the country, point out analysts.

Rwandan peacekeeper in CAR.

MINUSCA’s future seems however less fragile than MINUSMA’s since its relations with Wagner and President Faustin-Archange Touadera are less tense than the UN relationship with the Malian leadership. Unlike in Mali, the blue helmets and Wagner are collaborating with each other, reported the French paper Libération on 5 July 2023.
A key element in the cohesion of the pro-government side in the CAR, is the presence of 2,100 Rwandan troops within MINUSCA and the simultaneous presence of 1,200 Rwandan Defence Force soldiers alongside the FACA in the framework of a bilateral agreement between Bangui and Kigali. Unsurprisingly, all these Rwandan soldiers communicate with each other, which helps to avoid incidents.
A strategic alliance has been set up by Presidents Touadera and Paul Kagame, which goes beyond military services. More than 100 Rwandan companies are registered in the CAR in a number of activities including transport, logistics, tourism, agriculture and real estate. A subsidiary of the Rwandan Crystal Ventures holding has obtained a 25 years concession to open five mines, whereas another company called Afrika Oko is active in the gold and diamonds sectors. To some extent, Rwanda and Wagner have a vested interest in maintaining a working relationship to preserve stability and thereby their respective businesses. (The Egyptian contingent of MINUSMA, based in Douentza in the Mopti region of central Mali. UN Photo/Harandane Dicko)

François Misser

Israel. At the Service of the Bedouin Communities.

Sister Lourdes García, a Mexican Comboni missionary, works in the Bedouin communities of Jahalin, in the Judean desert. Her testimony.

Assalamu Alaikum (‘Peace be upon you’) is the greeting with which we are greeted every time we visit the Bedouin communities in Palestine. Although the word ‘peace’ is part of the daily encounter, its experience remains a longing that rests in the hearts of many Bedouins. The constant threat of forced displacement by the Israeli government, as well as non-recognition by Palestine, leaves these Bedouin communities in a situation of exclusion, precariousness, and extreme poverty.
For twelve years the Comboni Missionary Sisters have been working in the Bedouin communities of Jahalin, located in the Judean desert. We started in the field of health, then in the field of education, with the creation of kindergartens, and finally in every community with training activities for women. The objective is to improve the education of children so that they can continue their studies, and to promote the integration of women in order to improve the quality of life in the different communities. All this with the help of different organizations that have supported various projects.
A small interreligious network is being created to reach the most vulnerable. My hope is that we can live and work together for the common good, with each one using the strengths of their own faith, whether they are Jews, Muslims, or Christians.

Sister Lourdes García: “To improve the education of children”.

Our faith is proclaimed through daily gestures and actions, putting to the test the evangelical values of welcome, respect, encounter, and generosity, which thus become reality. Bonds of closeness, fraternity, and affection have been created with our Muslim brothers and sisters. Living together the significant moments of their lives, I was able to know, in addition to their culture and their traditions, the intimate reality of these communities. The welcome they give us with their joy, generosity and simplicity make us feel at home from the first moment.
We communicate in Arabic, which we learn to be able to express ourselves. Personally, my communication is still limited, but I am very happy to share life with them and to learn from their simplicity and generosity. Every time I understand them a little more and realize that they too have managed to understand me, I see the grace of God that accompanies me and encourages me to be patient, because I know that through the language, I will get to know them better.

For twelve years the Comboni Missionary Sisters have been working in the Bedouin communities of Jahalin, located in the Judean desert.

We visit communities and families to learn more about their needs and this is a big challenge. During these visits, we have observed various realities, for example, that women get married very young and no longer continue their studies or training. Apparently, families prioritize boys; however, many boys do not continue their studies for various reasons, such as lack of means of transport, economic precariousness or simply because they devote themselves to herding sheep. Furthermore, the vast majority do not know English or Hebrew, which is why they have no opportunities to work outside their environment.
Our missionary commitment also continues with the small Christian community of El-Azariyeh, in the city of Lazarus. It is a small Christian community of about ten families. We meet every week to pray the rosary with the women, organize moments of prayer, and visit the sick.
It is a complex reality that we still have much to learn about and understand, but we are encouraged by a strong desire to continue the mission that the Comboni Sisters started more than a decade ago. Continuity with human promotion, through training courses for women and young people, is a concrete way to make them protagonists
of their own lives.

 

Towards the 2023 Synod. Synodality, a path of renewal and conversion.

The synod on synodality focuses on the call for interior renewal and constant conversion. To quote an African adage: “The one who does not dig his field dies of hunger”.

Life is like a seed. Those responsible should regularly check the soil for seed fertility, growth, and flowering. And this is also true in human growth. How can the synod on synodality remain fertile to bear fruit now and in the years to come? The Church is called to continuous purification, recognizing that humanity is a work “in progress”. Neither the person nor the Church is a finished product.
Serious reform is needed above all in the most critical and challenging areas: the renewal of religious life, the role of women in the life of the Church, attention to the little ones and the poor, etc.

A true change of heart requires that we operate in the “Jesus style”. A Church that knows on the one hand to listen to and accompany those who have been victims of abuse, without fear of following the path of radicalism against abuse and on the other recognizes the great contribution of women, the rights of children and the rights of those who find it difficult to clarify their identity and personality.
Jesus’ teachings revealed the face of a loving God in whom we can all recognize ourselves as his sons and daughters. The Lord said, “I have called you by name, and you are mine.”
The proof of our being Christians should be manifested primarily in our love for others, starting with the least privileged. The synodal renewal can be inspired by a second African proverb: “Firewood tied up in a bundle does not break”.By walking and working together we can support each other, learn from each other and encourage and animate God’s people in their struggles, fears and hopes.

As a synodal Church, we should work for the good and happiness of all. Such an approach requires a new way of looking at the Church so that it truly appears as the body of Christ where every member is respected and ideas are listened to and welcomed with an open mind. Christ did not come to condemn the world. And with his life and his death, Jesus demonstrated that he did not intend at all to form a club of “perfect people and successful people”. Rather, as Pope Francis has said, the Church should be a field hospital available to tirelessly treat the wounded and suffering.
The fundamental mission of the Church is the announcement of the Good News of Salvation. This message will attract when those to whom it is announced will see the love of a merciful God the Father reflected in our message: the means is the message. If we are arrested for our faith, will there be enough evidence to convict us? We will be successful in our endeavours if we show in our actions what we say in our words.
There is nothing more inviting to a person than being well received and welcome. Despite our weaknesses and the prejudices that often condition us, we can let God’s love shine like a bright light for the benefit of those we meet. We must forcefully and incessantly nourish this light source.

Marcel Uwineza sj
Kenya

Peru. The Ashaninka Ancestral Wisdom. Their Sensory Awareness.

An indigenous ethnic group, the Ashaninka live in the central forest of the Ucayali department in the Atalaya province of eastern Peru.
The children learn not only from practice but also through
feeling and listening.

The Ashaninka children do not learn through theory but by daily practice from an early age: the boys still barely standing on their own legs already drag the machete and accompany their fathers to work, and the little girls watch their mothers weaving or cooking and try to imitate them. The Ashaninka parents seldom explain how to do something to their children, who learn from practice. It is normal, among this ethnic group, that 3–4-year-old boys accompany their fathers to work and learn by watching and by practicing. The girls learn by playing how to make a fire or how to cook cassava in cans of tuna or milk, which are the staple foods among this community.

The little girls watch their mothers weaving or cooking and try to imitate them. (Photo Swm)

Between the ages of 12 and 13, the Ashaninka boys have already demonstrated their knowledge of those tasks that are mainly performed by the men of the community such as: building, even if just a tiny house, or preparing a small piece of land for growing crops. Young teens have also to show that they are able to hunt and fish, basically they have to demonstrate that they are able to live on their own and can rely on their own skills. In the same way as the boys, the Ashaninka girls have to learn how to do chores. Being able to cook cassava, whether boiled or roasted, shows that a girl masters the necessary knowledge for a woman. Therefore, the Ashaninka children, boys and girls, learn by practicing, they do not need to learn through all those theories which are typical of modern education. The Ashaninka learn also through feeling and listening; for example, when they are hunting, they are able to feel the presence of an animal and to understand how far it is. It is not just a question of hearing, or smelling, or seeing but they can ’feel’ through all their senses interacting together.

The Ashaninka learn also through feeling and listening; for example, when they are hunting, they are able to feel the presence of an animal and understand how far it is. (Photo Swm)

And when the right moment to attack the animal has arrived, they do not have to think or plan or reflect, they just feel it and act consequently.  Therefore, any explanation is superfluous.
Indigenous knowledge is based on sensory awareness, on the experience of feeling, explanations are secondary.
Besides, reflecting on what is necessary, or planning how to act, would break the interrelation between these people and their environment, it would interfere with their skill to feel the nature surrounding them. The Ashaninka learn and act spontaneously and intuitively. They get acquainted with their environment through experience.
Learning, among the Ashaninka, is also connected with their spirituality. According to their worldview, the world has been created by a superior being, Tajorentsi, who lives in harmony with other spiritual beings. The ‘shiripiare’ (healer) is the one who is in charge of transmitting the Ashaninka spiritual knowledge through rituals. Knowledge is transmitted throughout this ethnic group with the purpose of generating, nourishing, and protecting life.

Jhonny Mancilla Pérez  

Uganda. “Giving our lives to the people of Karamoja”.

For over a hundred years, the Comboni Missionaries have been working in north-eastern Uganda. “Being a missionary here means living side by side with the people, knowing their language and culture, and, if necessary, giving one’s life for them”. This is what Father Longinos López Fernández, from Spain, and Father Germano Joaquim dos Santos Serra, from Portugal, both working in Karamoja, said. We met them in Karamoja.

Located in north-eastern Uganda, the Karamoja region is one of the poorest in the country. It is a region traditionally inhabited by groups of pastoralists – called Karimojong – who frequently stray into neighbouring Kenya, giving rise to nomadism that easily becomes a source of tension and violence.The region is also the site of important pastoral work since the Christian faith arrived there, thanks to the courage and daring of the Comboni missionaries, whose work continues to this day. The faith is also ensured and strengthened, thanks to the presence of local catechists who guarantee its transmission, always combining it with local tradition and culture.

Elanyangikoi is the name by which Father Longinos López Fernández is known among the Karimojong.

Elanyangikoi is the name by which Father Longinos López Fernández is known among the Karimojong. When he was still a deacon, he was sent to Karamoja for pastoral work experience. One day, he was on his way in a pick-up truck to visit a village. The car was overloaded with people.
All of a sudden, the vehicle found itself in the middle of a raid by a group of warriors from a neighbouring ethnic group, who had come to steal cattle. Longinos still remembers that terrible event: “The only thing I thought to do was to step on the accelerator as much as I could and get as far away as possible from that hell, following the direction taken by the fleeing people. He had never heard gunshots in his life except on television and in the cinema. In the attack one person was killed.
The other passengers and locals commented on Longinos’ behaviour like this: “Apa elanyani ngikoi” [“father outran (in speed) the bullets”]. Since then, Longinos has been Elanyangikoi to everyone. In Karamoja, the work of the missionaries is carried out in harmony with that of the local clergy. The Church’s presence is characterised by a real closeness to the people, made up of direct contact with the persons who live in traditional villages, where ancestral traditions and ancient ways of life still persist.

Karimojong elder. The Church’s presence is characterized by a real closeness to the people.

Father Longinos says: “We Comboni missionaries are called to evangelise by giving our lives to these people, without expecting anything in return. On the other hand, a missionary who is not prepared to live like the people of the place where he is sent, literally getting his hands dirty and working hard to build something tangible as well, is most likely not a ‘good missionary’, because he will always be perceived by the people as someone who is out of touch with their surroundings. Life in the villages is very different from what one finds in the city. Those who come here to help must adapt to the way of life of the locals. Whether you are a white man or an African, it matters little: you have to fit completely into the environment and grow with those who live there.”
To be a missionary in Karamoja, it is indispensable to possess the local language. The study and preservation of this ancient language owe much to two Comboni missionaries, authentic pioneers in this field: Father Bruno Novelli and Father Mario Mantovani, both of whom have been in heaven for years. Today, this important work is carried on by a Portuguese Comboni missionary, Father Germano Serra.

Father Germano Serra. Since his arrival in 1984, he has never stopped studying both the culture and the Karimojong language.

He arrived in Uganda in 1984 and immediately became part of the local culture, well received by the local population. Since his arrival, he has never stopped studying both the culture and the Karimojong language, also trying to preserve and spread it, preventing its disappearance. It can be said without a shadow of a doubt that this has always been one of his missionary goals. And it continues to be so.
Father Germano is proud of his passion for the Karimojong language, which he intends to safeguard at all costs. To this end, he has even opened websites and blogs where only this language is allowed, and people take part in them, competing to see who can show off the best Karimojong. A Karimojong dictionary and grammar are now accessible on the Internet, and it is possible to enrich and deepen them. Father Germano is happy here. He says he would not mind ending his days in Karamoja.We had the opportunity to visit a village in Losilang parish, pastorally cared for by Joseph Lokedin, a diocesan priest. We were greeted festively by the people, who took to dancing in their typical way: the dancers perform prodigious ‘high jumps’.

They build bricks following the traditional method.

The people of the village are very generous towards their pastor. The parish community has also started an income-generating project: they build bricks following the traditional method, handed down by the elders. Although we are in the 21st century, these bricks work wonderfully here and are in great demand.
The courageous commitment shown by the Comboni missionaries working in this region undoubtedly owes its origin to their specific vocation: to give their lives to Africa. But their commitment is also nourished by the example of those who have paid for this evangelising work with their blood.
We went to see the tomb of Father Mario Mantovani, also visited by many visitors today. Father Mario was one of the pillars of the evangelisation work in Karamoja. He was one of the first to specialise in the study of the local language, writing two grammars and a specific study on the verb, and compiling a voluminous vocabulary. Even today, all those who want to work here make use of these three volumes.
One day, Father Mario was travelling with  Kiryowa Godfrey, a young Ugandan Comboni brother. Their car was attacked by a large group of raiders (over 300) and the two were riddled with bullets. Before them, 11 other Comboni missionaries had shed blood in Uganda, victims of the violence that here often takes the form of robbery or raid.
In this place whose culture is more than unique and where few foreigners can boast of actually owning the language, Comboni missionaries and sisters are working today. They have come here to give their lives to these wonderful people.  (Ecclesia)

Progress in the Tourism Sector.

The economy of the Dominican Republic is a liberalized, open, and strongly export-oriented economy.

For about a decade, it has been experiencing a phase of expansion, becoming one of the fastest growing in Latin America and the Caribbean, as evidenced by the estimates of the World Bank. The engine of this growth, which generated an increase of 4.9% in real GDP in 2022, is provided by the tertiary sector and in particular by the hotel, bar and restaurant sector; however, it is also derived from the positive situation of macroeconomic influences such as the decrease in oil prices, and the increase in the price of gold, which the country possesses in substantial quantities, together with silver and nickel.
The extraction of bauxite was halted some years ago.In fact, the World Bank also informs us that the tourism sector grew by 24% in the same period, supported both by an active anti-Covid vaccination campaign put in place by the Government and by the consequential recovery of global tourism and expansive budget policies.

Dominicus Beach at sunset in the Dominican Republic. 123rf.com

Economic growth is generating an increase in the middle class and, therefore, it is hoped that there will be a reduction in the still prevalent poverty and inequality. To date, in fact, the growing sectors have not yet managed to support the creation of quality jobs or the quality of basic goods and services. Furthermore, there is a massive transfer of population towards the cities, to the detriment of rural areas forced to suffer growing impoverishment.
In the last 15 years, the urban population has increased by 50% and the country has gone from an agricultural society to being dominated by large metropolitan areas. The World Bank said that the country is grappling with rising inflation which obviously affects the livelihood of the population, especially those already exposed to the effects of poverty. Structural reforms have been launched in recent years to consolidate stability through measures such as constitutional reform, reform in the energy and water sectors, public-private partnerships, and anti-corruption initiatives.These factors, together with the geographical position and the high infrastructural development of the country should attract further foreign direct investments in the coming years and support growth potential in the medium term.

Aerial photo of the Punta Cana Airport. The Dominican Republic has 9 international airports.
CC BY-SA 4.0/ Doodybutch

The central position is, in fact, perfect for international companies looking for easy access to North and South America, especially the United States. They are favoured by the infrastructural system of the country which is suitable for supporting global trade and which is the best in the Latin American area as recognized in 2019 by the ‘Global Competitiveness Report’, published by the World Economic Forum. This network includes 9 international airports, 12 seaports, and over 20,000 kilometres of highways and roads. Manufacturing and commercial companies can reach the States in 3 days by sea and 2 hours by air. In addition, call centres and other service-oriented businesses are located in the same time zone as the East Coast of the United States, which would be a significant advantage in terms of business development opportunities. To this, we must add the strong support given by the Government through the free zone regime and the 79 industrial parks which have already attracted a large number of companies due to highly competitive services. Of these companies, those that produce medical devices represent the largest category of industries in the country.
Currently, there are 33 manufacturers including B. Braun, Cardinal Health, Baxter Healthcare, and others. The electronics segment is also present within these platforms with approximately 22 companies possessing distinct capabilities such as the production of intermediate components and the assembly of final products. There are also logistics parks created to facilitate activities such as storage, deconsolidation, packing, repackaging, labelling, re-labelling, distribution and re-export of goods and companies that have already established their centres include IKEA, Caterpillar, Rolex, Diageo, Evergreen, and others. Ultimately, companies looking to expand their global presence find in the Dominican Republic one of their best allies.

Tobacco field. 123rf.com

As far as the primary sector is concerned, the main crops, mostly destined for foreign markets, are sugar cane, widespread in the southern coastal plain and produced using manpower provided by Haitian labourers. Coffee is another of the predominant crops for the island’s economy and is grown on the slopes of the Sierra de Bahoruco and on the Samana peninsula, while cocoa and tobacco are produced on all the inland plains. Also widespread is the production of rice, corn, and cassava, mostly intended for internal consumption.
The agricultural sector is also linked to the industrial sector concentrated essentially in the transformation of products and whose fabric is made up of sugar factories, tobacco manufacturing and rum distilleries. However, the processing techniques, if we exclude the larger companies, are still not very industrialized and dependent on the use of animals and outdated means. Another important sector for the local economy is that of the forests from which discrete quantities of rare timber and colouring products are extracted, but their intensive exploitation has led to a degree of impoverishment over the course of colouring the last decades. (Open Photo: 123rf.com) – F.R.

Ghana. ‘Hogbetsotso’, a Festival of the Exodus.

It is one of the indigenous festivals in Ghana celebrated by the Anlo people of Southern Ghana to commemorate the escape from the region of Notsie in Togo to their present abode in the Volta Region of Ghana between the 14th and the 15th centuries.

Hogbetsotso is a festival that reminds the Anlo people of their ancestry. It rekindles the bond of relationship that existed between them and other Ewe-speaking people and also affords the citizens the opportunity to appraise their development programmes in the past year. The festival is an occasion when the whole of Anlo is open to visitors and where the full cultural value of the people is put on display.
The term Hogbetsotso, according to history, was derived from three words from Ewe language spoken by the people of Volta Region- ‘Ho’, meaning to uproot or move, ‘Gbe’ meaning day and ‘Tsotso’, meaning crossing over. So literally, Hogbetsotso means the day the people rose up and moved out of Notsie. The Hogbetsotso Festival is also known as the Festival of Exodus. It stems from the Ewe word ‘Hogbe’ or ‘Hohogbe’, meaning the day of the Exodus.

Chiefs dress in very colourful regalia and sit in state to receive homage from their subjects. (Photo Anlo State).

This historic festival is a day that unfolds Ewe history and brings to play the memories of legendary exodus and heroic acts of men of boldness and their mystical powers that liberated the Ewe-Dogbo people from the rule of ‘tyrant’ King of Kings Torgbui Agorkorli of Notsie in Togo
by walking backward.
Notsie is seen as the place of a major exodus of the Anlo ancestry. In order to commemorate the exodus and the bravery of their traditional rulers who led them on the journey, the people created this annual ‘Festival of the Exodus’.  The Anlos are believed to have migrated from Southern Sudan to Notsie, their ancestral federated region (now within the territory of the modern State of Togo), and then to their current home on the eastern coast of Ghana in the late 15th century (1474). The Anlos initially resided in Yorubaland, close to the Benin-Nigeria border, before relocating to Notsie in central Togo, according to history.

Woman in traditional dress on her way to the festival. (Photo Anlo State)

The Hogbetsotso is celebrated in the month of November at Anloga, a town in the Southern Volta of Ghana which is the traditional and ritual capital of the Anlo State. Anloga, also a town marked by a meandering lagoon and golden sand beaches overhanging the Atlantic Ocean, is where the grand durbar is held on every first Saturday in November.  The celebration is divided into three activities: Peacemaking ceremony, Purification or ‘dodede’, and a Durbar. The festival is celebrated at Anloga by the Anlo people from Anloga, Keta, Abor, Vodza, Whuti, Dzita, Kedzi, Afiadenyegba, Srogbe, Alakpe, Konu, Atito, Atiavi, Tsiame, and Devegodo, among other villages.
The Anlo-Ewes begin the observance of Hogbetsotso with a period of peacemaking, during which any outstanding problems are resolved. On the last Thursday before the day of the durbar, the ritual performed is aimed at social reconciliation. This activity is aimed at reconciling individuals and groups within the 36 Anlo states. Known as ‘Nugbidodo’ meaning reconciliation, the residents of Anlo strive for peace among themselves at all times.
The belief is that the ancestors dislike unresolved disagreements and misunderstandings because they bring illness and impede development. To resolve any small squabbles, ‘nugbidodo’ is conducted among family members, lineages, clans, and traditional rulers. Moreover, it is widely believed that the Hogbetsotso festival will not be successful until this rite is properly executed.
‘Hanududu’ is one of the events that should not be missed by visitors. It is time when all married landlords give supplies for their wives to prepare meals, and an open house is hosted to that effect. The idea is that people who fight don’t eat together. As a result, this is organised to compel people to feast together, resulting in reconciliation amongst all parties involved and an expression of harmony among family members, clans, and the general public.

Hogbetsotso is a festival that reminds the Anlo people of their ancestry. (Photo Anlo State)

Another important ritual is the state cleansing and sanitation programme known as ‘Dodede’ and ‘Apekplorkplor’ which is also performed by recognised seers. These are events aimed at cleaning up the nearby area. This cleaning ceremony begins at the Volta Estuary and goes on for days until it finally reaches the Mono River in the Republic of Benin. An essential aspect of the festival is a durbar of chiefs and the people. Chiefs dress in very colourful regalia and sit in state to receive homage from their subjects.
The ‘dodede’ rite, which literally means ‘disease removal’, entails the eradication of ailments , as well as the expulsion of bad spirits, believed to be the source of these maladies.
‘Dodede’ is seen to be a good way for individuals to connect with the Supreme God (Mawu), the lower gods (trowo), and their ancestors (togbinoliawo), and it is a completely private rite. There are many other ceremonies associated with the festival, including a purification ceremony of the traditional stool and a period of general cleaning when the villages are swept and rubbish burnt, and dancing, singing, and general merry-making going on throughout the festival.

Children are on their way to the festival. (Photo Anlo State)

During the celebration of this festival, many art forms which contribute to the success and pageantry of the festival are exhibited. One of the most significant rituals that precedes the Hogbetsotso festival is a state divination which is performed by distinguished seers selected from major towns throughout the 36 Anlo States. Once the seers have announced the rituals that need to be carried out, the traditional priests perform the appropriate ceremony invoking the gods of the land.  After that, all the seers gather at ‘Atiteti’, one of the Anlo towns on the estuary of the Volta Lake to perform additional sacrifices.
A day is set aside to illustrate how the hostages’ departure or escape was orchestrated. To deceive the king and his elders, the departing party marched backward, giving the impression that they were approaching rather than fleeing Notsie. The ‘Misego’ or ‘Husago’ dance, which is thought to be the vehicle for the exodus, is used to reenact this occurrence today during the Hogbetsotso.
The chiefs and the people of Anlo climax their month-long Hogbetsotso Festival with a grand durbar which attracts traditional authorities from other kingdoms, who are accompanied by large retinues of sub-chiefs and courtiers, amidst beautiful displays of art and culture. The durbar forms a significant part of the week-long Hogbetsotso festival which brings together all the chiefs and elders of Anlo-land at a colourful durbar to mark the annual event in the Volta Region. Due to the rich culture of the Hogbetsotso festival and its historical background, various Ewe cultural troupes from Benin, Nigeria, and the Diaspora have opportunities to put up performances to illustrate the migration of the Anlos from Notsie in Togo to their present location.
Drumming and dancing are essential components of any festival, and the Hogbetsotso is no different.
During the durbar, people from all around Ghana, the Diaspora, and foreigners gather in large numbers to express respect for the paramount chief, who had hitherto avoided public visibility.

The entire festival period is marked by singing, dancing and merry-making. (Photo: Ministry Of Tourism, Arts & Culture)

As it’s a cultural event, the chiefs of the Anlo people led by the ‘Awoemefia’ (Paramount Chief of the Anlo State), currently Torgbui Sri III dress up in colorful traditional clothing known as the regalia. They sit on a raised platform, addressing the Anlo community while locals watch over.  The entire festival period is marked by singing, dancing and merry-making. Born of age-old oral legend, the Hogbetsotso festival has been celebrated for generations.
The ‘Agbadza’, the traditional dance of the people of Anlo which is performed vigorously during the grand durbar of the Hogbetsotso festival. It is a way of expressing joy to their ancestors and gods. The ‘Agbadza’ is a staple during the Hogbetsotso providing a glimpse of the Anlo community’s culture and history.  Agbadza was formerly known as ‘Atrikpui’, which imitates the flying birds. Sometimes the people, especially the women, dance backwards while carrying their baggage with a stick in their hands and as they move, they watch from left to right to illustrate their departure from Notsie.
The women dress in a manner that reveals their backsides known as ‘Atufu’. Historically, it is said that that is where the women kept their most valuable possessions while embarking on their journey from Notsie. (Open Photo: The Awoamefia of the Anlo State, Torgbui Sri III. Anlo State)

Damian Dieu Donne Avevor

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