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Sudan. An incubator for young entrepreneurs.

The Comboni Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (CIEC) is an incubator for business that seeks to bring together the original ideas of young entrepreneurs and the world of business. A model capable of contributing to the development of Sudan. We visited the establishment.

A study conducted in 2018 by the Sudanese Association for Social Entrepreneurship has shown that 80% of young Sudanese wanted to leave the country. Their frustration was motivated by a disastrous political and economic situation that offered them no opportunities. Two years later, there are still doubts but many also hope that the present Sudanese revolution and the changes it may bring may change things for the better. In this context, initiatives like the Comboni Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (CIEC), gives the youth the opportunity to realise their entrepreneurial dreams without leaving Sudan.

Ali Musa, former CIEC director, remarks: “Once they have finished university, most of them are lost and do not know what to do because there is nobody to support them, so a centre like this may give them the energy and motivation to find their way in life and, at the same time, enrich society at large”. The notion is simple: “If you have an idea, the Centre will help you to realise it. In this way you find a job but you also create jobs and so contribute to development”.

First University Incubator
The roots of the CIEC go back to 2017 when the Institute of Research for Innovation and Development of the Italian National Council for research, the Aldo Moro University of Bari in Italy and the Comboni College of Science and Technology (CCST) of Khartoum began a project called INSO. Among its objectives was that of providing the students of advanced information technology the means to create their own activities.

A hundred and forty students from fifteen Sudanese universities participated and the project was supported by the Sudanese Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
In November 2018, a congress evaluated the experience positively and concluded that best way to give it continuity was to create incubators (hubs) of business in each university. However, not one institution decided to begin the initiative. The first to make a start was the Comboni College of Science and Technology (CCST) by promoting the first university activity of its kind in Sudan.
Part of the funds allocated by the INSO project was used to upgrade the CIEC lecture halls and provide them with suitable computers and furniture, while a Sudanese company, Tobacco International (JTI), promised to finance activities and to pay the salaries until the new hub became self-sufficient.

Ali Musa, former CIEC director.

According to former director Ali Musa, this may be achieved in four or five years, when the companies set up by the work of the CIEC start to contribute a small portion of their profits, initially set at 5%. For now, the students contribute a small sum of money because, as Comboni Missionary Fr. Jorge Naranjo, General Director of the CCST and principal promoter of the CIEC emphasises, “Experience teaches us that, if something is free, it is not appreciated; if you pay for it, you take it more seriously”.
The project was also set in motion with the collaboration of Valencia Polytechnic (Spain), which sent two experts who laid the foundations for the training scheme for the incubator system. Lastly, the first twenty young people began their training as entrepreneurs in June of 2019. No gender equality quota was laid down for candidate selection, but the majority of them were women. They were expected to have a good knowledge of English since many lecturers and leaders of seminars come from abroad and do not speak Arabic, the official language of Sudan.

Three phases
There are three phases in the training course. Father Naranjo sets great store by the first stage or ‘pre-incubation’, since, as he has seen, “The students come with good intentions and big ideas after finishing their studies but they do not know how to run a business or a marketing plan or business model and they have to acquire the theoretical knowledge every entrepreneur must have”. On his part, Ali Musa recognises that “In the first phase, the students do not interact much; it is only later that they discover the importance of teamwork since nobody can set up a business model without the support of others “.

The second phase, or ‘incubation’, consists in developing a product or a service, trying to see if it works, if it is profitable and suitable for society or whether to modify it and adapt it to the situation. When this part is completed, the third phase is begun, the ‘acceleration’ phase which consists in financing and setting up at least five of the best business models presented; and even more, depending upon the quality of the proposals and the ability of the CIEC to obtain funds.
The selection is made on the basis of social entrepreneurship criteria, with priority being given to the companies that create jobs in marginalised areas in the outskirts of Khartoum or Omdurman, to those that take a social need into account, respect the environment or promote a model with rotational financing. In seeking funds, the CIEC has, among others, the support of the Haggar Group, one of the most important entrepreneurial groups in Sudan.
During our visit to the CIEC we had an opportunity to speak with some students who were already looking into the question of how to make concrete their business model proposal. Rogaia Ibrahim, 24, dreams of opening a software problem-solving business in the information technology sector. Husna Musa, also 24, wants to create an interior design and decoration business: “I know it will be very difficult, especially due to the competition in this sector, but I will present original designs; it will be unique and I am sure I will succeed”.

The idea of Tasneen Tariq, 25, is to create a consultancy business to evaluate products. “I don’t know where to start. I need a sound starting point and the benefit of the experience of others who have already started to work, in order to take the right steps”.
In Sudan there are two other business incubators: 249 -Startups and Impact Hub Khartoum. Both were established shortly before the CIEC but in the private sector, with no ties to any university. All three keep in touch, exchanging experiences and sharing a database of quality instructors. They are deeply motivated by their desire to influence the universities and the government itself, so as to make possible the creation of incubators as a model for work that can become an important pillar for the socio-economic development of Sudan.

Enrique Bayo

Cyberspace in the New Geopolitical Balance.

Space has witnessed an intensifying level of economic-strategic activity as related to defense, protecting territory and other vital assets, which make it an arena for geopolitical competition.

In fact, today, Space has created a new paradigm, aside from the more familiar contexts of land and sea, against the backdrop of which major global actors compete. And it is in this very arena that China, Russia, India and Japan are trying to secure a dominant position, bolstering positions and skills and gaining ground over the United States, which had been the undisputed leader for years. The gap that opened after the end of the Russo-American space race, after a period of stagnation, has allowed new global players to develop space programs, resulting in technological advancement for the sector.

Increasingly frequent launches of satellites aim to allow both governments and corporations to control ever larger amounts of data, perhaps the most precious commodity of the third millennium. This is because the contest for extra-terrestrial space has become an essential priority due to new geo-strategic and military reasons as well as well as civilian concerns. This is especially true, considering that, today, defense systems, share ever more technology with civilian counterparts. Sectors such as telecommunications, terrestrial observation and navigation show that there is an obvious and valuable strategic value for space exploration in the context of new military developments.Undoubtedly, the space race is also justified by the fact that it represents a guaranteed development opportunity. For instance, countries like the United States (to mention one) whose investments in the sector have had almost entirely favourable effects in the medium-long term. Therefore, space exploration is returning to the spotlight, as established and emerging powers alike have unveiled ever more ambitious related goals and programs. It is in such a context that US Space policy has directed its efforts to deploy a manned mission to Mars as well as to capture asteroids in order to study their characteristics and assess their collateral risks. Meanwhile, the Russians want to establish a permanent Lunar base by 2030, even as China is preparing its own manned
mission to the Moon.

The determination that has characterized the space exploration sector’s emergence on the global scene has led some scholars to assert that we have reached the moment of great expansion in the space race as a reflection of the logic that “whomever shall control the space around the Earth, controls the planet, and whomever controls the Planet Earth determines the fate of humanity”. This is especially true, if we consider that the new powers – and China in particular – have become fully equipped to take on this new frontier, which now constitutes one of the essential factors of most advanced Nations’ economies: as demonstrated by rising financial investment flowing into the sector.
The first space exploration efforts, mainly in the second half of the 20th century through military satellites, were made to achieve intelligence objectives, increasingly refined, such as to develop observation techniques, espionage and strategic projection. Of course, the satellites of that era, in addition to having a shorter life cycle than current ones, were also less sophisticated, limiting their potential. They were most useful in photographing environments where it would otherwise been impossible to reach.Over time, in addition to rising military activity, there has also been an increase in civilian enterprise, thus transforming space exploration into an essential economic asset to support television and telecommunications through an ever-increasing number of specialized satellites.

Indeed, a number of concomitant factors have raised the perception that economic services are increasing. In this regard, consider the effects from satellite-based navigation (GPS) which has become an indispensable asset for superpowers that aim to deploy a ‘galaxy’ of dozens, or hundreds, of satellites to systematically survey every corner of the Earth. Such clusters of satellites ensure the provision of global telematics and countless related services in exchange for substantial profit – even from least developed populations. Not surprisingly, this has triggered a series of activities, some of which are already in progress and partially planned, which will become operational in the next few years. This has given rise to a veritable economy characterized by ever growing revenues and an expectation of a substantial increase – some economists predict tenfold growth – over the next few years.
As a direct result of this activity, data will increase exponentially. New applications will capable of generating unprecedented benefit. For example, agriculture alone will experience significant changes with implications for both farmers and consumers. (F.R.)

The Philippines. The Land of Natural Disasters.

Located in the rim around the Pacific Ocean dubbed “The Ring of Fire,” the Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries on earth. It is hard hit all year round by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, tropical cyclones and landslides.

“The Ring of Fire” – that is how scientists call that thin region of dynamic volcanic and seismic activities around the rim of the Pacific Ocean.  “The activity is the result of the movement of the tectonic plates, the surface crust on which our world is formed, which slowly grow and butt against one another causing cracks that allow deeper molten rock to rise to the surface through what we call volcanoes.  Any movement of the plates creates seismic activity we know as earthquakes,” wrote Lindsay Bennet in her travel book entitled Philippines.

Unfortunately, the Philippines  – a country with more than 7,600 islands – is located in this rim of what is sometimes called the circum-Pacific seismic belt.  Disasters are not waiting to happen; they happen every now and then.  As Kathleen Tierney, director of the Natural Hazards Centre at the University of Colorado, puts it: “The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone places on Earth.  They’ve got it all. They’ve got earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, tropical cyclones, landslides.”

Volcanoes
According to scientists, the Ring of Fire has 452 volcanoes and is home to over 75% of the world’s active and dormant volcanoes. The Philippines, for instance, has around 200 volcanoes scattered all over the archipelago. Fortunately, only 21 are considered active.
A volcano is considered active if it has erupted sometime within the last 600 years.  If a volcano has not erupted in 600 years, it is regarded as inactive (dormant).  There are also volcanoes which are considered extinct.The active volcanoes in the country, according to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), are Pinatubo in Zambales; Mayon in Legazpi City; Taal in Talisay, Batangas; Canlaon in Negros Oriental; Bulusan in Sorsogon; Smith, Didicas, Babuyan Claro and Camiguin de Babuyanes, all in Babuyan Island Group; Cagua in Cagayan; Banahaw in Laguna/Quezon; Iriga in Camarines Sur; Biliran in Biliran;
and Iraya in Batanes.

In Mindanao, the active volcanoes are: Ragang and Matutum, both in Cotabato; Hibok-Hibok in Mambajao, Camiguin; Calayo in Valencia, Bukidnon; Bud Dajo on Jolo Island; Musuan in Bukidnon; and Makaturing in Lanao.“Like ghosts and monsters, volcanoes can be scary when they erupt. They rumble, shake and spit out fire, steam, ashes, and rocks. But unlike ghosts and monsters, volcanoes are of this world. As such, they can be studied and understood,” commented the late Raymundo S. Punongbayan, who was heading Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) when he said those words.

One of the most famous volcanic eruptions happened in 1991 when Mount Pinatubo woke up from its deep slumber.  “Small explosions began the process on April 2 when a fissure broke at the summit and rumbling earthquakes were felt around the lower slopes,” Bennet wrote.  “On June 7, a dome was noted in the crater.”
“The first eruption started on June 12 but the volcano blew its cork, literally, on June 14, with two days of violent explosions that flung debris high into the atmosphere,” Bennet continued.  “The mountain lost 300 meters in height.”

Earthquakes
About 90% of the world’s earthquakes and 81% of the world’s largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire. “The Philippines suffers around 20 earthquakes a day but most are too weak to be felt,” Bennet wrote.
The Philippine Archipelago lies between two major tectonic plates: the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate, PHIVOLCS says. “Philippine Sea Plate is moving towards the Philippine Archipelago at the rate of about 7 centimetres every year,” they explain.  “The Eurasian Plate is being subducted along western side of Luzon and Mindoro at the rate of 3 centimetres per year except in Mindoro and northwest of Zamboanga where collision is taking place.”

At the intersection of the two aforementioned plates is the Philippine Fault Zone, “which decouples the north-westward motion of the Pacific with the south-westward motion of the Eurasian Plate.”  Movements along other active faults are reportedly responsible for the present-day high seismicity of the Philippine archipelago.
The worst earthquake to hit the country happened on July 16, 1990.  A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the densely populated island of Luzon, which killed an estimated 1,621 people with most of the fatalities from Central Luzon and the Cordillera region.
Baguio City, one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, was among the hardest hit areas.  It caused 28 buildings to collapse, including hotels, factories, government and university buildings, as well as many private homes and establishments.  Kennon Road, the main vehicular route to Baguio, as well as other access routes to the mountain city were shut down due to landslides. It took three days before enough landslide debris was cleared to allow access by road to the stricken city.

Typhoons
“The Philippines is considered to be one of the most storm-exposed countries on Earth,” said the website of the US Embassy in Manila.  “On average, 18-20 tropical storms enter Philippine waters each year, with 8 or 9 of those storms making landfall.”
The Philippines is located in the region which, according to the US National Hurricane Centre, is referred to as the northwest Pacific basin. Wikipedia shares this bit of information: “The majority of storms form between June and November whilst tropical cyclone formation is at a minimum between December and May. On average, the north-western Pacific features the most numerous and intense tropical cyclones globally. The Philippines receive a brunt of the landfalls, with China and Japan being impacted slightly less.”

The deadliest typhoon on record happened in 1881, when Haiphong hit the country killing about 20,000 people.  Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) left 6,241 people dead.  Uring (Thelma) in 1991 killed 5,956 people while Pablo (Bopha) snatched 1,901 people.
There is no month in the country that is free from typhoons. “About 95 percent of the tropical cyclones affecting the Philippines originate in the Pacific Ocean while the rest come from the South China Sea,” says the state-owned Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).A government report said that from 2010 to 2012, “the Philippines faced 46 typhoons and 1,019 non-typhoon-related disasters that affected more than 5.6 million families and caused around P93.13 billion in damages.”

Mitigating Natural Disasters
Despite being known as a disaster-prone country, most Filipino households are not prepared for such calamities and natural hazards.  That was the findings of a survey conducted by Harvard Humanitarian Initiative Disaster Net.
“Only 36% of respondents felt fully prepared in the face of disasters, while 33% reported that they were somewhat prepared when calamities strike,” wrote Inquirer reporter Jhesset O. Enano.  “The remaining third claimed that they were only slightly or not at all ready for natural hazards.”Disaster often recur in the same place – annually or with a gap of some years, according to Bob Hansford, disaster risk management advisor at Tearfund, a Christian relief and development agency.

In his article, “Managing disaster and building safer communities,” Hansford talk about the four things that happen when a disaster strikes: emergency response, rehabilitation, mitigation, and preparation.
“In the first few days and weeks after a disaster, there is a need for search and rescue, medical care, food, water, sanitation and shelter, as well as emotional support,” explains Hansford on what an emergency response is.Rehabilitation comes next.  “As the weeks pass, houses need to be repaired, water supplies restored, and livelihoods re-instated,” Hansford says.  “Rehabilitation is often called recovery.”Mitigation is closely linked to rehabilitation.
Examples include: stronger or raised houses, water pumps on raised platforms, alternative crops to cope better with flood or drought.  “Mitigation activities help to ‘build back better,’ making the community more resistant to future hazards,” he says.
Preparation is getting ready for the next disaster that comes.
For a storm or flood, it means establishing a warning system, setting aside food or water stocks, making ready an evacuation center or training volunteers.

Henrylito D. Tacio

 

Mali. A country in turmoil.

On 18th August 2020, a group of military officers took power in Mali, arrested President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita and other leading figures and created the Comité National pour le Salut du Peuple (National Committee for the Salvation of the People, CNSP) to rule the country.

The CNSP is led by Colonel Assimi Goita, head of Malian Special Forces. The borders were closed, and a curfew was imposed throughout the country.  As in 2012, the military (or at least some parts of it) subverted the democracy with the declared goal of saving the country, a country that was indeed in turmoil. But is a coup the solution? The instability in Mali was particularly evident in the south. Instead of inaugurating a new political phase, the April 2020 legislative elections brought insecurity. A political dispute on the attribution of some parliamentary seats led to massive protests in the capital Bamako and other cities. The protests were organized by a coalition of different groups, the Mouvement du 5 Juin-Rassemblement des Forces Patriotiques (5th June Movement-Rally of Patriotic Forces, M5-RFP), led by an influential but controversial Muslim cleric, Mahmoud Dicko.

Mahmoud Dicko, the influential Muslim leader.

M5-RFP asked for the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, and the dissolution of the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court. Dozens of people (the estimates vary according to the sources) died in the clashes between protesters and security forces. The international community mediated between government and opposition, with mixed results. In July, a new government was created, and the contested Constitutional Court was de facto dissolved. But the opposition was not satisfied and kept on asking for the resignation of Keita.
Therefore, after a period of calm, protests recommenced.
During these weeks of turmoil, Mahmoud Dicko took a sort of conciliatory stance toward the president. He repeatedly criticized Keita but never closed the door to him, so to speak. This was quite remarkable in comparison with the attitude of some of his allies in M5-RFP. But Dicko has been accused for years of promoting the Islamization of Mali at the expenses of its secular institutions.
Some members of M5-RFP are secular movements and are uncomfortable with the idea of paving the way to religious fundamentalism, as happened with the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
M5-RFP expressed support for the military coup and its supporters took to the streets to celebrate the change of regime. After a meeting with CNSP on 20th August, Mahmoud Dicko said he would withdraw from politics. But only time will tell which kind of relationship M5-RFP will have with CNSP. And a Dicko comeback cannot be excluded.

Hate-provoking in the centre
Before the coup, in central Mali the security situation was alarming, especially due to clashes between different ethnic groups, such as the Peuls and the Dogons.
The instability in recent years also damaged relations between ethnic groups in different areas of the country.

Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.

The Tuareg militia’s attempt to create an independent state in the north in 2012 brought the Tuaregs into opposition with other ethnicities. And it opened up the way to the claims of some groups, like the Peuls, living in central Mali. Within this community, some took up arms allegedly to defend their people from the abuses of Malian security forces, armed groups, and Jihadists. Some Peuls joined Amadou Koufa, an Islamic preacher who created the Katiba Macina (KM, known also as Macina Liberation Front), a Jihadist group linked to Al Qaeda. KM took its name from the Peul Empire in Macina, founded in the Nineteenth century. In West Africa, the Peuls are increasingly accused by parts of the population of being linked to Jihadist groups. The fact that some of them are Jihadists (and the existence of KM is proof of this) does not imply that all Peuls are Jihadists. But the populations increasingly see their long-time neighbours as a threat.
This is true in particular in the case of Dogons, who live in central Mali and have a rich cultural heritage (like the Peuls).

Colonel-Major Ismael Wague, centre, spokesman for the soldiers identifying themselves as National Committee for the Salvation of the People.

Tensions between nomadic Peul herders and sedentary Dogon farmers deteriorated in recent years, and the religious element brought violence to another level. Jihadists like Koufa preached among the Peuls to spread a radical vision of Islam that led to clashes with the Dogons, who are animists. According to an UN report leaked to the press in mid-August 2020, in their actions against the Peuls, the Dogon armed groups are supported by the Malian armed forces.
In the clashes in northern and central Mali many soldiers have died but, according to the UN, also the soldiers also killed many people.

Apparent calm in the north
In the north of Mali, the situation seems more stable. Undoubtedly, Jihadist groups still compete for power and the state is not able to enforce law and order there. In some towns public officers simply disappeared to escape violence. Armed groups (and among them Tuareg separatist militias) are the de facto rulers of the land. However, clashes have decreased in recent months. At the moment, separatists are not really putting pressure on the government on a military plane, because they are exploiting the tensions in the south to consolidate their power. Their goal is an independent state ruled by Tuaregs in the north. The more the turmoil in Bamako continues, the nearer that goal seems to be.

Mali. Security forces  in the capital Bamako.

At this time, Jihadists in the area seem more involved in conflict between themselves than in war against the institutions. On one side, there are the groups linked to Al Qaeda; on the other, those who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. According to some analysts, the members of Al Qaeda in Mali have started some sort of dialogue with Bamako. It is difficult to say if this initiative will bear fruit, but at least for now, it has produced a significant consequence. The Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (the Islamic State branch in the area) is attacking Qaedists.
The Algiers Peace Agreement (APA, signed in June 2015), reached with the support of the international community, was supposed to bring peace to northern Mali. but it basically remained on paper.
The past government and the groups that signed it accused each other of the stalemate.

The West African regional bloc (ECOWAS), led by Nigeria’s former president, Goodluck Ebere Jonathan, met with the junta in a bid to restore constitutional order in the country.

The problem is that, with all its faults (due to the lack of will in its implementation), the Algiers Peace Agreement is still the main chance to pacify this part of Mali. One key problem is that the APA is not known in its parts by most of the population. So, different political parties, especially in the south, exploit this lack of knowledge to denounce it as a first step towards the division of the country. Some members of the M5-RFP want to renegotiate it or refuse it as a whole. On the other hand, the CNSP claimed to respect the APA and to implement it.
The international community condemned the coup. In particular, some chiefs of state of the region were quite clear on this issue. But at least in the short term the world will have to deal with the CNSP. One of the key issues is that the CNSP promised free elections in a “reasonable” time and must be held accountable for that.
Even if the situation was deteriorating on multiple levels in Mali, at the moment the military coup does not seems the best solution to the problems of the country. It risks bringing more instability and more violence. And in the recent past the Malian military did not show particular ability in ruling the country.

Andrea Carbonari

 

Displaced Children. The Right to Education.

An entire generation of children globally have had their education disrupted due to the pandemic. Children who have been forced to flee their homes are at most risk. Ten reasons why we should support displaced children’s right to education:

1 – This emergency comes on top of an existing learning crisis.
Even before the Covid-19 school closures, more than 75 million children across the world’s crisis and conflict-affected countries urgently required support to access a good quality education.
Refugee children were twice as likely to be out of school as other children. Despite improvements in refugee enrollment rates, only 63 per cent of refugees were enrolled in primary school and 24 per cent in secondary education.

2 – Displaced children risk falling behind even further.
Children and young people who have been forced to flee their homes have often missed out on years of education already, due to war and conflict. Recent school closures due to Covid-19 will make them fall behind even further unless they get help. The pandemic risks creating a backslide in the small gains previously made, and creating a disaster for displaced children.

3 – Girls risk never returning to school.
Girls in displaced settings are particularly affected. UNHCR estimates that two out of ten refugee girls who are in secondary school are at significant risk of never returning to school following the Covid-19 school closures. We must act now to address the inequality and dire situation facing refugee learners.

4 – Child poverty will increase.
Alongside school closures, the physical distancing measures being implemented are having a significant impact on employment, putting a strain on family finances and the economy. This is likely to increase child poverty among the millions of children living in vulnerable communities all over the world. Save the Children suggests that up to 9.7 million children are at risk of dropping out of school due to rising levels of child poverty. Displaced children are at most risk.

5 – Early marriage is more likely.
As a result of the economic strain faced by vulnerable families, there is a risk that many children will not return to school because they have been forced into an early marriage. With increased pressure on household budgets and ongoing school closures, parents may decide their young daughters should marry. This may be more likely in contexts where marriage results in dowry payments or where girls are at risk of sexual exploitation, including in exchange for food, money, or shelter.

6 – Children will be forced to work.
There is also a risk that children will be forced into child labour to help their families make ends meet. Some of those at most risk are displaced children. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) the economic and social crisis will hit children particularly hard. An estimated 42–66 million children could fall into extreme poverty as a result of the crisis this year, adding to the estimated 386 million children already in extreme poverty in 2019.

7 – Health services and support systems will be lost.
The impact of school closures extends beyond disruption to children’s learning and carries other major risks to the most marginalised children, including refugees and those displaced within their own country. These children and young people rely on schools to access services such as health services (including deworming and malaria treatment), menstrual hygiene kits, child protection services; specialist support for children with disabilities, and mental health support.

8 – Children will be traumatised.
The Covid-19 virus is not only attacking our physical health, it is also increasing stress and suffering. Among the most vulnerable are refugees and internally displaced people, asylum-seekers and stateless people. Many of them do not know if they can feed their children and pay the rent. They may have been worried about their uncertain legal status, and may already have been through traumatic experiences during their flight. Schools offer a support network for many students and NRC even offers special programmes to help children deal with their traumas.

9 – Children are going hungry.
The meals and snacks provided at school are often a lifeline for the most vulnerable children, keeping them free from hunger, as well as ensuring they have the energy to fulfil their potential at school. The World Food Programme estimates that 352 million children globally are missing out on school meals because of Covid-19 school closures.

10 – Discrimination is a growing threat and global aid is declining.
In recent years significant efforts have been made towards the inclusion of refugee learners in national education systems. However, barriers to education persist and could potentially worsen due to the pandemic. There is also the worrying possibility that discrimination and xenophobia directed at refugee populations will increases, negatively affecting school enrolment and retention.

Roald Høvring
Norwegian Refugee Council

The economics of Pope Francis. The beauty of sharing.

Social themes, in general, and those economic, in particular, are at the centre of the pontificate of Pope Francis. There are three stages in his reflection on economics. The first is programmatic and contained in his first Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (EG – The Joy of the Gospel), the second is his choice of accompanying some innovative practices and the third is the courageous proposal contained in Pope Francis’ second Encyclical Laudato si’ (LS). He openly launches a challenge to rethink economics.

“This sort of economics kills”: the affirmation of Pope Francis in the encyclical Evangelii Gaudium (N.53), has caused various economists to start debating. For Pope Francis, it is not about economics as such which is a basic human activity, but about “these economics” that bring about social exclusion. An iniquitous social and economic system leads to the use of violence in uncontrollable spirals. Impoverishment and exclusion are the dramatic result of a consumer model of development, where the object of consumption is not only resources and things but people as well. We are faced, Pope Francis says, with “faceless economics” (EG 55).

The human being is seen just as an instrument. He is reduced to a consumer good, according to fierce throwaway logic. In this regard, Pope Francis takes the opportunity to explicitly contest the theory of the “favourable outcome”, according to which, in the free market, growth by itself would provide the answer to inequality. The riches produced should filter down into the whole of society and improve the lives of all. In reality, this opinion is not borne out by the facts and “expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralised workings of the prevailing economic system” (EG 54). The result is that the excluded remain excluded. And, above all, a “globalisation of indifference” is brought into action which leads to the inability to weep for the pain of others and to feel compassion towards the cry of the poor.
It is clear that the problem lies in the situation where money, instead of serving humanity, dominates and governs it according to its own interests. How can we fail to realise what is taking place in the field of work? Nothing is being done about youth unemployment, the uncertainty of contracts, repayment forms of assistentialism, violent blackmail that forces people to forfeit part of their salaries, corruption and the delocalisation of companies followed by social dumping.

This is a clear sign of the divorce between ethics and economics. They have become separated into two stages: the production of wealth and its distribution. The sad conclusion is the praise of philanthropy while justice leaves the scene. The extremely rich are lauded in turn, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, who create philanthropic foundations when it would be better to foster the independence of the two stages from the very start. Ethics must also calculate the productive stage, treasuring the value of the person as the protagonist in the economic sphere. They cannot content themselves with taking the field in the second half of the match, to distribute wealth already produced, even using doubtful methods. An adequate response must consist of a new mentality which starts from a different view of humanity and begins to dialogue with the poorest. Inclusion is possible only when we start to talk in terms of community, “the priority of the life of all over the appropriation of goods by a few” (EG 188). Solidarity is the ethical attitude capable of ransoming our humanity before doing so for that of the poor and the impoverished.

Second Stage, the social poets
It is the poor, the rejected and the marginalised who demand our attention. The Church of Pope Francis listens to their demands and organises their rebirth. It is a variegated world with such varied groups like Sem terra Brazilians and Argentinian Cartoneros, native Asian communities and those that are Latin American (e.g.: the Lenca of Honduras) or Africans (e.g., the Mufis: Union for Informal Sector-Malawi), women’s committees and popular soup kitchens, groups for water rights and of people who defend the environment and others that protect child workers, small artisans and hawkers, the workers of occupied factories and businesses turned into social centres, small farmers who incarnate family agriculture and members of cooperatives, the inhabitants of shanty towns and domestic carers.

These are movements that create work where there seems to be nothing but the “leftovers of idolatrous economics”.
In Santa Cruz in Bolivia, the Pope defined them as “social poets: creators of work, housebuilders, and food producers, especially for those on the rubbish heap of the world market”.
These movements emerge from a state of social marginalisation through the protagonism of work. They contest an assistential vision of their condition and assume in depth the ecclesial principle of the universal destination of goods.
They oppose transitory and occasional responses with dignified labour, constructive commitment, participated creativity and solidarity. Faced with the temptation to impose uniform models of consumption, the offspring of the throwaway culture, the poor are able to get organised. They feel they are part of the workings but as free people.

Third stage. Towards integral ecology
In Evangelii Gaudium we read: “In this system, which tends to devour everything which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenceless before the interests of a deified market, which become the only rule” (EG 56). This is the third stage in Pope Francis’ economics: to give a voice to creation, that gift of God in danger of being trodden down in the name of the idolatrous materialism of money, ready to marketise everything.

To have renewed economics, the encyclical Laudato si’ becomes fundamental as it is placed in the furrow of the social doctrine of the Church, taking up once more the theme of the universal ownership of good (cf. LS 93-95): “Whether believers or not, we are agreed today that the earth is essentially a shared inheritance, whose fruits are meant to benefit everyone. For believers, this becomes a question of fidelity to the Creator, since God created the world for everyone. Hence every ecological approach needs to incorporate a social perspective which takes into account the fundamental rights of the poor and the underprivileged” (LS 93).
This implies that the goods of the earth cannot be left to the advantage of just a few and it contests the form of injustice that support structures which tread upon the dignity of people. Hunger in the world is one of these. Waste, too, is a flagrant contradiction: there is sufficient food for all but there is no prudent method of distribution that enables everyone to have a place at the table of humanity. Waste calls for a double revenge in the eyes of the poor: it excludes them from what belongs to them and consumes multiple resources (such as water, energy, etc.) to produce what is thrown in the dustbin, to the detriment of all.

In this perspective, the evangelical and Christian view cannot but embrace the liberation of ideology from the privacy or absolute individual freedom that has dominated in the recent past. Today we gather the fragments of materialistic ideologies which offered a reductive view of the relationship between humanity and goods. Invoking a just insertion of the principle of the participation of all in the good of the earth is the work of justice in our time.
It is a matter of agreeing with the statement: “The worst discrimination which the poor suffer is the lack of spiritual care” (EG 200). Here there comes into play the dignity of believers who are called to render credible their passage through the world.
The encyclical Laudato Sì is not afraid to consider the primacy of politics over economics. Not in the name of a net separation but of a common service to life. Referring to a statement from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (CSDC), Pope Francis notes that, “The environment is one of those goods that cannot be adequately safeguarded or promoted by market forces” (n. 470). Politics and economics must go arm in arm together. The Pope calls for the courage to change the model of global development: this requires thinking of the meaning of economics and its purpose.

Pope Francis observes that “It is not enough to balance, in the medium term, the protection of nature with financial gain, or the preservation of the environment with progress. Halfway measures simply delay the inevitable disaster. Put simply, it is a matter of redefining our notion of progress. A technological and economic development which does not leave in its wake a better world, and an integrally higher quality of life, cannot be considered progress” (LS 194).
The search for a better quality of life does not necessarily correspond to the growth of the economy in terms of GDP: the signs of poor development are to be seen in the deterioration of the environment, in fragile relationships between people, in the depletion of resources and in the poor quality of food. Because of this, Laudato Sì warns against making sustainability into a version and a means to bring the ecological question within finance and technocracy.
In that way, the social and environmental responsibility of companies reduced us to publicity spots or image operations just as long as they continue making money. In reality, ecological conversion strives for economics that does not crush the person but values them for what they can contribute to the common good.

The three stages demonstrate a well-defined journey: an analysis of the situation with its contradictions; a glance at good practices; and the proposal for an economy that is in close connection with ecology. It is fundamental to examine the models of development that are incapable of justice. It is not easy but the Church of Pope Francis has set in motion an unstoppable process. An economy that is an alternative to that which is materialistic and consumeristic which must be redesigned with courage. Social innovators are required who are creative and able to make us dream. The mere glance of justice makes us see reality in a different light. However it may be, it is easier to understand it than to live it. To implement it, we need to encounter the beauty of sharing. The ‘perfect happiness’ of the Third Millennium.

Bruno Bignami/MO 

Suez. Present Uncertainty and Future Strategy.

The Suez Canal has always been strategically important for Egypt and the whole area. Before the end of 2023 it is planned to widen the canal which will allow an increase in daily ship traffic, with important consequences for trade and profits.

The strategic importance of the Suez Canal has ancient roots. Works to join the Mediterranean to the Red Sea were undertaken by the Persians and the Egyptian Pharaohs, to connect the two great water basins of the Middle East, but were never completed. It was in 1859 that, under the direction of the Frenchman Ferdinand de Lesseps, the project of the Italian Luigi Negrelli was carried out, bringing Egypt to share ownership of the Canal with more than 20,000 French shareholders. The work certainly facilitated the European colonisation of Africa (the time necessary to reach the Horn of Africa by ship was more than halved) and increased the amount of merchandise from the Far East.

Building of Suez Canal Authority in Port Said, Egypt.

Following the indebtedness of Egypt towards Britain in connection with the storage of goods, a significant share in the Canal was sold to the British Crown which then took control of the Canal, reorganising and increasing Canal traffic. The situation remained unchanged until the nationalisation of the Canal by President Nasser and the subsequent conflict (Suez Crisis). The last conflict in the region (Six-day War) resulted in the arrival of UN forces and, later, of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) to guard the area around the Suez and allow the free transit of goods and the economic business of the region.

Resource for Egypt
From Suez on the Red Sea to Port Said on the Mediterranean, more than 10% of world commercial sea traffic flows, making the area a cardinal point for world transport and communications. In the first two months alone of 2018, 2,724 ships carried 150 million tons of goods: impressive statistics that show how important the control of the passage between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean is. Progress in naval technology led to larger cargoes and the need for enlargement both in terms of depth and of width for greater manoeuvrability in the Canal.

In this regard, in August 2015, the work of widening the Canal was hurriedly completed by al-Sisi, showing the need the Egyptian President had to regain popularity after a long period of government uncertainty due to the Arab Spring of 2011. However, this recent redoubling has not been lacking in harsh criticism since this recent project, and the construction of the new administrative capital (costing up to 300 billion dollars), are seen as Pharaonic works in a country where, according to the World Bank, ‘60% of the population live in poverty’.
The foreign debt is more than 90 billion dollars and economic growth is slow (inflation stands at 14,4%.).

The future of maritime commerce
About 7% of oil sold for sea transport and 13% of LNG (liquefied natural gas) passes each year through the Suez Canal. Canal authorities expect, before the end of 2023, a further increase in the average daily traffic of ships (from 49 cargo vessels to 97 daily) and of profits (increasing 10-12 billion dollars from the present 5 billion).

The area represents the only route for the passage of crude oil and LNG to Europe and the Atlantic. The alternative would be to circumnavigate Africa, with the consequent increase in transportation costs. The work of widening the Canal, which cost 14 billion Euro, has, in fact, cut the journey between Europe and India by 7,000 Km. Furthermore, with the deepening of the Canal (dredged to a depth of 24 metres), the latest container ships will be able to pass through. At present, they are forced to sail around the Cape of Good Hope.

This pharaonic project will lead to the overall growth of the region, creating a million jobs in the next ten years, due to the construction of new road and rail tunnels and new port areas. These most recent developments will change forever the world of international shipping. In the near future we shall see ever larger container ships in the Mediterranean. So, too, the Asian shipyards such as those of Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong will develop ever larger ships, no longer fearing damage to the bed of the Canal which is now ready to increase its flow of traffic.

Alssandro Manda

China. The Great Game.

The logic used by super powers in space is not an exclusively competitive one. In fact, there is a very rich level of cooperation between them, due to the fact that, unlike the case of economic competition, scientific research requires synergies.

In this regard, the ESA (European Space Agency) is a good example of cooperation between various powers, given fruitful relations with Russia, the United States, Japan, India and China.
The scope of cooperation, however, does not exclude, as was said, tight competition in the business arena. The example of China and its struggle to sell rocket launchers is revealing. Has hard as it tries to penetrate that market, China encounters international resistance, because the Europeans and Americans, who have invested formidable sums in this sector, try to protect their markets, barring new entrants (offering lower cost products) from entry, using the argument of national security. In fact, there is a fear that the Chinese may invade the markets. There exists a veritable business dynamic such that the ability to collaborate and compete is part of the big game.

In the context of this competition, where the business element plays an important role-even as defense and security aspects are fundamental-development has been quick, stimulating changes in roes among the various countries. If you look at classic space exploration (the kind involving astronauts, space stations and large infrastructures), progress of new actors has come at a slower pace compared to the historic leaders of Russia, the United States along with Europe, Canada and Japan. And that kind of space exploration remains the standard of reference. However, China, over the course of 15 years, has put two different kinds of space stations into orbit – and is trying to build the third one – eroding the gap in a substantial way.
In 2018, China launched more satellites than any other country, clearly demonstrating that it is second to none when it comes to building space exploration services, functions and infrastructure. And, although the satellites are not equipped with the very highest technology, they are of sufficiently good quality and effectiveness to deliver the desired result.

China’s first astronaut Yang Liwei waves on Oct. 16, 2003 after landing on the Inner Mongolian grasslands of northern China.

China, which has surpassed Russia in the space exploration sector, now competes directly against the United States given the amount of investment, the number of launches, the infrastructure sent into orbit, the observation of the Earth and the collected data. Even as China does not have the sensors that can observe and measure the Earth at close distance, it can rely on sheer quantity, sending a number of satellites into orbit, which observe from a larger distance. By functioning in a coordinated manner, these satellites can achieve the same results as those operating from a closer distance.
China’s experience shows that when it comes to space, the important aspects are simply to be present, to be there, relying on basic but reliable technology, which does not have to be the best. It merely has to be good enough to ensure the production of launchers that work, deploying available technological and financial resources intelligently. Still, China has managed to deploy the first ever (as far as civilian ones are concerned) Quantum telecommunications satellite ever made, demonstrating with how far its own technology has reached.

The Long March-5 Y3 rocket, China’s largest carrier rocket, takes off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Wenchang, Hainan province, China December 27, 2019.

In 2019, Beijing, as part of an ambitious scientific exploration program, executed an unprecedented lunar orbit with the Queqiao satellite while the Chang’e-4 probe landed on the Dark Side of the Moon to measure its magnetic field. This mission has disruptive geopolitical implications. Beijing’s investments in the aerospace sector are part of “Made in China 2025” – a gigantic research and development, plan to boost research and industrial production in aerospace, robotics, digital information, agriculture, medicine and alternative energy – such as marine renewable energy based on waves. By 2030, the goal is to shift China away from the current model of low-cost mass production toward high value. This plan, along with the One Belt Road Infrastructure Development Project intend to allow the Chinese economy to take the final quality leap.
The current Chinese space effort has already reshaped the geopolitical framework in the region, prompting Japan to change its constitutional order, in order to be able to equip new space systems for military purposes. In a related move, Tokyo transferred jurisdiction over its JAXA Space Agency away from the control of the ministry of Education to that of the prime minister, placing it within a special office.
And then there is India, which has also invested heavily into advanced research and production centres for launchers and satellites – entirely built by its own technicians.
The Indian government space agency ISRO has made enormous strides in both military and civilian space exploration. In 2019, New Delhi carried out a test to shoot down a satellite in orbit, thus placing itself at the level of technological superpowers. Recently, India has also shown a growing interest in a project to study the possibility of deploying nuclear power plants in space. The aim is to experiment new orbiting energy production technologies to reduce India’s excessive dependence on imported energy sources.

China launched its first mission to Mars on July 16, 2020.

Meanwhile, China launched its first mission to Mars on July 16, 2020. Tianwen-1 was launched from Wenchang towards the red planet on a voyage that will last until next year. China’s mission aims to conduct a global survey of the planet, including studying its geological structures, surface characteristics and climate. The orbiter is packed with seven scientific instruments, and the rover has six more. These include several cameras, subsurface radar and a spectrometer. A magnetic-field detector on the rover could gain valuable insights into Mars’s past magnetic field, which would have shielded the planet from radiation, says Flannery. And its ground-penetrating radar will help discern some of the geological structures just below the surface of the planet. (F.R.)

Benin.”The Man with the Golden Hands”

On the edge of the on the border between Niger and Burkina Faso, the Fatebenefratelli friars have been providing medical services to the people of Atakora plateau. Brother Fiorenzo Priuli, director of the St. Jean de Dieu Hospital spoke to us about his experience as a both missionary and an orthopedic surgeon.

The city of Tanguieta, in northern Benin’s arid Atakora highlands – the most mountainous region of the country – has a population of 60,000. In the 1970’s, the Order of the Fatebenefratelli (Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God), opened the St. Jean de Dieu hospital. Brother Fiorenzo Priuli, the facility’s current director, recalls: “It took hard work and much patience to earn the people’s trust. Most locals sought the advice of sorcerer-healers, by virtue of their religious convictions. But, most of all, people were wary of the novelty that white people had introduced.” But, there was a turning point between 1979 and 1980, when a terrible measles epidemic killed thousands of children within a few months. “It was then that people noticed that those who came to the hospital were cured, and then they started to come regularly”.

Brother Fiorenzo, a surgeon, has been a missionary in Africa for the past 50 years, earning the esteem at both institutional and popular levels within and beyond the borders of Benin and Togo. At the young age of 23, Brother Fiorenzo obtained a professional nursing diploma and immediately left for Afagnan, a remote village in Togo, where the Fatebenefratelli founded a hospital in 1964.
From the beginning, Fra Fiorenzo proved to be tireless, always full of dedication while caring for malnourished children, or working in the lab, radiology and the operating room.
Such was the level of the dedication to his mission that he contracted a serious form of tuberculosis, which forced to return to home to Italy for treatment. But even such a serious illness was unable to break Brother Fiorenzo’s mission. During his convalescence at the Hospital of Sant’Orsola in Brescia, he took up medical studies at university in order to become even more useful to his patients in Africa, whom he has always kept in his heart.

After the hospital in Tanguiéta opened in 1970, Brother Fiorenzo split his service between the Togolese and the Beninese hospitals. He graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Milan in 1979, specializing in orthopedics, and he became one of the world’s first to perform surgery on patients suffering from polio related leg paralysis, allowing them to walk again. Such is his talent as an orthopedic surgeon that Brother Fiorenzo has earned the nickname: ‘The man with golden hands’, treating thousands of children suffering from polio, allowing them to walk and smile again. Nevertheless, Brother Fiorenzo also earned a strong scientific reputation. After studying traditional African medicine, becoming an expert, he discovered that a species of shrub native to West Africa, known as kinkéliba, can be extraordinarily effective in treating HIV-positive patients. He invented the “self-recovery cone”, patented by the World Health Organization (WHO), to recover blood during hemorrhages and re-inserting it to patients. Indeed, the WHO often invites him to lecture in Geneva on a special form of ulcer, considering him a world expert on the topic. Surgeon, hepatologist, internist and educator: despite his busy schedule, Brother Fiorenzo has also been tireless in transmitting his renowned surgical skills to his African colleagues at the University of Lomé (Togo) and Parakou (Benin). It’s no wonder, that among several international recognitions, Brother Fiorenzo was also awarded the French Legion of Honor. And still the missionary and surgeon has lost none of the humility and affability that drove him to become a missionary in Africa in the first place.

After 12 hours spent in an operating room, Brother Fiorenzo was finally free to talk to us: “Being a surgeon in Africa is an incredible experience. We live between the gratification for the lives we manage to save and the despair for situations where we can’t do anything – and which could have had a different outcome, had we managed to act sooner, or if we were operating in a Western facility.”
The Hospital’s beating heart is the pediatric ward. It’s a veritable refuge for suffering children.  The pediatrics department has room for 105 patients, but there are always 150 mothers: they place a mat on the corridor floor in order to stay close their sick children. In addition, we set up an intensive care unit with room for 23 cots for sick newborns or babies born prematurely. As we have a shortage of thermostatic cradles, Angela Sosa Gonzalez, a Colombian nurse who has lived in Tanguietà for seven years, introduced baby carriers, allowing mothers help their premature babies growing by holding them tightly against their chest. It was in fact in Bogota, Colombia that neonatologist Edgar Rey Sanabria invented the very technique of ‘marsupiotherapy’, or Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), in 1970. Now, this ‘skin to skin contact’ treatment for premature newborns is better known as natural incubation. Studies have shown that marsupiotherapy helps premature newborns develop well both physically and psychologically.

Closely linked to the Pediatrics department, is the Nutritional Centre, where children, saved from the disease, convalesce and gain back their strength. Meanwhile, the Centre offers the mothers instruction into how to make the most nutritious baby food possible. The mothers are given food supplies when they are discharged, allowing them to more easily resume their lives in the villages. Overall, the San Jean de Dieu hospital now boasts over 220 beds. The patients admitted, surgeries performed and outpatient services offered on an annual basis number in the thousands. The WHO has identified it as a model to help train healthcare teams in Benin and Burkina Faso. The Centre also functions as a graduate school for students, as a reference center for 17 dispensaries in the surrounding areas, periodically carrying out vaccination campaigns for tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles and meningitis.

The Fatebenefratelli Order has worked for centuries in treating the sick. Its very founder, San Giovanni di Dio, built the first hospital in Granada in 1539, after becoming appalled at the reality of how the marginalized poor were left to themselves. Since then, the Fatebenefratelli’s activities have only grown. Today, the order has a presence in 13 countries in Africa, 11 in Central and South America, eight in Asia and 16 in Europe and North America. The Order can count on a total of 387 facilities with different services, including 84 are hospital centers, 59 basic health, 64 for mental disorders, 68 for the physical disabilities, 39 for the elderly and 73 for social care. In 2017, the Fatebenefratelli had a total of 38,994 beds, allowing for 1,003,210 hospitalizations.
Meanwhile, Brother Fiorenzo has just finished another operation. It is his fifth today. Still, his smile and calm impress all those who approach him, knowing that he has spent hours in the operating room in pursuit of the hope for life. (G.M.)

 

Father Charles Nyamiti. “An ancestor in African Theology.”

The Tanzanian-born priest, Fr. Charles Nyamiti, will be remember as eminent pioneer of African Theology “brewed in an African pot.”

In the strict sense of the concept, “African Theology” as a theological genre within the Christian churches (and, in the specific case of this article, within the Catholic Church), is barely 60 years old. The notion began to be boldly proposed and openly claimed only in the decades of the 1940s and 1950s. It was understood to denote a distinctive way of thinking about and articulating the Christian faith tradition by taking seriously into account African spirituality, culture and religion. By this was meant the comprehensive way of understanding the world and their place in it by the black peoples of the African continent.

Father Charles Nyamiti.

Two texts published during these decades were seminal in the rise and development of African Theology in the evident scientific sense. One was the book named La philosophie bantoue or “Bantu Philosophy” by the Belgian Franciscan missionary in the Congo, Placide Frans Tempels. It was first published in 1945. The other was called Des prêtres noirs s’interrogent or “Black Priests Wonder.” This was a compilation of articles from a consultation of a group of African priests studying in France at the time. It published in 1956. Each in its own way, these books raised consciousness within the church and beyond about the necessity and urgent need of thinking about and living religion “in an African way.”
To the question, who is the most outstanding symbol of such academic African Theology today, the answer is very easy.  Any serious student of theology in Africa will come up with two names in a blink of an eye, especially where the English speaking region of Africa is concerned. Besides the Kenyan Anglican Canon, Prof. John S. Mbiti (Nov. 30, 1931-Oct. 6, 2019), the other name to be quickly mentioned will be that of the Catholic priest, Prof. Charles Nyamiti (Dec. 9, 1931-May 19, 2020). Whereas Mbiti specialized particularly in the field of African religious philosophy,  Nyamiti worked in the area of theology proper. Without any doubt, these two have been the leading and enduring voices in the African theological field.

Charles Nyamiti passed on in mid-May this year (2020) after serving as a professor of theology for many years – since 1984, to be exact – at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. Nyamiti was one of the founder-lecturers at that Establishment. It was then known as the Catholic Higher Institute of Eastern Africa (CHIEA). Previous to that, he had lectured at the St. Paul national major seminary at Kipalapala on the outskirts of Tabora town in the north-western parts of Tanzania.
He was assigned there in 1976, shortly after completing graduate studies in Theology, Social Anthropology (or Ethnology) and music composition at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium and in Vienna in Austria, respectively.
Young Nyamiti’s theological studies in Belgium were pretty standard in Catholic perspectives at the time, heavily tinged with European ethno-centric biases in terms of expressing the Christian faith. But he had already then manifested a remarkable interest in employing African symbols in expressing the Christian faith.
Some people explain this away as merely coincidental, but it seems to many of us much more accurate to interpret this in terms of divine providence that guided him to orient his studies towards an Afro-centric emphasis despite the dominant European academic environment at the time. As illustrations, we may refer to both his Master’s and Doctoral theses to show this inner inclination.

Kenya. Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi

For both degrees Nyamiti concentrated on the processes and meanings of the rites and rituals of initiation to adulthood as practiced  in some African ethnic communities in view of the understanding of corresponding sacraments in the Catholic Church. He intended to show that despite the differences of approach between them, African indigenous and Western Christian approaches  to these rituals, they were matching in terms of the meaning and intention at their  core.
To say this may not be shocking today, but in 1966 and 1969 when Nyamiti wrote and defended these ideas, they were intellectually and doctrinally revolutionary, if not heretical, to say the least, even if Vatican II had just concluded.
It was this zeal for creating a “mature, adult and dignified way of conceiving, perceiving and talking” about the Christian faith in the African milieu that formed Nyamiti’s theological preoccupation throughout.  Again it involved the issue of how to express Christian mysteries without in the least adulterating the sense of Christian belief. In summing up Nyamiti’s lifetime work, we can indeed distinguish in it between what one of his students, Prof. Mika Vähäkangas characterizes as Christianity served in “foreign vessels” and what another African theologian, A. E. Orobator, describes a theology “brewed in an African pot.” Nyamiti has worked tirelessly for the latter.

African theologians would agree with Vähäkangas that “There are few … [people] who have dared to venture as far as Nyamiti … in constructing a complete African theology covering the whole field of dogmatics.”
In a field now quite replete with individual theologians and theological associations in one way or another interested in the field, this is no mean compliment. In doing what Nyamiti has done, I claim that Nyamiti has lifted African culture to a status that is “equally capable and worthy as any other to be a receptacle of Christic values in the African context.” Here we have Nyamiti’s greatest bequest to African and, indeed, world Christianity. Nyamiti’s has been a struggle to unearth values deeply embedded in African beliefs and behavior that, in the words of Joseph T. Djabare, “can unlock the African soul and open it for an authentic
union with Christ.”
Pope Paul VI already affirmed this in his Message to Africa in 1967, saying that “Many [African] customs and rites, once considered to be strange, are seen today … [to be] worthy of study and commanding respect.” These include, in the Pope’s mind, the Africans’ “spiritual view of life,” their “idea of God,” “respect for human dignity,” “the sense of family” and “community life.” All of these the Pope viewed as “providential” insights. It is to these that Nyamiti in his theological method has sought to offer Christian expression.

Collaborating this intuition and goal, Pope Francis writes in his recent Apostolic Exhortation “The Joy of the Gospel” (Evangelii Gaudium), reminding the universal Church about why “We cannot demand that peoples of every continent, in expressing their Christian faith, imitate modes of expression which European nations developed at a particular moment of their history, because the faith cannot be constricted to the limits of understanding and expression of any one culture. It is an indisputable fact that no single culture can exhaust the mystery of our redemption in Christ.” The core of Nyamiti’s work captures this truth.
One outstanding contribution by Nyamiti to theological discourse in Africa that will be remembered above all is in the area of Christology. Who is Jesus for Africa? Who is Jesus for Africans in their cultural milieu? Early on in his reflections, Nyamiti proposed the image of “Ancestor” to depict the identity, mission and ministry of Jesus as one that the majority of African peoples could easily understand and relate to. His African Ancestral Christology has been lauded throughout the continent as a theological breakthrough.
Nyamiti’s seminal publication in this area, titled Christ as Our Ancestor: Christology from an African Perspective, is identified as “monumental” by one of his former student, Dr. Patrick N. Wachege.

In his many of his writings, Nyamiti constantly returns to this theme as central as well in terms of appreciating the mission and ministry of the Church in Africa. In view of the values rooted in the African worldview, as was explained  previously, Jesus is the Ancestor par excellence in the “Family called Church” or in “the Church as Family.” Canadian Africanist scholar Diane B. Stinton explains why, on account of the indisputable “vital” role ancestors play in African life, the vast majority of African theologians “lend various degrees of assent and priority” to this image of Jesus Christ as Our Ancestor.
On this issue, Nyamiti is not merely theoretical. He puts it quite clearly that the “most decisive step” in the development of African (Ancestral) Christology will only come when it is “allowed to enter into the magisterial teaching of the Church.” His call to African theologians and the African Church at large is that the goal of Christological thinking in the African continent should be to enable this perception of Jesus Christ “to influence, as far as possible, the doctrinal formulations of African bishops’ conferences and synods.”
Even during his earthly life, Nyamiti was popularly known and referred to by his students as “Ancestor” on account of his wisdom. Now that he has gone to join the Ancestors in reality, the African Church must remember what an African saying reminds us all, that “To forget one’s ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without roots.” It is a grave responsibility we owe to this illustrious giant of African Theology, Charles Nyamiti. The African Church remains ever grateful to God for the life and theological thought of Charles Nyamiti.

Laurenti Magesa

 

 

 

Nigeria. The dance of the street children.

The Dream Catchers Academy is an organisation that helps street children. To give them some dignity and a future.

Lagos is the biggest city in the whole of the African continent and one of the most densely populated in the world. It is so big that other ‘cities’ have formed within Lagos itself. In the area of northeast Lagos is Ikoradu and it is here that Seyi Oluyole has founded ‘Dream Catchers Academy’, an organisation that helps street children.
The expression ‘Dream Catchers’ refers to people with dreams and young Seyi Oluyole, not yet thirty years old, has succeeded in making a very important dream come true: the dream of taking the children and young people off the streets and giving a new meaning to their lives.

Many disadvantaged and poor families in Ikoradu, where the Dream Catchers Academy is based, do not give priority to the education of their children. Some of them are forced to sell small items and many others live on the streets. Growing up in Lagos can be extremely difficult, especially for those born in such a difficult context of poverty and violence. It was precisely her experience of a complex and contradictory environment that inspired Seyi Oluyole to create something completely different. It is a space dominated mostly by music and especially by dance. This is the space into which Seyi Oluyole has brought these boys and girls, aged from 6 to 16, taking them off the streets.

Seyi Oluyole has succeeded in creating something special: an academy in which many children and young people can study; learn to read and write; find a way out of their poverty. It is by means of the dance rhythms that the youngsters manage to shrug off the traumas of street life and develop self-esteem and self-confidence. But there is much more. The children receive healthy and regular meals, receiving care and a place of safety. The videos made by Seyi Oluyole in the streets of Lagos, showing the children smiling and dancing, have been watched all over the world. This has gained supporters for the Dream Catchers Academy in various countries. Even famous African-American singers like Beyoncé and Rihanna have shown their appreciation for this cause. The well-known model Naomi Campbell has also given her support. The Dream Catchers group has become a celebrity, even dancing on the video of the Nigerian singer Amada.

It all began in a church
Before creating the Dream Catchers Academy, Seyi Oluyole was the choreographer of a group of liturgical dancers at the church in her quarter of Lagos. During Mass, Seyi noted the presence of many needy young people whose numbers increased each Sunday since the religious celebrations with songs and dances helped them to forget their hunger and the other hardships of their lives.

“The children were coming in increasing numbers to the church, wanting to dance. I suddenly realised that most of them were not going to school. Many had not a word of English, one of the official languages of Nigeria”, Seyi Oluyole remembers. It was these considerations that produced the dream of giving new hope to the poorest children by means of dancing.
Seyi Oluyole succeeded in creating the Dream Catchers Academy. It is important to note that she had personally experienced life on the streets. She was just twelve when her father lost his job in a bank and soon the family had to live on the streets.

This lasted for two years. Despite everything, she has been fortunate, since her parents, despite their troubles, kept her in school. Things are not so rosy for the hundreds of children who live in Lagos. It was this that made Seyi Oluyole do her utmost to make her dream come true and create the Dream Catchers Academy and also do the same for so many Nigerian street children.

Silvia C. Turrin

The Energy Transition Paradox in Africa.

The binding agreement of the Paris Conference (COP 21) on climate change established the objective of reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. This reduction of CO2 is considered essential to significantly reduce the risks produced by climate change, as well as the rising sea level.

The Agreement established a global action plan to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C by the end of the century. Reducing the consumption of hydrocarbon-based energy sources and promoting the development of renewable energies were considered essential to achieving this objective.

Currently, most energy is generated from fossil fuels which are mainly hydrocarbons (oil and gas) and coal. However, renewable energies are created from the gifts of nature, but need to be transformed to be used as electricity generators. The sun, the wind, the water and the vegetable or animal biomass are inexhaustible sources of energies.

By themselves, they do not generate CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and they are considered clean energies.[ But to reach an energy model based on clean energies, renewable energies need to be created, transformed, stored and channelled through wind mills, solar panels, batteries, turbines, etc. It is in the manufacture of all this technology that we find the need to find new materials which are more efficient
and less polluting.

The shift from an economy based on hydrocarbon energy to an economy based on renewable energy requires an energy transition period. It is not just enough to replace some energy sources by others, but the new energy form also requires new technologies compatible with the renewable energy sources, changing consumption patterns, improving recycling, reducing the consumption of single-use plastics, creating new but less polluting packaging and promoting circular economy models that encourage the sustainability of the planet’s
natural resources.

The paradox of the energy transition towards a sustainable economy, respectful of the environment and without CO2 emissions into the atmosphere requires the creation new technologies such as electric batteries, solar panels or wind mills which are themselves harmful to the environment. These technologies require large amounts of raw materials and strategic minerals that need to be obtained from nature.

In other words, the energy transition to achieve a sustainable economy requires new technologies that though compatible with renewable energy sources will continue to exacerbate the negative dynamics of social and environmental impact triggered by the extractive industry. That is, paradoxically; the end to the mineral curse in developing countries which we have continued to accept as a norm and the sufferings that these countries have endured for decades is
not yet in sight.

In sub-Saharan countries, despite enormous efforts in recent decades to bring electricity everywhere, still more than 600 million people live without access to electricity and more than 700 Million still rely on coal as their primary source of energy. The energy transition towards a new economy is particularly important for advancing the sustainability of the planet, but it is also an opportunity to fight poverty in general and energy poverty in particular on the African continent.

The lack of access to energy is linked to poverty and the development capacity of peoples, since not only domestic use depends on access to energy, but also the sanitary use of electricity in hospitals, access to water for automating irrigation systems in agriculture, or its use for industrial and commercial development.

So far, 23 strategic minerals have been identified as essential to the creation of the technology needed for the energy transition. And once again, these minerals and natural energy reserves are found in abundance in developing countries.

The European Union is making a commendable effort to achieve the decarbonisation objectives for a sustainable economy, but in that effort it must rely on responsible co-development.
It cannot once again abandon the African continent to its fate, achieving carbon neutrality, but doing so at the expense of the exploitation of natural resources in Africa.

The recent Green Deal published by the European Union recognizes that the mining sector is one of the main factors in the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere and therefore is among the main causes of climate change along with transport. Therefore, the EU is responsible for its energy transition towards more sustainable economies; but it is equally responsible for the damage caused by its economic transition policies that push companies into the extraction of strategic minerals in Africa.

However, the trade agreements between the EU and different African regions do not include any chapter on energy transition, environmental protection, sustainable development or the protection of human rights. There is no binding due diligence for European companies operating in Africa and there is not even transparency for such companies in the extraction of minerals from conflict zones.

The spirit of the letter of the agreements between the EU and Africa shows good will on the part of the EU, but is clearly insufficient. The energy transition may be motivated by good intentions, but it may once again become a trap for developing countries that will strengthen their economic dependence on natural resources: a sine die extension of energy neo-colonisation.

As the recent European and African Bishops’ document points out, the renewed EU-Africa partnership should thus include provisions not only on enhancing energy efficiency and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions, but also on sustainable and just management of energy resources both in Europe and Africa, ensuring full energy access for all.

José Luis Gutiérrez Aranda,
Trade Policy Officer,
Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network (AEFJN)

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