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Africa

Somalia. A fragile equilibrium.

After fifty-six years, Somalia returns to the polls. In June for local elections and in September for legislative elections. Many challenges. The Somaliland issue. Somalia is still one of the poorest countries in the world and the impact of drought, plagues, conflicts and volatile world prices directly affects its economic development. According to the World…

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How and why Qatar has emerged as a leading peace broker in Africa.

In recent years, Qatar has emerged as a significant peace broker in Africa, reflecting a growing Gulf involvement in the continent’s economy and politics. Sycophants praise the emirate as a soft power with no hidden agenda. However, the reality is not always so rosy. On 18 March, Qatar made headlines by hosting a meeting in…

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Kenya. Pökot, the Parpara Ceremony.

The Pökot are a Nilotic people. They live in Western Kenya, in the West Pokot and Baringo districts, and Uganda, in the Karamoja region. We look at the Parpara ceremony, a rite that every Pokot woman must perform before giving birth to her first child. It is a long rite that lasts all night. It…

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Mauritius. Erosion of democracy.

Mauritius is considered a beacon of good governance, but during the Jugnauth administration, there has been a decline. The last elections saw the victory of the opposition. The challenges facing the new prime minister. Mauritius, once considered a bastion of liberal democracy in sub-Saharan Africa, has seen a significant decline in democratic standards over the…

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Climate Crisis. Saving the Environment and Tourism.

Mauritius is being hit hard by rising sea levels and coastal erosion. This has serious implications for the tourism sector, which is vital to the state budget. Mauritius contributes to the world’s greenhouse gas production with an insignificant share, equal to about 0.01% of the total. However, the islands are hit hard by the climate…

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South Africa. A waste of water.

The country loses 40% of its water to crumbling pipes, with peaks of 45% in the eThekwini (Durban) metropolitan area. Drought, climate change, corruption and ineffective management of funds contribute to the problem. South Africa is a semi-arid country with an average annual rainfall of 497 mm, compared to the global average of 860 mm.…

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Chagos Archipelago. A Leaky Agreement.

Mauritius and the United Kingdom have reached an agreement on the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, almost bringing to a close a little-known but truly global dispute. One of the atolls hosts a major US military base. The Chagos Archipelago is located in the heart of the Indian Ocean: a group of 60 small islands…

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Sudan. Soft drinks are increasingly tasting blood.

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After diamonds and minerals, soft drinks and other products are increasingly profiting from bloodshed. Most of the world’s supply of Gum Arabic, which the food industry relies on, is controlled by Sudanese warlords. Moreover, alternatives are unlikely to emerge soon. Traditionally, gum Arabic, derived from the sap of acacia trees, serves as an emulsifier in…

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Arts. Symbols of resistance.

Video makers, sculptors, painters and creative Sudanese have taken part in the civil society protests of recent years, but after the outbreak of the conflict they had to leave. In Nairobi they have enriched an active and supportive community of artists. We met some of them at the Kuona Artists Collective. Yassir Ali Mohammed is…

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The Catholic Church. A Human and Social Gospel.

There is a Catholic minority in Mauritius, but it is highly valued by both the government and the population for its traditional contribution to social work, in collaboration with the other numerous religious groups present in the country. Mauritius today has over 1 million,300 thousand inhabitants, mostly Hindus, Buddhists and Confucians (50%); over 32% are…

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Economy. Adaptability and Innovation.

From dependence on sugar cane to diversification into tourism, financial services and innovation, Mauritius looks like a parable with few equals in Africa. But between threats from the climate crisis and transparency issues, there are plenty of question marks. Over the past few decades, Mauritius has gone from being an economy based on the monoculture…

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Witnesses of Jubilee. Mons. Christophe Munzihirwa. A Prophet of Hope.

On October 23, 1996, in Bukavu, Mons. Christophe Munzihirwa was captured by the forces of the AFDL (Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo) led by Laurent Kabila. The rebels killed him. The streets were deserted, the people were holed up in their homes, and corpses lay in the streets of the city.…

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Advocacy

Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari. A Steward of the Marañón…

The river is sacred to the Kukama people, who believe that their ancestors reside on the river floor.  They are ready to protect the Marañón…

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Baobab

A Wise Grandmother.

Like the other farmers, Taro also grew rice, wheat, and vegetables, living in peace and contentment. However, things never remain the same. One time, there was no rainfall,…

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Youth & Mission

Comboni Youth Jubilee. To live is to hope.

From 24 to 27 July, hundreds of young people from the Comboni youth movements across Europe will gather in Milan, Verona, and Florence, Italy, in preparation…

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