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Africa

Zimbabwe. Business Creates Agreement.

After the expropriations of the lands of the white ranchers during the Mugabe era, the aristocratic von Pezold family is on the trail of compensation and new deals. Thanks to the policy change by President Mnangagwa who wants to end international sanctions and re-launch the economy. An immense villa is perched on a huge granite…

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DR Congo. Forging New Talents.

In the Congolese capital, as in the rest of the country, cultural spaces are almost non-existent. Kin ArtStudio is therefore an exception with its aim of stimulating and creating a place where various artists can express themselves. We paid a visit to the Centre. Located in Kinshasa, the Kin ArtStudio was opened in 2011 by…

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Desmond Tutu, the People’s Archbishop.

Symbol of non-violent resistance to apartheid and the creation of a new nation, Tutu (1931-2021, Nobel Peace prize-winner for 1984) took the path of dialogue and forgiveness. Right to the end, he was the guardian of human values. On 26 December last year, at the age of 90, Desmond Tutu died. He was one of…

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Ethiopia. Maqbasa. Name-giving.

One of the greatest feasts among the Guji – an Oromo ethnic group – is that of name-giving. Like all other great feasts, it is sealed with the sacrifice of a bull, dancing and youthful games. In speaking of the maqbasa or name-giving ceremony, we must first mention the gadaa system which divides life from…

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Burundi. When Rare Earths come before Human Rights.

On the last 19 November, President Joe Biden created shock and indignation among human rights activists after he signed an executive order to lift sanctions against Burundian officials which were imposed by Barrack Obama in 2015. During the Obama administration, the State Department said that the late President Pierre Nkurunziza’s pursuit of a third term…

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Herbs & Plants. Crassocephallum vitellinum – Anti-peptic ulcer plant.

It is a medicinal plant used for treatment of a number of diseases among them that of peptic ulcer disease. But also for the treatment of stomach complications, malaria and mouth infections in children. It is a flowering herbaceous plant which is widely distributed in the sub-Saharan Africa including in Burundi, Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda,…

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Zambia. Dignity and Survival.

The slums surrounding the centre of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, can be classified by their level of degradation. They are located just a few kilometres from the central shops and street stalls. Dirty roads and houses without drinking water: this is what one can see in the suburbs of George and Lilanda, and the…

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The Rock-hewn Churches of Ethiopia.

Tigray, a region of Ethiopia, guards a series of interesting churches, some of which are very hard to reach. We refer especially to religious sites built centuries ago in the area of Amba Gheralta, located in unique places and surrounded by a deep spirituality. These churches are to be found on steep cliffs. Their location…

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Africa. Hotspots 2022.

This year there will be different hotspots in Africa. But two of them will have a deep impact on the security of their regions, due to the dimensions of the concerned states and the complexity of the threats. If Nigeria has long been considered a hotspot, the situation in Ethiopia worsened rapidly in the last…

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Africa forecast 2022.

The return to the constitutional order in three countries hit by military coups, the downsizing of the French military presence in the Sahel and the instability in Ethiopia are the main challenges. In North Africa, prospects for the stabilization of war-torn Libya in 2022 are uncertain. By end 2021, both sides were disagreeing about the…

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Eritrea. The sacrifice of the red goat.

The Kunama, an Eritrean ethnic group living in the remote and isolated area between the Gash and Setit rivers near the border with Ethiopia. Kunama life is marked by traditional rites and ceremonies handed down by the ancient fathers and scrupulously observed. A glance at the rites of tillage. The fields have been cleared and…

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Africa. The boom of e-commerce.

As use of the Internet grows, so does the number of consumers who shop online. A surprising fact: the sector could benefit from around $15 billion between 2025 and 2030 if there were more women-owned businesses on the platforms. The number of online shoppers in Africa has surged annually by18% since 2014 (the global average is 12%) and…

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Advocacy

Semia Gharbi. Fighting against eco-mafias.

She played a key role in a campaign that challenged a corrupt waste trafficking scheme between Italy and Tunisia, resulting in the return of 6,000…

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Baobab

The swallow brings the summer.

The Black and white swallow flew high up in the clear, blue sky, wheeling and diving, his fast, pointed wings carrying him at a great speed. Swallow…

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Youth & Mission

Pope Leo and the Youth.

Welcoming, listening and guiding. Some characteristics of Pope Leo with the youth During the years when Father Robert Francis Prevost was pastor of the church of Our…

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