Each day it is criss-crossed by invisible travellers who arrive after placing themselves in the hands of human traffickers, under cover of darkness, crossing the frontier with Sudan along paths lost in the thick undergrowth. Welcome to Metema, a city in the north-west of Ethiopia, on the Sudan border, the launchpad of the migration routes…
Read moreWe have travelled for 500 kms in northwest Addis Ababa. First, it was along the road which joins the capital with Bahr Dar, up to Injibara (or Koso Berr). Then, in Injibara we turned straight west in the direction of Sudan. After leaving Chagni behind, the last town of the Amhara Region on that road,…
Read moreIt is a plant used as a medicine for several therapeutic treatments. The leaf decoction is dropped into the ears to treat earache and infections. The paste made from powdered leaves is applied for skin infections. In some communities leaves are cooked as a vegetable. Acalypha indica (Euphorbiaceae Family) is an erect, often simple-stemmed annual…
Read moreThe long-awaited bridge spanning the Gambia River will open in July. The facility, which is set to revolutionise travel and trade in the region, will also improve the relationship between Dakar and Casamance. It took almost 50 years, decades of discussions and a strong contribution from the African Development Bank. But eventually the bridge, which…
Read morePope Francis is going to Madagascar in September. During his stay he will visit the Akamasoa Humanitarian Association. Its Founder, Father Pedro Opeka speaks about it. With the help of a group of young people, Father Pedro founded the Akamasoa Humanitarian Association – in the local language it means “The Good Friends” – to help…
Read moreAccording to the World Bank, 41% of the inhabitants of the continent do not exist in law. They have no identity documents issued by state civil offices. A problem affecting human rights, it fuels illegal trafficking and slows the economy. According to Unicef (United Nations Children’s Fund), 95 million children born in Sub-Saharan Africa are…
Read moreThe problem of immigration. Relations with Islam. Education as a means for spreading the values of peace and tolerance; Caritas helps everyone. We speak with Msgr. Laurent Djalwana Lompo, Archbishop of Niamey. Niger is a transit country for migrants. Many come here to try and cross the Sahara. A good number succeed but others are…
Read moreHighly valued in traditional medicine for treatment and management of a number of diseases and disorders. Funtumia elastic, commonly named ‘silk rubber’, is a medium-sized deciduous tree with distribution from Guinea to Cameroon and in the Congo basin, and along the Nile basin in Egypt, Sudan, and in east Africa, especially in Tanzania and Uganda.…
Read moreBonga is one of the capitals of Ethiopian coffee. At the corner of every alleyway, one of those tiny coffee shops known as ‘buna bets’ is inevitably found. We start our journey to the deep heart of Ethiopia from this small town. It may be a small, plain, rural sort of town but Bonga has…
Read moreTension is escalating between Uganda and Rwanda. A crisis is developing that is affecting the entire region. Tension between Uganda and Rwanda, but also at Rwandan borders with Burundi and Congo is rising. By end April, Canada, Germany, Belgium, France and Australia told their nationals to move cautiously in particular in the border areas. On…
Read moreInterregional migration, or the movement of people between geographic sub regions, is also a key feature of migration patterns on the continent. In 2017, Eastern and Western Africa were the regions from which most African migrants originated. Middle Africa recorded a strong increase with regard to international migrant stock, as the absolute number doubled, with…
Read moreAfrican bishops are aware that, when there is a massive movement of people, the countries that receive these displaced people may feel threatened. All too often the belief is that newcomers compete for scarce resources and this brings immigrants and refugees to be driven away, resented, or despised. The African bishops pointed out that ordinarily,…
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The Colombian environmental and peace activist has played a key role in establishing a protected area in the Amazon, providing small farmers with access to…
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One day, two friends named Ebopp and Mbaw went off in search of a good site to establish a farm with fine fields of grain and…
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Young people will play an important role at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. This will give young people a greater voice in climate action and policy-making at…
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