Category: Africa

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Pope Francis departed from South Sudan along with over 70 journalists aboard the papal plane bound for Rome, marking the conclusion of his 6-day Apostolic Journey to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. His first public words in DR Congo set the tone […]

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — African leaders serving 20 or more years in office are drawing the attention of critics who question their ability to run a country after so many years. Suspicions about the stability of Cameroonian President Paul Biya, age 89, were raised in a recent issue of […]

By Reinhard Jacobsen BRUSSELS (IDN) — Eritrean refugees are trafficked and enslaved in Libya, where they are tortured, abused and raped by slave traders to force family members to pay ransom for their release. If they escape and make it to the Mediterranean Sea, they risk being intercepted and sent back to Libya or dying […]

Independent Experts Were on Fact-Finding Mission By Reinhardt Jacobsen BRUSSELS | TRIPOLI (IDN) — Libyan authorities must take decisive steps to provide justice and redress to the vast number of victims suffering from longstanding violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, the UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on Libya said after its final visit […]

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — China, the builder of roads, energy, railways and telecom across Africa, came under fire from U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during her recent three-country African friendship tour when she singled out the Asian giant for Africa’s looming debt crisis. Driving past Lusaka, the capital city, […]

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Nigerians planning to visit the US will be barred from entry if officials believe they pose a threat to upcoming elections in Nigeria, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement. The announcement also extends to the families of those accused of […]

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Hundreds of mourners around the world paid tribute to a renowned human rights activist, Thulani Maseko, brazenly shot dead in front of his wife and two children at their home in Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, on January 21. His murder drew widespread condemnation, including from the […]

By Karen Smith BRUSSELS (IDN) — Three months after the two-year Ethiopian civil war came to an end, displacing millions, the Orthodox Church is facing a split. Three bishops have announced that they will form a separate church with its own decision-making body. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali has criticised “bigotry by religion and […]

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | OUAGADOUGOU (IDN) — French flags were set ablaze in the streets of Ouagadougou as hundreds of citizens of the West African nation of Burkina Faso gathered in the capital city on January 20. Many carried placards with the message “French army, get out!” Anti-French sentiment has […]

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Why is cryptocurrency booming in Africa but sinking in rich western countries, including the U.S.? For starters, cryptocurrencies have gained acceptance among a large proportion of the low-income population that was, previously financially marginalized. Most banks in Africa were not accessible to this segment. Even […]