THE WORLD – Page 197 – IDN-InDepthNews

Africa2016-03-162023-07-10

Mauritania Ratifies Pact to End Modern-Day Slavery

GENEVA | NEW YORK (INPS | GIN) – Mauritania has ratified the 2014 protocol to the Forced Labour Convention (1930), reinforcing thus the global movement against forced labour in all its forms, including human trafficking.

Mauritania follows Niger, Norway and the United Kingdom, as one of the first states to formally commit to implement the Protocol. The Protocol, adopted in 2014 by an overwhelming majority by the International Labour Conference, supplements Convention (No. 29) 1930, requiring States to take effective measures for prevention, protection of victims and ensuring their access to justice and compensation.

Africa2016-03-102023-07-10

European Parliament Adopts a Historic Resolution on Eritrea

By Klara Smits and Florence Tornincasa

STRASBOURG (IDN) – The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on Eritrea, which sends a strong signal to the European Commission, the EU Council, member states and the Eritrean government that human rights violations in the country need to be addressed.

The resolution approved on March 10 clearly identifies that Eritrean refugees are fleeing serious human rights violations and an indefinite national service which constitutes slavery.

The resolution also addresses the systematic extortion of refugees, a concern expressed earlier in resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council.

Africa2016-03-102023-07-10

A 5-Million-Dollar Prize Fails to Tempt Wealthy African Leaders

NEW YORK (INPS | GIN) – Philanthropist Mo Ibrahim is finding it hard to reward a democratically elected African leader who serves his or her constitutionally mandated term (without last minute changes) and demonstrates exceptional leadership.

The five-million-dollar prize is just too small for such a commitment.

Money held by some of Africa’s richest leaders outsizes the modest reward by factors of 10 to 1000. Presidential wealth was the focus of a recent piece in the online magazine “African Spotlight” and the sums in their bank accounts were stratospheric.

To name a few of the wealthiest: Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe) $10 million, Idris Deby (Chad) $50 million, King Mswati (Swaziland) $100 million, Paul Biya (Cameroon) $200 million, Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya) $500 million, Teodoro Obiang (Equatorial Guinea) $600 million and Jose Eduardo dos Santos, (Angola) $20 billion.

Africa2016-03-102023-07-10

A Hotelier Sets Sights on Wangari Maathai’s Prized Forest

NAIROBI (INPS | GIN) – A unique urban forest, beloved by Nobel Laureate and founder of the Green Belt Movement (GBM), Wangari Maathai, is reportedly in the sights of a hotel developer.

“Wangari is dead but not resting in peace,” said Kenyan Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, adding: “The proposed hotel in Karura Forest must be disturbing her spirit.”

According to Maathai’s Green Belt group, Ibis Hospitality Ltd, Nairobi-based, is hoping to build a five-star hotel on a 25-acre piece of forest. A spokesman for the group denies the group’s claim.

Asia-Pacific2016-03-052023-07-10

India and China can Rescue Asian Century from Oblivion

BEIJING (IDN | INPS) – One term which gained currency in the millennium’s first decade was ‘Asian Century’. The term represented a promise, a prospect and a goal; and, invariably, was used with optimism. For a while, it was as evocative as the term ‘21st century’ was in the 1980s, replete with visions of new vistas of life, living and development far removed from the poverty, deprivation and tribulations suffered by the world’s oppressed majority in the 20th century.

When the 21st century was actually upon us, much of the romantic yearning for it had ceased. Similarly, invocation of ‘Asian Century’ ceased to resonate with the aspirations it brought to mind. It came to be used less frequently, especially in capitals such as Beijing and New Delhi.

Asia-Pacific2016-03-042023-07-10

Jade Industry Key to Democratic Reform in Myanmar

This article is the third in a series of joint productions of Lotus News Features and IDN-InDepthNews, flagship of the International Press Syndicate.

SINGAPORE (IDN | Lotus News Features) – As a new government led by Aung San Suu Kyi takes over in Myanmar this month (March), reforming the country’s jade mining industry and ensuring that the benefits flow to the people and the national coffers would be the litmus test of its democratic credentials.

Many people tend to conclude that having a free and fair multi-party election and a long serving government being overthrown by the peoples’ verdict is the ultimate test of a country’s flowering of democracy. But, in today’s globalized economic system that by itself is not enough.

Africa2016-02-292023-07-10

Pineapples at Core of Land Fight in Kenya

NEW YORK | NAIROBI (INPS | GIN) – A foreign company – let’s call it Goliath – is battling two small counties in Kenya – we’ll call them David – over the rights to prime farmland from which the Kenyans are seeking a small slice for public use.

The two counties – Murang’a and Kiambu – were looking for a better deal from the Del Monte juice company which was looking to renew its contracts for farmland, expiring in 2022 in Murang’a, and 2019 in Kiambu.

But the proposal to set aside 3,000 acres for public use out of the approximately 22,500 acres leased by Del Monte was received with outrage. The company took their case to court.

Africa2016-02-292023-07-10

One-Family Rule in Gabon to Cross the Half Century Mark

LIBREVILLE (INPS | GIN) – Ali Bongo Ondimba, son of the Gabonese patriarch Omar Bongo Ondimba, has announced plans to seek another term in office – giving his family over a half century of rule in this West African nation if he wins.

Announcing his candidacy, President Ali Bongo pledged to fight “unwarranted privilege” even as he stands as one of the richest men in the region with 39 properties in France, 11 French bank accounts and 29 luxury cars in France worth more than $18.5 million, at last count.

Africa2016-02-292023-07-10

Will DRC’s Kabila Cling to Power in Re-election Bid?

KINSHASA (INPS | GIN) – Members of the Congolese opposition are pushing for elections this year, and for President Joseph Kabila to step down if elections are not held.

Seven senior members of the ruling coalition have already been expelled for urging the President not to cling to power after December 19, 2016, the official end of his second term. The planning minister was also sacked from his post reportedly on order of the president.

The fate of President Kabila is the central issue that consumes Congolese politics today. As frustration grows, the Kabila regime has restricted political space, clamped down on free expression and stepped up its jailing of Congolese youth. The U.S. State Department said it was “troubled by the harassment and detention of peaceful activists and opposition leaders” while Human Rights Watch issued a scathing indictment of the regime’s clampdown on peaceful protests and a spate of arrests countrywide.

Africa2016-02-232023-07-10

Grace Keen to Succeed Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe

NEW YORK | HARARE (INPS | GIN) – Robert Mugabe, the world’s oldest president, turned 92 on February 21 without a clear successor. His wife, Grace, however, is grooming herself for the job but will Zimbabweans favour a family dynasty even as the idea seems to have fallen out of favour in the U.S.?

Political analysts say Mugabe has no clear intention of handing over power, even as the country’s dire economic situation and drought has worsened the plight of a country that has seen four million of its citizens flee to the diaspora.