26 November 2009

A South African court has ordered the government to protect the land rights of its citizens in Zimbabwe, as well as to respect the rulings of the human rights court of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The decision in the High Court in Pretoria comes after an urgent application was filed on behalf of South African farmers, whose right to their government's protection had been excluded in a proposed bilateral investment protection agreement (BIPPA) between South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The agreement, which is still to be made public, was set to only offer protection to South African investors in all areas, from the date of signing. Controversially, the South African Trade and Industry Minister admitted that the agreement would not include a 'retrospective' clause on land, therefore excluding protection on all South African owned land expropriated by the Zimbabwe government during the so-called land 'reform' programme.

The court application was brought forward by civil rights group AfriForum and more than 200 farmers, led by Louis Fick, a South African farmer in the middle of a land wrangle with Zimbabwe's deputy Reserve Bank Governor Edward Mashiringwani.

Fick is one of more than 70 farmers who were awarded legal protection of their land through SADC Tribunal last year. The Tribunal ruled that the farmers had been unlawfully deprived of their property and that the Zimbabwean government should restore their rights or compensate them. But the ruling has been completely ignored, and the Tribunal itself snubbed by the government, which has been charged with contempt.

The proposed BIPPA essentially meant that South Africa would be party to allowing the SADC ruling to be flouted by Zimbabwe, despite both countries being signatories to the SADC treaty. As a result, South Africa's reputation as a law-respecting country was on the line, as the agreement would effectively immunise Zimbabwe from facing penalty for sanctioning the illegal takeover of land.

The South Africa government on Thursday quickly reached a settlement with the farmers, giving assurances that it plans to respect and honour the SADC Tribunal's rulings and to protect victims of the unlawful land grab campaign still continuing in Zimbabwe. In court papers, the government's legal representatives wrote that the text of the BIPPA, which is still being kept secret, did not "purport to grant immunity to Zimbabwe for any human rights violations."

AfriForum's legal representative on Thursday called the ruling a 'victory', explaining the court order "opens the way for registering the SADC Tribunal's judgments in South Africa and to pursue other remedies."

There are remaining concerns however, as the actual terms of the BIPPA, which is still to be signed on Friday in Harare, have not yet been made public. South Africa's Trade and Industry minister has already revealed that the agreement with Zimbabwe would not have been possible with a 'retrospective' clause, and it is unlikely the agreement will have changed in any way. The South African government at the same time has made no move in the past to protect its citizens in Zimbabwe.

Last year, a Pretoria judge took the South African government to task for not protecting the rights of a citizen whose farm was taken over in the so-called land 'reform' programme.

Free State farmer Crawford von Abo won his court battle against the then President Thabo Mbeki, the Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and the Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa, to get compensation from the South African government for not acting on his behalf to protect his rights to his land in Zimbabwe.

Judge Bill Prinsloo noted that the government's excuses for lack of action over the previous six years had been 'feeble' and pointed out that Germany, France and Denmark had intervened successfully on behalf of their citizens who owned agricultural land in Zimbabwe.

allafrica

26 November 2009

THE DIRECTIVE issued by the President, His Excellency Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, to all Ministers of State to grant unrestricted access to sympathisers of the ruling party anytime they come to them, appears not to have gone down well with the Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Nadowli West, Mr. Alban Sumani Bagbin.

Perhaps feeling the heat from a recent series of attacks launched on his government by the Founder of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, and other functionaries of the party, including party chairmen and cadres across the country, President Mills is reported to have instructed all ministers, through his Spokesperson, Mahama Ayariga, to grant unlimited entrée to supporters of the ruling party, anytime they visit their offices.

But the Majority Leader seems not amused with the President's decision, saying the decree was far from being feasible, given the circumstances under which ministers operate in this country.

"I do not think this order of the President will work, in fact, it is not practicable in the sense you cannot tell the Minister to leave his busy schedules to attend to everybody who comes to his or her office," he stated.

The leader of the august house was reacting to the President's directives in an interview with Angel 96.1FM, a Kumasi-based radio station yesterday.

According to Mr. Bagbin, most of the current crop of Ministers are first-timers, who need a little more time to adapt to public administration, and as such, telling them to entertain party sympathisers would pose a lot of inconveniences.

He noted, "as a Minister of State, you are under constant pressure everyday to attend to government duties, it is even more difficult for those who experience public service for the first time, and I do not think they will have the leisure to entertain party sympathisers."

Alban Bagbin, who has also waded into the recent controversy stirred by former President Rawlings following his comments that the Presidency had been hijacked by opportunists and sycophants, by supporting the ex-Presidents' assertion, stated that the President ought to take a second look at his much-trumpeted lean government policy.

According to him, even though he does not find anything wrong with the President wanting to cut down government expenditure and raise revenue for the country, he believes the President can make few adjustments without necessarily jeopardising the agenda.

"To me, the lean government policy must be done with some human face. I believe there are few appointments the President can make, particularly to the Ministries, to complement the efforts of the Ministers."

The Nadowli MP mentioned for instance, that the President can appoint a few technocrats to the Ministries to offer technical assistance and expertise to the new Ministers, for them to be able to perform creditably.

"I do not think the current situation is the best. The President wants to cut down cost, that is fine, but there are also few party sympathisers out there who toiled day and night for the party to get to where we are right now, and I am sure it would not be out of place to reward them," he noted.

In a related development, Charles Takyi Boadu also reports that President Mills may have to revise his directive to political appointees to either give or create 'space' at their various places of work for supposed footsoldiers and members of his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), considering the heat the issue has generated across the length and breadth of the country, since the announcement was made.

Several callers to various radio stations criticised the President's decision, which they perceived as an attempt to give preference to members of his political party.

Latest among those who have openly spoken against the 'President's initiative' is a Senior Political Science Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kwasi Amakye Boateng.

In an exclusive telephone interview with The Chronicle yesterday, he noted that the President's decision could further divide the country on political lines, and that he made a grave mistake by coming out with a directive, he described as unfortunate, since according to him, "it seeks to deepen political patronage in our body politics."

He noted that no political party would want to go that way, since the the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies he directed the supporters to, are not employment creation centres, asking, "are they offices for employment, why are they going there?"

That notwithstanding, he noted that the resources available at these institutions are national ones, "so if we say that a section of society, members of a political party, should go in with legitimate concerns, we find out that the term legitimate concern seeks to legitimise an action/behaviour that in a democracy is illegitimate."

This, in his opinion, could be a way of splitting society, considering the fact that the country was gradually being divided along political lines.

He also believes that the President's directive is discriminatory, "simply because the impression is that if you are not a member of the NDC, then there is no way you are going to benefit from the largesse.

"You can't wake up one day and go to the DCE that I've come, DCE, I need ABCD. So the place where they were directed to, itself, is problematic," he stated.

Furthermore, he said the initiative sought to isolate only a section of society for special reward.

To him the directive seems to suggest that the President was trying to use national resources to build the NDC as a political party. This, he continued, "is also not desirable in a democracy."

Mr. Boateng believes that this directive goes to buttress the fact that President Mills is giving in to pressures from his NDC party, and specifically from its Founder and former President Rawlings, who has accused the current administration of neglecting footsoldiers, whose toil and sweat brought the party to government.

The University Don argued that the footsoldiers and Mr. Rawlings have forgotten that a government is brought into office to help develop the nation, generate employment, not only for a section of society, but for a whole nation.

He advised the government to use the much-publicised Savannah Project to create employment, since rice was gradually becoming an important commodity on the market.

allafrica

26 November 2009

In our editorial of our 25th November Issue we reported that we will do further investigation on the reports of the arrests of the Ex Chief of Defence Staff, Lang Tombong Tamba; The Ex Director General of the NIA, Modou Lamin Badjie; Ex Deputy Inspector General of Police, Momodou Gaye; Ex Lt Colonel, Kawsu Camara;Mr Lie Joof and Mr. Kebba Touray. The list of those reported to be in custody is growing. It includes former Minister and National mobiliser of the APRC, Yankuba Touray.

Official sources for information on the detainees are dry. Our reporter spoke to the Police PRO and he claimed that if there are any arrests it is being done by another arresting authority and not the police.

The closest we have come to getting a clue is a reporter over hearing the wife of one of the detainees saying that her husband could not possibly be part of a coup plot. The Constitution calls for detained persons to be told the reason for their detention within 3 hours after arrest and be informed of their right to have access a legal counsel. By now all families should have known why the detainees are arrested. We will do further home work and update our readers. Are they arrested in connection with a coup plot or not? We are getting closer to the truth.

allafrica

26 November 2009
The county of Montserrado, and perhaps the entire country, stood still in the last twenty-four hours awaiting results from a marathon senatorial by-election. Political activities in the last three months had been nerve-racking as various political interests intensify efforts to grab the senatorial seat rendered vacant by the death of Hannah Brent who won the seat in 2005 on the ticket of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).

The battleground was the nation's premium province--Montserrado County. It shook terribly and both the antagonists and the electorates felt the internecine impact. The D-Day was Tuesday, November 24. Hearts palpitated, as the titans clashed fiercely, one political bloc flexing its muscles nearly to elastic limit.

The ruling Unity Party, reinforced by desperate attempt to clinch victory so as to prove a political point and firmly underpinned by incumbency advantage, brought to bear its full weight upon the CDC's candidate.

But after a period of tumultuous electoral aggression, CDC's Geraldine Doe-Sheriff, only a middle-level staff at the LPRC emerged victorious. On the portals of legislative politics, what does she bring both as burdens (in terms of electoral promises and allegiances) and hope (in terms of capacity and experiences) to the herculean new job?

The Analyst reports.

The Victory

CDC's "Iron Lady" Geraldine Doe-Sheriff has emerged victorious in the Montserrado by-election. Declaring the CDC victory yesterday, following the counting of the last ballot of the election, the National Elections Commission Chairman James Flomoyan said Madam Doe-Sheriff captured the total of 58,248 representing 56.0% of 104,248 valid votes counted.

According to the Elections Commission, second runner-up Clemenceau Blayon Urey of the ruling Unity Party slashed out 45,864 votes or 44.0%. The final scores now settle the dust of electoral hostilities which has engulfed what political commentators call the biggest by-election since the advent of the Sirleaf-led post-conflict government.

The Iron Lady and her populous CDC triumphed in the first round of the by-election in which nine other political parties and independent candidates contested the post, which a 2005 victor on the CDC ticket, Hannah Brent, left vacant due to death. The contest was unusually fierce, as many political pundits and the contesting interests themselves considered a prologue to 2011 presidential and general elections also regarded a watershed in the post-war country's democratic consolidation efforts.

The crèmes of Liberia's opposition, who badly needed a CDC victory to justify their criticism that, amongst other things, the ruling Party faces political legitimacy crisis for failure to deliver on its promises, arrayed their moral and technical supports behind Madam Sheriff and her CDC.

Those involved in the amalgamation of forces with the Congress for Democratic Change included the Liberty Party, former ruling National Patriotic Party, New DEAL Party, National Vision Party of Liberia, Liberia National Union, Progressive Democratic Party, amongst others. The ruling Unity Party put up a brave fight, already strengthened by an earlier merger with two outstanding political parties, the Liberia Action Party and the Liberia Unification Party.

But it appeared the conglomeration of the opposition was too hot to handle, such that the last minute nocturnal door-to-door crusade headed by President Sirleaf herself could not pay off. When polls closed on Tuesday evening and the NEC began counting the ballots cast, total silence swept across the county until trickles of progressive results ignited smiles in the opposition camp--smiles that never ceased until Chairman Flomoyan official broke the news.

Hardly did Flomoyan ended reading his verdict when spontaneous ululation spread in the streets and communities of Monrovia, perhaps including other outlaying districts of Montserrado, amongst supporters of the CDC and its political collaborators.

Burdens of Promises

While it may be true that the populace nature of the CDC, coupled with the overwhelming approbation from the broad-spectrum of the opposition bloc, would hardly have failed Madam Sheriff, the victory was not earned on a silver platter. Some pundits argue that despite the seemingly insurmountable force of the opposition bloc, Geraldine Doe-Sheriff and her CDC's political adroitness and dexterity provided an attractive political package that was easy to sell.

Perhaps the analysts are referring to the gamut of promises and allegiances weaved with the Candidates' moral, political and academic standings to make a buyable campaign case in the last two months. The thesis and key vision consummated into the campaign package of the CDC candidate "is to provide proper representation for the people of Montserrado County by remaining a loyal servant," and pledging to remain unblemished by corruption.

When the senatorial race is won by the CDC, "We will join with likeminded and progressive minds both within and without the Liberian Senate to draft, sponsor and support legislation which will address the problems facing the County and Liberia as a whole. And we pledge to ensure that the citizenry are involved in the decision-making process and not have edicts handed down to them," Madam Doe-Sheriff pledged to the people of Montserrado County.

She and her CDC fortress assured the electorates that they would commit themselves to work constructively to pass laws which will seek to support education; ensure equal rights before the law and the protection of our Constitution; preserve and protect the rights of the people and the nation; clean up the corrupt societal, economic and political systems; create an environment where Liberians will live in peace and harmony with one another; and where the people can maximize their potentials and achieve their goals.

Promises and vows made during the electoral campaign which also might have wooed or hypnotized the 58,248 voters to cast their ballots in favor of the Madam Sheriff included to promote economic development, growth and independence; promote technological development and advancement; encourage traditional culture and values and to build political institutions that will surpass all individuals. The CDC pro-Doe-Sheriff campaign also focused their promises and pledges on education.

"Without education, our country will remain in the doldrums of backwardness and impoverishment. Without education, poverty will not be reduced but will be increased," Madam Sheriff was often heard during rallies and debates during the campaign. "In this light, we have made a revolutionary proposal which could serve as a transformational national blueprint for the educational system of Liberia. We intend to sponsor an Educational Opportunity Bill upon our election at the Honorable House of Senate which will provide the panacea for the issue of access to education."

The bill, according to Madam Sheriff and her strategists will be comprehensive, and its points in the proposed legislation would be special taxation of 5 cents (US) on petroleum products to set up an "education escrow fund" to be used to support a post-high school student loan scheme; increase in budgetary allocation for education to support a teacher, and student exchange program; additional special taxation to fund special education programs for the blind and other members of our disabled community; increase in budgetary allocation to restructure and fund the free primary education program; increase in budgetary allocation to fund teacher training program, amongst other things.


On Health and Social Services, the CDC Campaign vowed to support and sponsor legislation to improve our health care and social services in Montserrado County, achievable by working with other members of the County Legislative Caucus to push for budgetary support to place a modern health center in each of the 14 districts.

Madam Doe-Sheriff also promised a Revolving Small Scale Loan Scheme intended to source funding for the establishment of a revolving fund to support a small scale loan scheme for less fortunate women and youths to enable them start small business

On Access and Participation in Decision-Making, the CDC former Chair said, as a servant of the people, "we will grant access to the people of Montserrado to our offices so that they too can form a part of the process of making decisions that will affect their lives. Our offices will remain open for suggestions and advice from the people. We will also hold regular consultative forums throughout the 14 districts of Montserrado County."

allafrica

26 November 2009

Harare — Vice-President Joice Mujuru on Tuesday lambasted Finance minister Tendai Biti over the contentious handling of the over US$500 million facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in what officials this week said was the most dramatic high-profile clash within the inclusive government since its formation in February.

The stormy showdown between Mujuru and Biti -- which was followed by some reconciliation -- is said to have left President Robert Mugabe and ministers shell-shocked because of its emotional intensity and ferocity.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who has mutual respect with Mujuru, was not at the meeting because his flight from South Africa had to return to base in Johannesburg after experiencing a serious technical problem airborne in Zimbabwean airspace.

Sources said Mujuru fired brickbats at Biti at the meeting chaired by Mugabe, accusing him of stalling the disbursement of the IMF advance and in the process disrupting the purchase of agricultural inputs for the farming season.

Biti has also been fighting with Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono over control of the financial levers of the state and the same money. The minister says he wants to channel part of the funds towards budgetary support, while Gono says it has to go directly to certain sectors of the economy.

"There was blood on the floor at our meeting on Tuesday. Mujuru attacked Biti in the most unprecedented way over the IMF funds and all ministers were shaken by her angry attacks," a senior government minister said. "We have never seen that before and up to now most of us are still in a state of disbelief."

A source familiar with the incident said Mujuru "took no prisoners" in her assault on Biti who was said to have restrained himself by not showing his characteristic aggression during the encounter.

Biti is said to have contained the situation by reacting in a relatively calm manner. It is said the minister tried to ward off the assaults by offering an explanation and pleading for protection from Mugabe. The source said Mugabe did not intervene and remained subdued as he was also stunned by his deputy's uncontrollable rage.

"The attack astonished everyone. Mujuru was up in arms, but Biti did not aggressively fight back," the source said. "He was agitated but largely managed to remain unruffled by the incident."

Biti is said to have tried to explain that the money had not yet been utilised because it was in the form of special drawing rights (SDRs) which needed to be converted into hard currency before use. Mujuru is said to have retorted that those SDRs must be quickly converted to buy inputs for farmers and finance other government projects and programmes.

An informed source said had it not been for Biti's respect for Mujuru, the incident could have degenerated into chaotic scenes.

"We feared Biti would walk out but he surprisingly managed to remain cool, calm and collected. He behaved very well," the source said.

It is said Biti did not take Mujuru's outburst personally and managed to reconcile with her after the meeting.

A top Zanu PF official said while Mujuru wanted the money for farmers, she also wanted to "project power" after her recent crushing victory over her opponents within her party ahead of their congress next month.

"She wants the farmers to get money but I think it was an attempt to show political muscle. It was an attempt to show that she is leadership material and display power and authority," the official said.

Although there have been many clashes in the inclusive government between top political leaders and ministers, sources said Tuesday's confrontation stood out as the most fierce.

After the stormy meeting, Mugabe called another gathering on Tuesday afternoon between Mujuru, Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, Biti, Gono and himself in a bid to manage the fallout by addressing the issue of the dispute over IMF funds.


Tsvangirai did not attend the meeting although at that time he had managed to catch another flight back home. The prime minister was returning from visits to Morocco and Libya during the weekend.

Sources said shortly before the second Tuesday meeting, Mujuru and Biti managed to talk and reconcile "like mother and son". "There was no bitterness afterwards," a source said. "It was like a fight between mother and son."

After the second meeting chaired by Mugabe on Tuesday, Biti and Gono were directed to sort out the issue.

Mujuru and Biti also came face to face yesterday during a meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs chaired by Mugabe where Biti presented his "budget assumptions" before he could take his blueprint to cabinet on Tuesday next week. After that Biti will present his first budget on December 2.

allafrica

26 November 2009
Harare — THE endorsement last weekend of the newly-nominated Zanu PF presidium by Midlands province and Masvingo, which dramatically changed its initial decision after a failed bid to topple vice-president Joice Mujuru, completed the trouncing of the Emmerson Mnangagwa faction within the party ahead of its congress next month.

The latest rout in a series of defeats for the presumably powerful Zanu PF faction, firmly establishes Mnangagwa as the most celebrated high-profile loser in the long-drawn-out but increasingly dynamic power struggle within the badly fractured party.

The move also leaves Mnangagwa's prospects of succeeding President Robert Mugabe gloomy, while in the process creating fresh possibilities for a realignment of alliances and opportunities for new hopefuls in the succession race of the party.

Mnangagwa, a Zanu PF bigwig with strong liberation-struggle credentials and a fearsome reputation for ruthlessly crushing opponents, suffered humiliating defeats in national and party elections in 1999, 2000, 2004 and 2005. Mugabe, whom Mnangagwa now prefers to call "Supreme Leader" to reinforce his personality cult, invariably rescued him from the political wilderness following crushing downfalls.

Two weeks ago Mnangagwa steered clear of party nominations fearing another thrashing although it is common cause that he wanted to ascend in the pecking order to move away from the periphery and closer to the seat of power as Mugabe enters the twilight years of his long and chequered political career.

This left the rival faction led by retired army commander General Solomon Mujuru with an opportunity to remain firmly ensconced at the commanding heights of the party. The two factions have been tearing away at each other since the late 1990s when the Mugabe succession debate started gathering serious momentum.

The Midlands province, Mnangagwa's power base, was forced by events to nominate Mugabe, Joice Mujuru, John Nkomo and Simon Khaya Moyo for the Zanu PF presidium, abandoning its own list composed of Mugabe, Nkomo, Oppah Muchinguri, and Kembo Mohadi in the top four.

Smarting from another embarrassing defeat, Mnangagwa this week tried to limit the damage by claiming the humiliation his faction had endured -- by having to endorse the Mujuru line-up after choosing to be the last province to do nominations due to failure of leadership -- was much ado about nothing.

"We were the first province to sit down and endorse President Mugabe as the party's supreme leader way before the nomination process was even called for," Mnangagwa said.

"We sat down several months ago and agreed that President Mugabe was the supreme leader of the party and we made it public. Turning to the VP post that fell vacant after the death of Cde (Vice-President Joseph) Msika, as a province we wanted to get guidance from the Matabeleland provinces for obvious reasons and we followed the guidance they have given us. We have also done nominations for the central committee members in the most democratic way possible."

Putting aside damage limitation, Mnangagwa conspicuously did not talk about Vice-President Joice Mujuru's nomination. He just ignored it and in the process tried to avoid the painful fact that his province had been forced by events triggered by the Mujuru group to nominate his bitter rival.

His explanation that his province had to wait to take the lead from the Matabeleland provinces could not hold water because Masvingo, which was working hand-in-glove with Midlands, had already made its choices public by selecting Mugabe, Nkomo, Muchinguri and Mohadi who made up the real Mnangagwa faction line-up.

Masvingo hastily changed its decision of nominating Mugabe, Nkomo, Muchinguri and Mohadi after realising its faction's strategy had collapsed and melted on the ground in the heat of battle, leaving behind many political casualties.

Stan Mudenge, a senior member of the Mnangagwa faction who warned Masvingo against proceeding with its plan to oust Mujuru without proper coordination on nomination day, and Lovemore Matuke, the provincial chair, also came out with a futile damage-control line, saying the faction's attempt to depose Joice Mujuru was an "expression of democracy".

Although observers agree that the Zanu PF nominations this time around showed a gradual shift from an authoritarian paradigm of fixing and directing of internal elections towards free democratic expression, the Mnangagwa camp seems unable or unwilling to acknowledge its political fiasco.

After the reluctant surrender by Masvingo and Midlands, the Mujuru camp galloped to a clean sweep -- a victory of 10 out of 10 provinces. The latest defeat of the Mnangagwa group was worse than the 2004 one because the faction then managed to cling onto four provinces despite Mugabe's ruthless intervention and enormous pressure on behalf of the Mujuru faction.

As usual in Zanu PF, regional and tribal designs were at play in the 2004 battle as was the case now.

The root causes of the power struggle and infighting in Zanu PF are many and varied. They include the race to succeed Mugabe, competition for economic resources, as well as regional and ethnic rivalry.

At the heart of the matter is the fight to gain power and resultantly an access to resources in order to consolidate and protect political, regional and ethnic interests, over and above class and individual accumulation of wealth by the plutocrats.

Political and ethnic rivalry, with no ideological or policy content, has always fuelled internal wrangling within Zanu PF since its formation in 1963. After Independence in 1980 this broadly extrapolated and morphed into institutionalised nepotism, political corruption and systematic pillaging of public resources in government run by a criminal and incompetent cabal which has now privatised the state for massive elite and personal enrichment.

Political corruption in Zimbabwe encompasses the abuse of public office and resources for private gain.

Winning the Zanu PF leadership is in the current scheme of things a major step towards seizing state power and gaining access to resources, although things have vastly changed since the emergence of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change as a major political force in 1999.

In fact, the biggest challenge for Mugabe's prospective successors is no longer fighting off challenges from within but taking on Tsvangirai before gaining power. This now makes it doubly difficult for them to win the state presidency.

After being defeated in 2004 in the so-called Tsholotsho "coup", the Mnangagwa faction had managed to close ranks and regroup to mount a challenge against the Mujuru camp but its disastrous comeback bid ended in a political calamity which is bound to damage and even ruin careers.

allafrica

26 November 2009
Harare — A HIGH powered South African delegation is expected in Harare on Sunday to speed up talks among partners in the shaky inclusive government, as it emerged yesterday that the negotiators of the global political agreement (GPA) have agreed on a 20-item agenda to resolve outstanding issues of the pact.

The three-member facilitation team was appointed on Wednesday by South African President Jacob Zuma and will be led by his long-time ally, Mac Maharaj. Other members would be Zuma's international relations advisor Lindiwe Zulu and former Safety and Security minister Charles Nqakula.

Zuma -- who replaced ex-South African President Thabo Mbeki as the facilitator of the Zimbabwe negotiations -- is piling pressure for the resolution of sticking points and full consummation of the GPA within the agreed timelines.

Zulu last night told the Zimbabwe Independent that the facilitation team would be coming to Harare anytime soon.

"We are coming to Harare, but I cannot confirm the dates at the moment. It depends on the setting up of meetings with parties and their negotiators," Zulu said. "As soon as we have done that, we will be on our way to Zimbabwe. It can be tomorrow (Friday), Saturday or Sunday."

But sources close to the negotiations insisted the facilitation team would arrive in Harare this weekend in renewed efforts to nudge President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara -- the principals of the GPA -- to resolve the outstanding issues and fully consummate the pact signed in September last year.

The South African presidency said it was determined to see the resolution of the outstanding issues within the 30 days as outlined by the Sadc organ on politics, defence and security on November 5 in Maputo.

Talks between the parties' negotiators only started on Monday -- three days after the first 15 days lapsed. They were adjourned to Saturday.

Sources close to the talks said the negotiators have agreed on a 20-item agenda, which includes sticking points outlined by the Sadc troika in Mozambique.

The sources said the agenda was almost a review of the GPA as the negotiators would deliberate on issues captured by the pact such as the restoration of economic stability and growth; sanctions and related measures; the land question; constitution; national healing; external interference; free political activity; rule of law, freedom of assembly; and state organs and institutions.

Talks would also centre on the national youth training programme; humanitarian assistance; legislative agenda; freedom of expression and communication, electoral vacancies; GPA implementation mechanism; and periodic review mechanism.

Above all, the negotiators would deal with the outstanding issues outlined by the Sadc troika, which included the re-appointment of central bank governor Gideon Gono, the appointment of Attorney-General Johannes Tomana and provincial governors, among others.

allafrica

LUSAKA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Donors have confirmed their commitment funds to Zambia's Poverty Reduction Budget Support (PRBS) for next year's budget, local newspaper the Zambia Daily Mail reported on Thursday.

The donors have confirmed that they will provide about 215 million U.S. dollars, which is more than 194 million dollars indicative commitment the donors provided in September this year, according to Daily Mail.

Zambian Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane announced this in Lusaka on Wednesday after a meeting with donors.

"I am pleased to announce that all major outstanding issues have been resolved and the cooperating partners have announced a firm financial commitment of 215 million dollars towards the 2010 national budget," Musokotwane said.

The Zambian minister said the donors' contribution represents a substantial increase from funds committed this year and thanked the partners for their continued support to the southern African country's development efforts.

Musokotwane, however, said despite the progress made so far, there are still some issues of concern that the government will continue to dialogue with donors.

The issues include the implementation of the country's decentralization policy, improved public financial management practices and the country's public service pay reforms, Daily Mail said.

The Zambian Minister said the meeting was a follow-up to another one held in September this year and was aimed at resolving a number of outstanding issues.

And speaking earlier, European Union (EU) Head of Delegation to Zambia Derek Fee who spoke on behalf of the donors, said the budget support backs up the government's overall national development plan and reform agenda with the ultimate aim of reducing poverty in rural and urban areas.

He said budget support is an aid modality that is based on deep mutual trust and depended on donors' confidence in the government's system.

"Therefore, systems improvement is crucial to ensure more efficient and effective use of public resources, be they domestic or external, aimed at pro-poor service delivery and development of the whole country," Fee was quoted as saying.

DAKAR, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Up to 160 physical victims of the landmines were counted in the south of Senegal in the aftermath of an armed rebellion in the 1980s, the National Center against Antimines in Senegal (CNAMS) said on Wednesday.

According to a study released the CNAMS, there are 129 victims of landmines in Ziguinchor, the biggest town in the Casamance region.

Among the victims, 66 have artificial limbs out of which, only 38 are functional, 49 are walking on crutches and the rest are using wheelchairs.

Senegal ratified in 1998 the Ottawa convention which prohibits the use, storage, production and transportation of landmines and calls for their destruction.

LAGOS, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's Minister of Justice Michael Aondoakaa has assured Nigerians that President Umaru Yar'Adua is in a stable health condition, the Punch newspaper reported on Thursday.

The minister said this in a statement issued in Abuja late on Wednesday against the background of rumors that the president was feared dead on Wednesday morning after being admitted to a hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Local media reported on Tuesday that the president was admitted to an unnamed hospital for medical checks.

On Wednesday, there were rumors that Yar'Adua was feared dead. The minister insisted that Yar'Adua is in good health.

"We have received with great shock and dismay the rumors making the rounds about the state of health of the president and wish to state that the president has gone to Saudi Arabia for routine medical check," the statement said.

Aondoakaa said it is normal for the president to embark on routine medical trips and vacations outside the country.

"It is unfortunate that cynics always read meanings to the movement of the president, especially, whenever he travels outside the country," he added.

Aondoakaa said he was in constant touch with the president in Jeddah, urging Nigerians to remain focused and wish the president well.

According to the minister, the president is committed to the well being of Nigerians, adding that he will return to Nigeria as soon as he completes his medical checks and short vacation.

Garba Aminchi, the country's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told a local television station, Africa Independent Television (AIT), that Yar'Adua is okay.

The ambassador assured that Yar'Adua is undergoing necessary medical checks and would perform the Hajj and other religious obligations in Saudi Arabia before returning to the country at an undisclosed date.

ABIDJAN, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Cote d'Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo held discussions on Wednesday with the special representative of the United Nations secretary general to the country, Choi Joung-jin,on the electoral process in the run-up to the long-awaited polls.

The talks were notable three days after the start of the voter list check to make sure no problems remain before the presidential elections, which have been repeatedly delayed.

"We have had very good discussions," Choi declared after the meeting, coming to the conclusion that "there is a very solid basis to believe that the electoral list is balanced and solid."

The provisional electoral list published since Sunday has 5.3 million voters and slightly more than one million people whose status needs verification.

"We have already identified 83 percent of the people. That is good progress since a figure of 2000 lists has about 3.5 million people," explained the head of United Nations Operations in Cote d'lvoire (ONUCI), who thought this speed "to be reliable in getting a solid final electoral list."

Choi, however, pointed out that there are "two challenges to overcome," the technical delays and security for the process.

"We might have some delays because of technical reasons which we must minimize since we have a precious window of opportunity," Choi indicated, holding optimism that "there is a strong electoral dynamism and political willingness."

On the issue of security, Choi noted that "there are good prospects."

"There is no trouble, there is free movement in the north and south and the pre-campaigns are going on very well all over the country," he added.

The resolving of contentious issues will lead to the publication of the final electoral list and the distribution of voter cards before the official launch of campaigns for the election, which is expected to end seven years of a political crisis.

The West African country has yet to reunify the government-controlled south and the north held by the former rebel New Forces, whose leader serves as the prime minister in the government under a peace deal brokered by Burkina Faso. The division remains since the 2002-2003 civil war unleashed by an attempted coup.

ABIDJAN, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) gave Cote d'lvoire 83 million U. S. dollars under the framework of supporting governance programs between 2009-2013,a communique from this institution said on Wednesday.

The communique stipulated that the program will involve a number of issues with the chief target of improvement of quality of service delivery in the public sector and consolidation of economic governance.

It will also engage in such activities as promotion of democracy and the human rights, as well as development projects.

"The program is part of UNDP's contribution under the United Nations' development document on the strategy for poverty reduction between 2009-2013 in matters of good governance," the communique pointed out, stressing that the targets of this program are state institutions, public administration, all local government organizations, private sector organizations and the civil society groups.

The UNDP director in the country, Andre Carvalho, was quoted assaying Cote d'lvoire had made significant steps by creating institutions to promote good governance.

"The success of any country in matters of good governance depends on the quality of her institutions. If a government does not function rationally and efficiently despite the willingness, the utilization of limited resources that she has will not be efficient," he said, reaffirming the willingness of UNDP to work together with Cote d'lvoire to improve governance.

Abuja — DETAILS and revenue estimates for the 2010 budget inadvertently omitted in the budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly on Tuesday were yesterday circulated to Senators.

The revenue estimates showing a total collection of N6.040 trillion accruable from oil and non-oil sources showed oil revenue yielding N4.293 trillion of the amount with non-oil revenue expected to yield N2.899 trillion.

President Umaru Yar'Adua's seat unoccupied as Vice President Goodluck Jonathan presides over the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

However, Senators have predicted doom for the budget based on the woeful performance of previous budgets, while members of the House of Representatives lamented the low implentation of the 2009 budget.

The details obtained by Vanguard yesterday indicated that the N370 billion has been earmarked for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the monitoring of the conventions and congresses of the political parties ahead of the 2011 general elections.

Of the N4.293 trillion expected from oil sources, N749.99 billion is the government's share of the cost of production, another N208.29 billion is earmarked for National Domestic Gas Development and another N2.66 billion is set aside for crude oil pre-export expenses leaving a balance of N3.332 billion as net oil revenue.

13 per cent of the outstanding balance amounting to N433.19 billion is set aside as derivation proceeds for oil producing states leaving a balance of N2.899 trillion as revenue to be shared by the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC.

The estimates also show that the total receipts expected in the Federation account in 2010 would be N3.775 trillion with the Federal Government share of the FAAC being N1.83 trillion with the States getting N1.008 trillion while the 774 local governments in the country are to share N777.74 billion from the federation account.

The revenue estimates, according to the Minister of Finance, Mansur Muhtar, were inadvertently omitted from the budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly on Tuesday.

INEC under the budget estimates expects to spend N21.441 billion to prepare for the 2011 round of elections; N150 million to upgrade its web site and another N100 million to renovate the national headquarters of the commission.

INEC is also expecting spend N25 million in preparing a new electoral bill and N2.2 billion for the rehabilitation of six local government area offices in each of the thirty six states of the country and Abuja.

INEC also expects to spend N15.198 million in an electronic collation system and N160 million in the production of a national voters' register.

2010 budget: Senators predicts failure

Meantime, Senators yesterday repeatedly knocked the 2010 budget proposals of President Umaru Yar'Adua by expressing misgivings on the capacity of the Federal Government to carry out a successful implementation.

The Senators who spoke yesterday during the consideration of the budget hinged their misgivings on the woeful performance of previous budgets.

The Senators also listed corruption, lack of capacity, inefficiency and poor attitudes of civil servants as reasons why Nigerians will still be denied the full benefits of the 2010 budget.

They faulted the high profile of the recurrent expenditure over capital expenditure and the meagre allocation to the power sector, stressing that the 2010 appropriation may still not be able to transform Nigeria's economy.

Those who spoke are the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Victor Ndoma-Egba, Smart Adeyemi, Olorunimbe Mamora, Patrick Osakwe, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, Uche Chuwkumerije and Ayim Udeh.

Senator Ekweremadu in his contribution shortly after the lead debate by the Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, faulted the inclusion of rents and telephone bills in the recurrent expenditure.

He said "Our budgetary provisions like rent subsidy, maintenance of vehicles, maintenance of furniture, residential/accommodation rent, water rate and telephone, I believe that with monetiaation, some of these items should be off our budget and these should be transferred to the capital side of our budget."

Senator Ndoma-Egba in his contribution lamented that Nigeria's budget has been theories and allocations without the corresponding result of sustainable development.

He said, "Theoretically, the 2010 budget is good. Year in, year out, we go through the tradition of debating and passing budget, but year in, year out, we failed to derive maximum benefits from the budget. The stories have been of failed budget.

"Do we have the capacity to implement? If we do not have the capacity to implement smaller budgets, do we have capacity to implement the bigger one? Again another reason for failed budget is the failure to respect the rule of law.

"Our budgets must deliver jobs, it must deliver security and it must deliver food."

Senator Adeyemi is his contribution said: "I find it difficult to accept a situation where recurrent expenditure is almost twice capital votes. A good budget must take into consideration the needs and aspirations of the people. The question the common man is asking is what happened to the 2009 budget? The situation where only 30 percent of the budget was implemented is not good enough.

"Let us address issues that affect the man on the street. Enough of these theories and allocations, we want power, jobs, security and peace. Let us explore other opportunities to fund our budgets. We can look at income tax and property tax.

Many people who own properties in Nigeria are not paying tax. Let us look at how to increase internally generated revenue."

Senator Mamora summing up the fears of the Senate said, "But my worry is that for too long, this administration has been engaged more in statements of intention than reality.

"There is no point stating intentions, people can only benefit from reality rather than intention of government. I am worried that the last year's budget size was N3 trillion. My worry is that if the administration has not demonstrated faithfulness in small things, how then can it implement a bigger one."

Chukwumerije lamented the lopsidedness of allocations in the budget.

He said "The low allocations to health, N162 billion and Labour, N7 billion along with low allocation to women N2.5 billion and youths, N46 billion do not portray the government as particularly obsessed with the goal of improving the lot of the underprivileged and the low-income in the society."

Reps angry at low implementation of 2009 budget

On their part, members of the House of Representatives expressed lamentations on the low implementation of the 2009 budget.

The Members while debating the budget before it went into second reading, yesterday, regretted that in spite of their monitoring of the executive arm of government, the 2009 budget performed below 50 per cent.

Deputy Speaker of the House, Alhaji Usman Nafada, who presided over the sitting said budget implementation is about improving the well-being of citizens.

"If we are able to achieve this, then our re-election as PDP members will be smooth," he said

"I want to blame poor implementation of budgets on Ministers because they execute only the projects that serve their personal interests.

"Ministers deliberately delay projects approved by the National Assembly only to rush back to us at the end of the year to request for virement in order to continue to fund their own projects", he said

"Look at the case of the Niger Delta Ministry which has not executed a single project in the region this year, in spite of the fact that the National Assembly appropriated about N50 billion to it in 2009", he lamented.

"The money is still lying idle at the Central Bank of Nigeria. There are saboteurs who do not want the Niger Delta to develop", he said.

allafrica

A Canadian and an Australian journalist have said that they were tortured while being held by kidnappers in Somalia for 15 months.

Amanda Lindhout, a Canadian freelancer, and Nigel Brennan, an Australian photojournalist, were freed by their captors on Wednesday.

"I was beaten and I was tortured. It was an extremely, extremely difficult situation," Lindhout told CTV television in an interview from the capital, Mogadishu.

A man purporting to be one of the kidnappers told the AFP news agency that a $1m ransom had been paid for the release of the two journalists.

Lindhout and Brennan were captured on August 23, 2008 as they travelled from Mogadishu to a refugee camp in Afgooye.

A Somali journalist and two drivers were also taken hostage but freed after 177 days. They were unable to identify their captors or the motives for the kidnappings.

In September 2008, a local tribal chief participated in negotiations to try to free the pair and said the kidnappers wanted $2.5m. In January, he said the demand had been reduced to $100,000.

On Wednesday night, Lindhout and Brennan were staying on a hotel in Mogadishu before being flown out of the country.

Kept in chains

Brennan said that when he was bundled into a car before being released he feared that he was being handed over to one of the Islamist groups fighting government forces in Somalia.

"Tonight we were ripped out of our rooms, stripped of everything, told to put on new clothes and then thrown in a car and then driven - we had no idea what was going on," he said by telephone from the hotel.

"We were always kept by the same people. That was especially one of my concerns towards the end. They were talking about selling us to another group."

Brennan said he was kept in chains and had been isolated from Lindhout for 10 months after they had tried to escape.

"Locked in a room, very little light. I haven't been able to exercise at all. You know, simple things like being told not to smile, not to laugh - not that there was much to laugh about," he said.

"But my friend Amanda had a pretty rough time, I know that. She was severely beaten and we were both tortured both mentally and physically.

"Being pistol-whipped is sort of torture, being completely stripped of everything and then locked in a room, no one to speak to, is a form of torture really."

There are frequent abductions of journalists and aid workers for ransom in Somalia, but the 15 months that Lindhout and Brennan spent in captivity was unusually long.

Large areas of Somalia are controlled by anti-government groups, which are battling an administration that has little effective control over much of the country.

aljazeera

Somalia's al-Shabab has seized control of Dobley, a southern border town located between Somalia and Kenya, after heavy fighting with a rival group.

Heavily armed al-Shabab fighters attacked the town on Tuesday night, leading to fierce gun battle which lasted into the better part of Wednesday, before the rival group Hizbul Islam gave in and fled the town, a Press TV correspondent reported.

According to residents, hundreds of al-Shabab militia with battle wagons are patrolling the key border town.

Earlier on Tuesday, dozens of al-Shabab fighters took over the control of Qoqani village near the Kenyan border, after Hizbul Islam gunmen left it without any military confrontation.

Reports said that fleeing Hizbul Islam officials ran into Kenyan security forces at the border where a top Hizbul Islam commander, Isse Kamboni was reportedly nabbed and is currently held in Kenya.

The capture of the town comes four days after another southern town, Afmadow, was seized by al-Shabab without any fighting.

The two groups, which have a large presence in southern Somalia, have been engaged in deadly warfare in recent days.

Relations between the two groups have disintegrated after al-Shabab unilaterally formed a new administration for Kismayo, a lucrative southern Somali port city that fuels insurgent activities across the war-torn country.

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20091125
Luanda, – Experts of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP) meeting Wednesday in Luanda to prepare the 18th parliamentarian session, urged the European Union states and rich nations to cancel the external debt of poor nations.

This intention was expressed in a statement read to the press by the meeting’s spokesman, Robert Luke Iroga, saying that at least 60 countries need to have their debt relieved so that they can reach the millennium development goals.

According to Robert Luke Iroga, the meeting praised the decisions made by many countries regarding the cancellation of the debts of developing countries.

Presented by the ACP’s official, the Ugandan Joseph Mugambe, the report highlights the economic and financing impact of climate changes as well as encourages both member countries and donors to provide short and medium term financial assistance to the
underprivileged.

The report will be discussed and adopted during the 18th session of the Parliamentarian Assembly of the ACP-EU that will open on November 30 in Luanda.

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20091125
Luanda, - November 25 is the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women, designated in 1999 by the United Nations General Assembly.

The date came from the brutal assassination in 1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).

Below is the UN General Assembly’s Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and recommendations.

Recognizing the urgent need for the universal application to women of the rights and principles with regard to equality, security, liberty, integrity and dignity of all human beings, Noting that those rights and principles are enshrined in international instruments, including the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1/ the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 2/ the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 2/ the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 3/ and the
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, 4/ Recognizing that effective implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women would contribute to the elimination of violence against women and that the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, set forth in the present resolution, will strengthen and complement that process, Concerned that violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement of equality,
development and peace, as recognized in the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, 5/ in which a set of measures to combat violence against women was recommended, and to the full implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Affirming that violence against women constitutes a violation of the rights and fundamental
freedoms of women and impairs or nullifies their enjoyment of those rights and freedoms, and concerned about the long-standing failure to protect and promote those rights and freedoms in the case of violence against women, Recognizing that violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention of the full advancement of women, and that violence against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men, Concerned that some groups of women, such as women belonging to minority groups, indigenous women, refugee women, migrant women, women living in rural or remote communities, destitute women, women in institutions or in detention, female children, women with disabilities, elderly women and women in situations of armed conflict, are especially vulnerable to violence, Recalling the conclusion in paragraph 23 of the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1990/15 of 24 May 1990 that the recognition that violence against women in the
family and society was pervasive and cut across lines of income, class and culture had to be matched by urgent and effective steps to eliminate its incidence, Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 1991/18 of 30 May 1991, in which the Council recommended the development of a framework for an international instrument that would address explicitly the issue of violence against women, Welcoming the role that women's movements are playing in drawing increasing attention to the nature, severity and magnitude of the problem of violence against women, Alarmed that opportunities for women to achieve legal, social, political and economic equality
in society are limited, inter alia, by continuing and endemic violence, Solemnly proclaims the following Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and urges that every effort be made so that it becomes generally known and respected:

For the purposes of this Declaration, the term "violence against women" means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.

Violence against women shall be understood to encompass, but not be limited to, the following:

Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation; Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere, trafficking in women and forced prostitution; Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it occurs.

Women are entitled to the equal enjoyment and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field. These rights include, inter alia:

States should condemn violence against women and should not invoke any custom, tradition or religious consideration to avoid their obligations with respect to its elimination. States should pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating violence against women and, to this end, should:

Consider, where they have not yet done so, ratifying or acceding to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women or withdrawing reservations to that Convention; Refrain from engaging in violence against women; Exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons; Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 3; and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, article 9. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, article 12. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 23; and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, articles 6 and 7.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 5; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, article 7; and Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Develop penal, civil, labour and administrative sanctions in domestic legislation to punish and redress the wrongs caused to women who are subjected to violence; women who are subjected to violence should be provided with access to the mechanisms of justice and, as provided for by national legislation, to just and effective remedies for the harm that they have suffered; States should also inform women of their rights in seeking redress through such mechanisms; Consider the possibility of developing national plans of action to promote the protection of women against any form of violence, or to include provisions for that purpose in plans already existing, taking into account, as appropriate, such cooperation as can be provided by non-governmental organizations, particularly those concerned with the issue of violence against women; Develop, in a comprehensive way, preventive approaches and all those measures of a legal, political, administrative and cultural nature that promote the protection of women against any form of violence, and ensure that the re-victimization of women does not occur because of laws insensitive to gender considerations, enforcement practices or other interventions; Work to ensure, to the maximum extent feasible in the light of their available resources and, where needed, within the framework of international cooperation, that women subjected to violence and, where appropriate, their children have specialized assistance, such as rehabilitation, assistance in child care and maintenance, treatment, counselling, and health and social services, facilities and programmes, as well as support structures, and should take all other appropriate measures to promote their safety and physical and psychological rehabilitation; Include in government budgets adequate resources for their activities related to the limination of violence against women; Take measures to ensure that law enforcement officers and public officials responsible for implementing policies to prevent, investigate and punish violence against women receive training to sensitize them to the needs of women; Adopt all appropriate measures, especially in the field of education, to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women and to eliminate prejudices, customary practices and all other practices based on the idea of the inferiority or superiority of either of
the sexes and on stereotyped roles for men and women; Promote research, collect data and compile statistics, especially concerning domestic violence, relating to the prevalence of different forms of violence against women and encourage research on the causes, nature, seriousness and consequences of violence against women and on the effectiveness of measures implemented to prevent and redress violence against women; those statistics and findings of the research will be made public; Adopt measures directed towards the elimination of violence against women who are especially vulnerable to violence; Include, in submitting reports as required under relevant human rights instruments of the United Nations, information pertaining to violence against women and measures taken to implement the present Declaration; Encourage the development of appropriate guidelines to assist in the implementation of the
principles set forth in the present Declaration; Recognize the important role of the women's movement and non-governmental organizations world wide in raising awareness and alleviating the problem of violence against women; Facilitate and enhance the work of the women's movement and non-governmental organizations and cooperate with them at local, national and regional levels;
Encourage intergovernmental regional organizations of which they are members to include the elimination of violence against women in their programmes, as appropriate.

The organs and specialized agencies of the United Nations system should, within their respective fields of competence, contribute to the recognition and realization of the rights and the principles set forth in the present Declaration and, to this end, should, inter alia:

Foster international and regional cooperation with a view to defining regional strategies for combating violence, exchanging experiences and financing programmes relating to the elimination of violence against women; Promote meetings and seminars with the aim of creating and raising awareness among all persons of the issue of the elimination of violence against women; Foster coordination and exchange within the United Nations system between human rights treaty bodies to address the issue of violence against women effectively; Include in analyses prepared by organizations and bodies of the United Nations system of social trends and problems, such as the periodic reports on the world social situation, examination of trends in violence against women; Encourage coordination between organizations and bodies of the United Nations system to incorporate the issue of violence against women into ongoing programmes, especially with reference to groups of women particularly vulnerable to violence; Promote the formulation of guidelines or manuals relating to violence against women, taking into account the measures referred to in the present Declaration; Consider the issue of the elimination of violence against women, as appropriate, in fulfilling their mandates with respect to the implementation of human rights instruments; Cooperate with non-governmental organizations in addressing the issue of violence against women.

Nothing in the present Declaration shall affect any provision that is more conducive to the elimination of violence against women that may be contained in the legislation of a State or in any international convention, treaty or other instrument in force in a State.

portalangop

20091125
Athens, - The Angolan ambassador to Greece, Isaías Jaime Vilinga, Wednesday met with his Sudanese colleague, Ali Sadiq, to whom he informed about the ongoing efforts of Angolan authorities, despite the international financial crisis, focussed on the creation of conditions for an exemplary hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN2010).

According to the diplomat, Angolan officials did not spare any efforts towards the creation of conditions so that the country successfully hosts the 27th edition of the CAN, set for next January 10-31 in the provinces of Luanda, Benguela, Huíla and Cabinda.

Isaías Jaime Vilinga said this at a meeting with Ali Sadiq, in which they analysed the prevailing state of bilateral ties between Angola and the DRC, the Angolan government's stand in regards to Guinea Conakry, the process of reconciliation and national reconstruction
underway in the country, as well as the political situation in Sudan itself.

On his turn, the ambassador of Sudan to Greece, Ali Sadiq, said that the peace in his country is already a fact and priority lies on the rebuilding of consciences, as well as the economic and social tissue.

The Sudanese diplomat also stressed the excellent relations existing between the two African nations.

portalangop

(Xinhua) -- Two foreign journalists kidnapped in Somalia last year have been released, according to agencies' reports on Wednesday.

The reports said there were one Canadian and one Australian. They were in a hotel in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

The two were kidnapped in August last year with their Somali driver and guards in the southwest of Mogadishu.

No further details about the release process was available now.

The development came one month after three aid workers who had been held since July were released by gunmen in the Horn of Africa country. ?

The three were kidnapped in July in the north of Kenya and taken to Somalia across the border. They were taken to a small plane on Saturday morning in the southwestern Somali town of Luq.

Somalia has been without a strong central government since the toppling of former ruler Mohamed Siyad Barre in 1991.

LAGOS, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Some Nigerian experts have called for adoption of policies that would enhance global climate regime.

The international relations experts made the call in Lagos on Tuesday ahead of December's UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen, the News Agency of Nigeria reported on Wednesday.

The experts, who spoke at a two-day International Conference on "Climate Change and Human Security: Challenges and Prospects", advised developing countries to demand for funding rather than compensation in Copenhagen.

Osita Eze, director-general of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), said such demand would cover actions to mitigate or adapt to climate change on short and long term basis.

"Climate change has been identified as a key challenge and area of integration in the EU' s renewed sustainable development strategy, energy policy and its action plan on climate change in the context of development cooperation," he said.

"Developed countries need to demonstrate their seriousness in dealing with priority issues of developing countries, including climate change, through the provision of substantial funding," he added.

The NIIA boss stressed the need for an effect multilateral system, functioning international institutions and rules-based international order to tackle issues of climate change effectively.

He also called for coherent approach to foreign policy-making to promote collective action and integration of climate change into trade and economic policy to decrease emissions.

Eze said international diplomacy and foreign relations were offering opportunities for negotiating agreements that could meet foreign policy objectives and commitments to tackle the global threat of climate change.

Charles Dokubo, senior research fellow at NIIA, said adaptation to climate change required strong support from the international community and involvement of other stakeholders.

"Integrating climate change adaptation must start with raising awareness that more variable and more intense climate conditions are expected and encourages changes that reflect this change," he said.