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Yearly Archives: 2024

African military spending up 22% in 2023 with DRC leading the push.

African military spending rose by 22% between 2022 and 2023, according to a new report, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) seeing the biggest increase to its military budget globally at 105% as the central African country battles multiple security threats. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in a new report on world…

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The Bird that Colours the Zambezi River in Red.

When the flocks of the carmine bee-eater arrive in the Zambezi Valley, at the height of the dry season, the bush is tinged with the red colour of its feathers, brushing the arid colours of the winter landscape with renewed brilliance. It is already the middle of September, and the dry season is coming to…

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India. The life of the tea pickers.

Grasping the fresh, light green shoots in her hand, she separates them from the plants and tosses them into the cloth bag tied with a band around her forehead. A gesture that the women of Darjeeling will repeat thousands of times. A life made of sacrifices and suffering. But the Salesian schools try to give…

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African Ports. Competitiveness and Positioning in Global Supply Chains.

Since colonial times, African ports have been the main gateway to coastal countries and their vast hinterland. We examined the performance, challenges and development prospects of three of the largest ports in sub-Saharan Africa: Lagos in West Africa, Mombasa in East Africa and Durban in South Africa. In this globalised economy, where ports are gateways…

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The African Dance. The celebration of the life.

In traditional Africa, dance is more than entertainment. It is a celebration of life. This is why, watching Africans dance can give a clue of both their core values and main economic activities. It even gives insight into the geography of their land and the history of their tribe. Cattle keepers dance jumping. These are…

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South Africa. Nonhle Mbuthuma and Sinegugu Zukulu.

Activists Nonhle Mbuthuma and Sinegugu Zukulu have stopped destructive seismic testing for oil and gas off South Africa’s Eastern Cape, in an area known as the Wild Coast. Organizing their community, Nonhle and Sinegugu secured their victory by asserting the rights of the local community to protect their marine environment. By halting oil and gas…

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The Red Sea: how fragile global trade is.

The threats from the Houthis in the Red Sea persist: the crisis continues to heavily impact global transport and trade, with significant repercussions on the world economy. Eight months, two naval missions and dozens of missiles later, the crisis in the Red Sea continues. The Houthis continue to threaten the world’s commercial fleet, so much…

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DR. Congo. New Patriots.

Violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has intensified in recent months. With the M23 rebels occupying more and more space and the United Nations mission (MONUSCO) expected to end before 2025, self-defence groups are increasingly taking centre stage. They want arms. They don’t care what sort they are, who sells them to…

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The European elections.

Upcoming European elections: challenges and prospects for the European Commission. Analysis of the political landscape and industrial strategies in view of the new parliamentary cycle. Elections for the renewal of the European Parliament will be held on 8 and 9 June, followed by a new European Commission. Outgoing President Ursula Von der Leyen is the…

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Mali. Ten years of the Amazons of music.

The music of the Amazones d’Afrique, a collective of female musicians started in Mali in 2014, is powerful, blending wide-ranging melodies, pan-African styles, gritty pop and an exuberant stage presence. It is impossible to stop listening to them, not to be overwhelmed by the pop rhythms, by the electro-futuristic sounds combined with the traditional. But…

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Cheetah and the Rock Dassie.

The world was a very pleasant place in which to live. All the animals were friends and, although they occasionally had disagreements, they would never think of fighting, or harming each other. Indeed, there was only one thing to be feared – and that was fire. Not the safe, warm fire that Man kept in…

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Angola. Cristo Rey Seminary. A formation centre of excellence.

Since its foundation by the Spiritan Missionaries in 1928, the Cristo Rey Major Seminary of Huambo has trained dozens of bishops, hundreds of priests and many young people who today serve Angolan society. We paid it a visit. Not far from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in the centre of Huambo…

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Advocacy

Myanmar. Paul Sein Twa. Preserving Ancestral Territory.

“What we would like to achieve when we talk about peace. Peace means self-determination. Peace means biological conservation. Peace means revitalization of our culture and…

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Baobab

Inca. The Island of the Sun.

At that time Viracocha, the creator God, looked down upon the earth. He saw it was bare, shrouded in impenetrable darkness, for daylight did not yet…

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Youth & Mission

Celebrating African youth.

“Young Africans are playing an active role in bringing social change in the continent. They are contributing daily to the benefit of their communities and nations…

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