ion of the News from AEFJN is now online. It contains news on UN Climate Summit in Durban (big business control the negotiations, REDD+ market mechanism is criticised), on protection of biodiversity and report on land rush, on Small Arms Flows and Communities in Kenya, on the Ethno-Religious Conflict in Nigeria, on Benin’s Universal Health Insurance Plan, efavirenz and AZT regimens for HIV treatment, on Africa lying naked to Euro-American Military Offensive and on Malawi urban poor hit by slew of price increases.
The national election campaign officially started the 28th October in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), exactly one month ahead of historic presidential and legislative elections, scheduled for November 28 2011. 41 humanitarian and human rights organizations, among them AEFJN, have expressed concern about the high political tension and deteriorating security situation. They have called upon all Congolese and international actors involved to take urgent measures to prevent electoral violence, better protect civilians and ensure credible, free and fair elections.
A simple booklet for workers in health centers in Africa, with guidelines on how to ensure the quality of purchased drugs. How can we assure the quality of the medicines we are buying? What do we need to know? What precautions should we take?
To encourage the commitment of AEFJN members in Africa, towards the fight against the proliferation of small arms in the continent, AEFJN has published a booklet with the organizations working for greater control of arms in Africa.
|
|
|
EU deal threatens medicines supplies
In a decade and a half since being diagnosed with HIV, Gangte, a 43 year-old living in New Delhi, has seen his illness transform from a death sentence into a manageable condition, thanks largely to the availability of cheap medicines produced in India... Seven years later, he says he is coming to terms with a new threat to his health: an international trade agreement being brokered between the European Union and India that medical experts warn could leave millions of HIV sufferers in developing world without the drugs they need to stay alive.
Europe trade deal could hit access to generic drugs
Today India produces most generic drugs for the poor.
A Trade agreement now in the works between the European Union and India could make it harder for millions of patients in Africa to get lifesaving drugs.
Stricter intellectual property provisions Europe has proposed will hinder the time-line production of low-cost generic drugs in India for use across the developing world.
The destiny of millions of poor patients will be decided by this trade agreement between the EU and India... If patent rights override patient rights, that's the end of the story" said Amar Lulla, joint managing director of CIPLA, one of India's largest generics manufacturers.
Fighting the proliferation of small arms in Africa
Small arms are one of the main causes of death in Africa. The widespread and often uncontrolled presence of small arms in different parts of the continent and the facility to buy and use them has become a scourge in itself.
Civil and inter-state conflicts drive demand for small arms and create a pool of weapons which can be used to commit violent crime as well as fuelling conflict. Small arms such as assault rifles are especially suited to the irregular warfare because they are cheap (an AK-47 Africa’s favourite killing machine can be easily bought for as low as $12).
Ogoniland Oil Spills clean up will take up to 30 years
The environmental restoration of Ogoniland could prove to be the world's most wide-ranging and long term oil clean-up exercise ever undertake. A major new scientific assessment, carried out by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), shows that pollution from over 50 years of oil operations in the region has penetrated further and deeper than many may have supposed. the report estimates that countering and cleaning up the pollution and catalyzing a sustainable recovery of Ogoniland could take 25 to 30 years. Read more
EU wants to force ACP countries to sign EPAs
In the last year, EPA negotiations had largely come to a standstill: only a few negotiation rounds took place and they produced no significant outcome. Frustrated with this lack of progress in the negotiations, the EU has decided to step up the pressure on the ACP countries. The European Commission adopted a proposal amending Regulation 1528/2007 governing the market access of 36 ACP countries to the EU. The proposal for amendment provides that, unless the 36 countries listed in the Annex ratify and implement EPAs by January 2014, they will be taken off the list. This means that they will lose the duty/quota free access of their goods to the European market. Read more
Food Sovereignty, a concept AEFJN supports
Main Focus of AEFJN
AEFJN is attentive to political decisions concerning economic relations between Africa and Europe.
AEFJN lobbies the European Union and member states to promote sustainable development in Africa; to monitor the impact in Africa of EU policies, agreements and protocols and to promote socio-economic strategies that take into account the views of African people for a sustainable development.
AEFJN insists on the right and the responsibility of Africans to make their own policy for development.
AEFJN listens to the voice of Africa... brings this voice to the EU, so that African reality influences EU policy to promote sustainable development in that continent.