South Africa and France agree on intervention in CAR

South Africa and France agree that intervention is needed in the Central African Republic (CAR) to help stabilise the country, President Jacob Zuma said on Monday.

"The foreign minister of France gave a report... that the problem [in the country] is getting worse. Even the question of religion among the people is beginning to set in," Zuma told reporters at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

"We [South Africa] agreed that we need to do something and act quickly. We have committed... that we are going to be ready to be part of the solution to help the Central African Republic come back to its normality."

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with French president Francois Hollande, Zuma did not specify the role South Africa would play in the intervention.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201310142233.html

African leaders seeking ICC immunity

Attempts by African leaders to secure immunity from prosecution in the International Criminal Court (ICC) have been slammed as nothing more than an attempt to protect a handful of the continent's most powerful people.

The proposal was put forward during a special summit called by the African Union (AU), to discuss the continent's continued relationship with the Hague based court. This is amid heightened tensions between the court and particularly Kenya, with that nation's President and Deputy President both being charged by the ICC with crimes against humanity.

Several nations in the 54-member AU have accused the ICC of bias against Africa, and have demanded that the court drop its cases against Kenya's leadership. African states have also repeatedly ignored ICC orders to hand over the indicted Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the ICC for genocide and war crimes in Darfur.

The most recent African state to support calls for a mass withdrawal from the ICC is Zimbabwe, with Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa saying last week that Africans must "stand up and stamp their authority" against the court.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201310150089.html

Mauritian opposition parties will boycott the legislative election

Mauritania's main opposition parties announced a boycott of November's legislative election on Friday after talks with the government over preparations for the vote collapsed without agreement. The Coordination of the Democratic Opposition (COD) said after three days of talks with the government that 10 of its 11 member parties had decided to boycott the vote.

The talks were the first between the two sides in over four years. President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz seized power in a 2008 coup in the Islamic republic, which straddles black and Arab Africa on the continent's west coast. The government has scheduled the municipal and legislative elections for November 23. The opposition demands the polls be postponed until April to allow time to prepare a voter census and electoral roster, and wants guarantees of the independence of the electoral commission.

Original article: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/04/mauritania-politics-idUSL6N0HU2E920131004 

Zanu-PF harassing teachers with links to opposition

Two months after President Robert Mugabe's landslide win, Zanu PF youths and war veterans here have started a witch-hunt, hunting teachers perceived to be sympathetic to the MDC-T and ordering their transfer from Masvingo West constituency.

Last week, a petition that was set to be handed to the Ministry of Education was circulated in and around Masvingo town, where people were urged to sign, denouncing about 13 teachers at different schools. The petition to "flush out" teachers perceived to be sympathetic to MDC-T, came as the country celebrated World Teachers' Day yesterday, recognising the importance of teachers to students, parents, communities and governments.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201310060133.html

Mozambican president calls on his citizens to defend peace

Mozambican President Armando Guebuza on Friday urged all Mozambicans to unite in a deep reflection on the role of peace in the struggle against poverty.

Speaking at a religious ceremony in Maputo to mark the 21st anniversary of the peace agreement between the government and the Renamo rebels, signed in Rome on 4 October 1992, Guebuza stressed the use of dialogue as an instrument to overcome disagreements and challenges, and to ensure that the economic and social development of Mozambique can become a reality.

Peace, Guebuza said, should characterise Mozambicans in their daily lives. He praised the role of religious bodies in the defence of peace and national reconciliation, and noted their prayers that the country's politicians should move forward in peace.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201310070785.html

African leaders call for Millennium Development targets to be achieved

As the United Nations General Assembly continues its annual high-level segment, a host of African leaders stressed today that while the continent’s progress is beyond doubt, consolidating social and economic gains requires international, regional and local approaches that better protect African livelihoods and ensure that agreed development targets can be achieved.

In his address, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of Tanzania said that is vital to complete the “unfinished business” of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) so that Governments can make informed decisions about the shape of the post-2015 agenda. The theme of this year’s General Debate, “Setting the Stage” afforded an opportunity to closely examine the successes and gaps in MDG implementation.

One crucial element going forward will be to put in place effective financing mechanisms to ensure that developing countries will be supported in the effort to attain unmet Millennium targets and to make headway on the yet-to-be agreed successor Goals, which should be focused on sustainable development, he said.

President Kikwete went on to highlight Tanzania’s successes regarding Millennium targets for universal primary education, reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and improving access to water and sanitation, among other gains. At the same time, Tanzania will continue to look to the United Nations to provide assistance and guidance in the final push towards the 2015 MDG deadline.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201309290145.html

Mozambique’s elections commission approves lists of candidates

Mozambique's National Elections Commission (CNE) has approved the vast majority of candidates whose nominations for the 20 November municipal elections were submitted by political parties and by independent citizens' groups.

CNE spokesperson Joao Beirao stated that the verification of the paperwork for the thousands of candidates, standing for mayor and for members of the municipal assemblies, was completed on Monday, and on Tuesday the CNE drew up a list of all the valid candidates for the 53 municipalities.

The CNE confirmed that the only parties standing in all 53 municipalities are the ruling Frelimo Party and the opposition Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM). The fact that the largest opposition party, Renamo, is boycotting the elections gives the MDM the chance to scoop up all the opposition votes.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201309300699.html

Party in fighting condemned by Amukwiyu in Namibia

The Swapo Party regional coordinator in the Oshikoto Region, Armas Amukwiyu says hate speech expressed by some party members targeting supporters of those presidential candidates who were not victorious during the 5th Swapo Party Ordinary Congress held in December last year is divisive.

Amukwiyu expressed shock over the sudden attack on some businessmen by a member of the party at a gala dinner attended by business people and members of the Oshikoto regional leadership at Omuthiya recently. "The person (name withheld) reportedly claimed that the very same people who did not support Dr. Hage Geingob's campaign for the vice presidency, are the very same business people who pretended to owe total allegiance to Geingob." Amukwiyu did not mince his words describing such attitudes as counter-productive and an insult to the vice president, who has been described by the rank and file of the party as the unifier in the ruling party. "Swapo Party operates on a set of rules that promote democracy in all its activities and name-calling will not be tolerated in my region.

Original article: http://allafrica.com/stories/201309300722.html