Category: Politics

With the aim of encouraging people in Seychelles to have a breadfruit tree in their home garden to help in ensuring food security in the country, the Creative Seychelles Agency (CSA) organised the first Breadfruit Day on Saturday.

The event was held at Domaine Val de Pres in the eastern district of Au Cap on the main island of Mahe.

The executive director of CSA, Emmanuel D'Offay said that several institutions "are all working together to promote this event, which in the future we want it to be a Breadfruit Festival."

"We as Seychellois have a great story to sell to our visitors in regards to the breadfruit that is 'when one eats breadfruit in Seychelles, it means you are sure to come back," added D'Offay.

To mark the occasion, breadfruit trees were planted by several top officials including Keven Nancy, principal secretary for agriculture, David Andre, secretary general for the Institute of Culture, Heritage and the Arts, and Benjamin Rose, executive director of National Heritage Resource Council. The elected member of the National Assembly for the district, Kelly Saminadin, also planted a tree.

People who attended the event were also able to sample different ways of eating breadfruit.

According to a study made by the agriculture department in 2021, there is a record of 4,424 breadfruit trees on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue. This year, the department will continue its inventory and has estimated that the number of breadfruit trees is over 9,000.

As a small country that is heavily reliant on imported goods, the breadfruit, which was once the Seychellois staple food, may become popular once again.

Along with cassava, breadfruit used to be a popular food in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, in the years before the regular importation of other staples such as rice, potatoes and bread flour.

The fruit has a tough green outer skin and a white or yellow potato-like inner texture and can be boiled, grilled, fried, steamed, roasted or more popularly eaten cooked in coconut milk in a recipe called "la daube" as a dessert.

The nutrition department is encouraging locals to eat more breadfruit because it has high nutritional value and reduces the risk of inflammation in the body.

Source: Seychelles News Agency

Angolan President, João Lourenço, on Monday made a field visit to the new Luanda international airport to assess the execution level of the work being carried out.

The new airport, named after the first president of Angola, Dr. António Agostinho Neto, has already received final certification of the project and is expected to become fully operational in December2023.

The airport is budgeted at 1.4 billion US dollars.

ANGOP has learnt that the president’s programme includes visits to the air navigation and airport management building, the regional and integrated control centre, passenger terminal, lounge, commercial areas, check-in and others.

Luanda International Airport "Dr. António Agostinho Neto", covers an area of 1,324 hectares with capacity to receive 15 million passengers and a volume of goods of 50,000 tons per year.

The infrastructure has two double runways able to receive aircraft such as the B747 and A380 - currently the largest commercial aircraft, and also includes construction of an airport city that will cover a 75 square kilometers area.

The southern runway, which is the airport's longest side, is 4000 metres long and 60 meters wide, where the first experimental flight was carried out, in June, 2022, with a Boeing 777 aircraft of the Angolan airline TAAG.

The construction works are being carried out by Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC).

President Lourenço’s last visit to the facilities to the airport was in December 2022.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira, pointed out on Monday, in Luanda, the use of education to change mindsets on the role and place of women in society and education for equality and gender equity.

Carolina Cerqueira, who was speaking at the opening of a conference on violence against women and human rights, said that the empowerment of women should occur through the integration of the topic in the school programmes of the various educational systems and the promotion of a straight, open and inclusive dialogue among all sections of the society on violence against women, the advantages of women´s participation in decision making and mechanisms to stop acts of violence.

Carolina Cerqueira points out as risk factors for violence against women, their low level of education and although they are 52% of the Angolan population, 47% of Angolan women did not have access to school or have low education.

"Exposure to violence in childhood, complacent attitude towards violence, the lack of a culture of denunciation, and lack of preparation of the police and judicial bodies to deal with complaints are other risk factors for domestic violence among us”, she stressed.

Carolina Cerqueira said that this situation exposes the increase in poverty and inequality against women and children evident in the lack of health facilities and security, school dropout and low access to basic health services such as drinking water, vaccines, identity card, legal advice, employment or loans, by depriving them of adequate protection and at risk of sexual violence and abuse.

To Carolina Cerqueira, the victims must deserve humanitarian support and permanent help for effective participation in rebuilding their lives and in the process of social inclusion, which means ensuring women’s equal access to information, job opportunities, training, loans, and financial aid mechanisms to achieve stability and community integration, to help solve their families' problems.

"It is unavoidable, as a basic principle of modern societies, the equality between men and women, de iure and de facto, of participation in the economy, in politics, and in the various sectors of the country's life, on equal terms, where they can feel fully realized as human beings, without discrimination of any kind, or barriers imposed by violence. It is necessary to review the criminal framework and verify whether the crime of domestic violence actually exists as a type of offence, since the new penal code makes no reference to it and the law against domestic violence is not properly specific“, she added.

In her opinion, it is necessary to look further into actions to increase the effectiveness of the authorities' actions, such as the increase of preventive imprisonment (remand) and effective imprisonment for aggressors of domestic violence, as well as to consider the creation of a multidisciplinary team responsible for improving the quality and communication of information between the various public entities.

He stressed that domestic violence also impacts the economic life of the victims and the environment in which they are inserted, causing the loss of the economy of the country due to the deterioration of the victims' mental health and productive capacity, reducing the women´s human capital and making them economically dependent on the offender, continuing the vicious cycle of violence.

Meanwhile, Carolina Cerqueira said that, it will be possible to make a more objective assessment of the figures, the number of occurrences, causes and measures to fight violence against women especially, and against all human rights, in general.

In Angola, by legislative initiative of the National Assembly, Law No. 25/11 was approved, on the legal framework for the prevention of domestic violence, protection and assistance to victims.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

The new Luanda Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport will start operating at the end of this year (2023), said on Monday the President of the Republic, João Lourenço.

The new international airport takes an area of 1,324 hectares and will have capacity for 15 million passengers and a volume of goods of 50,000 tons per year.

Speaking to journalists at the end of visit to the international airport, the Head of State expressed his satisfaction with the physical progress of the works.

"We will have the airport by the end of the year. We will unveil it", he said, without giving an exact date.

During the visit, João Lourenço met with members of the Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC), institution in charge of the construction work.

President Lourenço said that until the inauguration date, the airport will be in conditions to serve passengers.

João Lourenço reiterated that, in order to satisfy the movement of passengers, taking into account the potential of the new airport, negotiations are underway with the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing, for the acquisition of new aircraft.

"We are negotiating with Boeing. It is a negotiation that has been going on for some time and we want to believe that this time, yes, we will end up negotiating a new package of Boeing airplanes for long haul", he said.

During the guided tour, accompanied by members of the government, João Lourenço inspected the air navigation and airport management building, the regional and integrated control center, the passenger terminal, the boarding area, the commercial, check-in, vip, screening, baggage collection, domestic and regional landing areas, among others.

The new airport has two double runways and is sized to receive, among others, B747 and A380 aircraft, currently the largest commercial aircraft.

The southern runway, the airport's largest, is 4,000 meters long and 60 meters wide, so, in June 2022 it received the first experimental flight of a Boeing 777 aircraft from the Angolan airline TAAG.

President João Lourenço last visited the works of the new airport in December 2022.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

The Council of Ministers of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) is meeting on Monday in Luanda to consider the role of seas and oceans in the international projection and economic cooperation in the organization.

The XVI extraordinary meeting is focused on cooperation among the members of the community and foresees the revision of the internal staff regulations (ISR).

Speaking at the event, the outgoing chairperson of the Council of Ministers of the CPLP, Téte António, highlighted the growth of the organization in terms of strategic cooperation plans and the expansion of community actions in various areas.

Téte António also pointed out that there are structural reforms to be made that pass through dialogue between the member states of the community.

The minister reiterated that the agenda of the Angolan presidency elected economic cooperation as a priority for action, in order to adapt the statute of the CPLP to this new paradigm.

According to Téte António, the statute was revised to regulate the membership and improve cooperation with associated observers.

Angola took over the rotating presidency of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) during the organization's 13th Conference of Heads of State and Government, held in Luanda in 2021.

Angola defends as an agenda, among other projects, the strengthening of mobility among member states and a special attention to the economic sector.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

The musician artist Kibora Prince organized from March 24 to 26, 2023 in Kaya, in the town of Tiébélé, the 5th edition of the Kaya Kassina tchandia Festival, to promote the Kassena-Nankana culture. The ceremony was chaired by the High Commissioner of Nahouri Province, Auguste Kinda.

It is under the theme “social cohesion and preservation of the Kassena-Nankana cultural heritage”, that the musician artist Prince Kibora organized the 5th edition of the “Kaya Kassina tchandia” Festival.

Through this activity, the artist wants to mobilize and sensitize grassroots communities so that they fight against the gradual loss of our cultural values on the one hand and organize popular festivities around the Kassena-Nankana culture on the other.

The High Commissioner of the province of Nahouri, Auguste Kinda, praised the organizers for this great initiative, "because beyond its festive aspect, it is a framework for strengthening social cohesion between girls and sons of the village of Kaya”.

He also indicated that the festival is also a channel for the promotion of tourism and a contribution to the enhancement and sustainability of our cultural values through music, dance, archery and traditional wrestling.” .

During these three days of the festival, local, national and international artists and artistic ensembles from Ghana competed on the same stage, each showing their know-how in the field of Kassena-Nankana culture.

For the promoter Prince Kibora, the festival had its place given the mobilization, the echo and the activities carried out, which demonstrate that sport and culture are the key elements of development.

He invited the daughters and sons of the province to accompany him in his dynamics in order to perpetuate this activity which undoubtedly will contribute to the influence of the Kassena-Nankana culture.

Before the start of the ceremony, the customary authorities made blessings for the fighting forces engaged in the theater of operations

Kaya is a group of six villages in the municipality of Tiébélé and located about fifteen km south-east of Pô, capital of the province of Nahouri.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Imam of the Circle of Islamic Studies, Research and Training (CERFI)/kaya, Issouf Tiendrebéogo said Thursday, March 23, 2023 in Kaya, during an interview with a journalist from the 'AIB on the teachings of the month of Lent that Ramadan is a school where we learn human values.

Journalist: What meaning do you give to Ramadan?

Imam Issouf Tiendrebeogo: Ramadan is one of the months of the Muslim calendar during which fasting is prescribed. Fasting is the act of abstaining from food, drink and intimate relations during the days of this month. Ramadan came as a school where we learn the human values that we must adopt and perpetuate.

Many prescriptions have been given by the prophet and also in the Koran which give the deep meaning of the young Muslim. Beyond abstention, the Muslim must cultivate a certain behavior allowing him to have a well approved young person.

Journalist: What are the behaviors to adopt during the month of Ramadan?

Imam Tiendrebeogo: In terms of behavior, the Muslim must refrain from saying obscene words during Ramadan. This is very important because the Prophet told us that Allah does not need the fasting of anyone who does not refrain from saying obscene words. This is to say that we must have a language that cannot hurt the other. Insults are therefore to be avoided.

During Ramadan, we are recommended to be even more generous, like our prophet Muhammad, who shared much more during this period. Generosity is one of the qualities that was greatly encouraged during this period.

The Muslim should, in this blessed month, come to the aid of the poorest, those who do not have enough means to observe the fast.

It is in fact recommended to the Muslim to have all possible noble behaviors in order to avoid transgressing or harming the life of the other.

Sharing, benevolence and all possible human qualities at all times, therefore allow us to create a certain solidarity between individuals. Our fast will not have served if we fall into the trap right after. We must therefore work so that all that we have been able to cultivate as good behaviors during the month of Ramadan can be perpetuated beyond. Thus, we will contribute to change humanity.

Journalist: In a difficult humanitarian context, what can be the contribution of the Muslim during this period?

Imam Issouf Tiendrebeogo: Ramadan can provide some solutions to our current difficult situation exacerbated by deleterious security and marked by forced population displacements.

Muslims should be even more Solidarity with Internally Displaced Persons. We must therefore work to enable these people who have lost everything to be able to fast as they should, by giving them everything they need to be able to observe this pillar of Islam.

The Muslim must not make himself comfortable when there are people next to him who have had trouble observing the fast. These intense moments of spirituality must be used to implore the Lord for a return of peace to our dear homeland.

It is especially necessary to sensitize the faithful to have behaviors that promote peace between all layers of society, to promote social cohesion because no society can prosper when the social fabric is in tatters.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Djouatiina Association "hope for tomorrow" of Pô organized on Saturday March 11, 2023 in Pô, the 2nd edition of the day of the widow of Nahouri. The ceremony was chaired by the Secretary General of the Province of Nahouri, Sanfiénalé joseph Sirima.

It is under the theme "widows of Nahouri, what future does tomorrow's society have in store for you, what fight should you lead on a daily basis to get out of the yoke of filthy suffering which has been unfairly imposed on you" that the Djouatiina de Pô Association organized the 2nd edition of Nahouri Widow's Day.

Two presentations were given on the consumption of narcotics, drugs and adulterated drinks and the preventive measures developed by the regional anti-drug unit of Pô and on the rights of widows and orphans given by the president of the tribunal de grande instance of Po.

The President of the Association, Salimata Bayigabou, painted a dark picture of the widow's life which can be summed up, among other things, by accusations of witchcraft, levirate and humiliation of all kinds.

She urged widows to use this setting as an opportunity to give them courage after the hard times of widowhood.

While welcoming the relevance of the communications, Ms. Bayigabou said she was convinced that this framework would enable these widows to become aware of their role in society, before inviting them to use the tools acquired to raise awareness and educate their children.

The godmother and president of the women's cell of the Manega call, Denise Koudougou, daughter of the province of Nahouri, expressed on the one hand her gratitude and her commitment towards this layer of the population and on the other hand greeted the leaders of the Association which carries out daily community development activities in favor of the populations of Nahouri.

For the Secretary General of the province, Sanfiénalé Joseph Sirima, this day is full of emotion because widows experience enormous difficulties and widowhood is not inevitable.

This is why he invited people of good will to support the Association, which showed itself positively in the field.

Based on the theme of this second edition, the secretary general of the province welcomed the mobilization of women around the activities of this day and invited the widows to play their part for a Burkina Faso of peace and cohesion.

"Because it is together that Faso will succeed in the challenges of the moment", concluded Mr. Sirima.

The Djouatiina association handed over 12 bags of 50 kg of rice and organized a series of training on liquid soap, caramel, sweet sesame and shared a community meal with the widows.

“These trainings will enable these widows to meet their daily needs and take care of their children's education,” said the Secretary General of the Kadoua Wetta association.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

The members of the Sapouy special delegation held their first ordinary session to validate on Friday, March 24, 2023, the 2022 special report of the municipal development plan.

The examination of this report, allowed the members of the special delegation of the commune of Sapouy, to know the financial situation, the administrative acts, the transferred matters, the execution of the public markets of the commune.

It also emerged from the exchanges that the municipality is experiencing low revenue mobilization (55%), a drop in allocated funds and an insufficient number of administrative staff.

In terms of prospects, the municipality intends to revitalize the municipal consultation framework (CCC), strengthen its staff, renew its land management structures in the villages and finalize the development of its municipal development plan (PCD).

After examining the 2022 special report, the chairman of the special delegation, François Kaboré, officially installed the members of the municipal commission for the settlement of liabilities on urban land in Sapouy.

This commission now has the discharge to examine all the problems related to the very first subdivision of the city of Sapouy.

Source: Burkina Information Agency

The Burkinabè government announced on Monday the suspension of the programs of the French television France 24 throughout the territory, for having given the floor two weeks ago to the first leader of the terrorist group AQIM .

"By opening its antennas to the first head of AQIM, France 24 is not only acting as a communication agency for these terrorists, worse, it offers a space for legitimizing terrorist actions and hate speech conveyed to satisfy the evil aims of this organization on Burkina Faso,” Burkinabe government spokesman Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo wrote in a statement on Monday.

He refers to the interview granted two weeks ago by the French channel to this terrorist leader.

"The government has therefore decided in full responsibility, and in the name of the higher interests of the Nation, to suspend sine die the broadcasting of France 24 programs throughout the national territory", added Mr. Ouédraogo.

"In the noble fight to liberate our country from the barbarism of terrorist hordes and armed bandits, the government warns that it will remain intransigent in defending the vital interests of our people against all those who play megaphones in amplifying terrorist actions and hate speech and division conveyed by these armed groups”, concluded the Minister of Communication.

The Transitional government, which fought against terrorism, has already put France24 on notice for its treatment of the kidnapping of around fifty women in the north of the country. He also suspended Radio France International.

Counting on the FDS, the VDP and the logistical support of his partners, the Head of State, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, demanded and obtained the departure of the French army and all the military cooperators present in the military administration. burkinabe.

As soon as the differences led the government to request the departure of the former French ambassador Luc Hallade and the former representative of the United Nations system, Barbara Manzi.

Source: Burkina Information Agency