Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:35:34 GMT <![CDATA[Welcome to Third World Network-Africa's (TWN-Africa) Blog]]> Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:35:34 GMT  

 

African Agenda 13.1-13.2

 

COVER

  • China After Africa's Spoils?
  • Pressure on Developing Countries to Sign Copenhagen Accord
    		•

     

     

    ]]>     <![CDATA[African Agenda 13.1-2 Double Edition is Out!]]> Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:42:52 GMT

     

    ACCRA, Ghana—(TWN-Af)-2 March, 2010— Mr.Richard Adjei-Poku, Executive Director of Livelihood and Environmental Ghana (LEG), an environmental and human rights advocacy organisation has denied allegations of extortion and theft made against him by Newmont Gold Ghana Ltd, NGGL . Newmont, he stated, is out to demonise and intimidate him as part of their strategy to silence critical voices in their area of operation.

    He said this during a press conference facilitated by the National Coalition on Mining, NCOM, in Accra.

     

    According to the release issued at the conference, Newmont’s allegations come against the backdrop of an 8 October 2009 incident, when there was a spillage of cyanide by NGGL into some water bodies at Jakakrom and surrounding communities near Kenyasi in the Asutifi District of the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana.

     

    The release explains that “since the spillage, the Company [Newmont] has consistently embarked on image-destruction, acts of intimidation and harassment”—particularly against Adjei-Poku to the extent that on 15 January, 2010, Newmont officials “falsely accused” him of stealing roofing sheets...

     

     

    To continue reading, kindly click the link here: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=304:newmont-out-to-intimidate-critical-voices&catid=50:ncom&Itemid=75

    ]]>     <![CDATA[Newmont Out to Intimidate Critical Voices]]> Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:42:52 GMT     Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

    The National Coalition on Mining (NCOM) met in Accra in January to strategically review the last year and plan the course for 2010.

     

     

    The Coalition discussed a range of issues including an update of complaints from communities affected by mining, policy reform agenda of the African Union–Economic Commission for Africa (AU-ECA), especially after the December 2009 Accra conference which was co-hosted with ECOWAS and TWN-Africa; the viability of the Gambia-based African Commission for Human and People’s Rights as another forum for addressing community rights; the new donor framework – the Natural Resource and Environmental Governance (NREG). NCOM members also reviewed the state of the Coalition as a framework for common and collaborative campaigns.

     

    (...)

    Read the rest here: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=278:ncom-meets-over-strategic-review&catid=50:ncom&Itemid=75

     

    *View the pictures from the meeting here: http://apps.twnafrica.org/gallery/album.cfm?a=10587

    *View the video clip of the meeting here: http://www.youtube.com/twnafrica

    ]]>     <![CDATA[NCOM Meets Over Strategic Review]]> Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:48:01 GMT     1. NCOM pushes for implementation of 6% mining royalty: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=274:ncom-pushes-for-implementation-of-6-mining-royalty-&catid=50:ncom&Itemid=75

     

     

    2. Africa Update#1;Week of 25-29 January, 2010; Vol 2.1: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=275:africa-update1&catid=36:regional-integration&Itemid=83

     

     

    3. STATEMENT OF NATIONAL COALITION ON MINING (NCOM) THURSDAY JANUARY 21ST, 2010: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=276:statement-of-national-coalition-on-mining-ncom-thursday-january-21st-2010&catid=50:ncom&Itemid=75

    ]]>     <![CDATA[Latest entries on Website: Week of 25th January, 2010]]> Sun, 31 Jan 2010 10:32:19 GMT      

     

    African Agenda 12.4

     

    COVER

  • Time to Act on Climate Change is Now, Says AU
  • Climate Change--a Crisis of the Commons
  • Africa Holds Firm to its Climate Change Agenda

    •  

    ]]>     <![CDATA[African Agenda 12.4 is out!]]> Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:34:23 GMT     ACCRA(TWN-Africa)--The three-day workshop organized by the UN Economic Commission for Africa, ECOWAS, the African Union and Third World Network-Africa to review the report of the International Study Group on the framework of mining regimes in Africa ended in Accra, Ghana on Friday, November 27.

     

    Among issues deliberated at the three-day meeting were a regulatory and fiscal mining regime in Africa; the AU-led African Mining Vision 2050; and the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF).

     

    Participants were drawn from key stakeholders including the African Union Commission (AUC); the African Development Bank; the ECOWAS Commission; the private sector; NGOs; CBOs; and other UN agencies. 

     

    The UNECA West Africa sub-regional office based in Niger, co-organisers of the workshop expressed confidence at the outcome of the workshop adding that it will “inform future mining regimes” in Africa. It also hoped that the discussions and conclusions arrived at will help in the re-drafting of the ISG report so as to capture “aspirations” of both civil society and other stakeholders alike.

     

    for more, kindly click the link here: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=254:three-day-workshop-on-mining-ends&catid=54:mining&Itemid=60

    ]]>     <![CDATA[Three-Day Mining Workshop (UNECA*ECOWAS*AU) Hosted by TWN-Africa Ends]]> Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:05:36 GMT

    JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CHIEFS AND PEOPLE OF ETWEBO-AKOTI AND THE NATIONAL COALITION ON MINING (NCOM)

    PRESENTED BY

    THE CHIEF OF ETWEBO NANA YAW GYAMU II

    NOVEMBER 12TH, 2009 ACCRA.

    The purpose of this press conference is to deny knowledge of a letter purported to have been authorised by the Chief and people of Etwebo and to clarify misinformation that there is confusion in the community arising from the national forum of the National Coalition on Mining (NCOM) held in Akoti early last month. The letter written by a non-governmental organization called Consumer Watch Initiative Ghana and reports about confusion in Etwebo are fabrications, baseless and do not in any way reflect the views and opinion of the good people of Etwebo. We therefore call on the public to ignore it.

     

    (...)

     

    *to read the rest, kindly visit the link here: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=243:joint-press-statement-by-the-chiefs-and-people-of-etwebo-akoti-and-the-national-coalition-on-mining-ncom&catid=50:ncom&Itemid=75

     

    *to view a video clip of the conference, kindly visit the TWN-Africa youtube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0hP5IJIWqQ

     

     

    *to view the pictures from the conference, kindly visit the link here: http://apps.twnafrica.org/Gallery/album.cfm?a=9290

    ]]>     <![CDATA[JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CHIEFS AND PEOPLE OF ETWEBO-AKOTI AND THE NATIONAL COALITION ON MINING (NCOM)]]> Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:27:33 GMT

     

     

     

    The 4th General Assembly of Social Watch got underway in Ghana’s capital, Accra, on Tuesday. Over 100 delegates from about 60 countries are attending the three-day meeting.

     

    The meeting, the first to be held in Africa since Social Watch was formed in 1995, is on the theme ‘People First: Social Watch’s response to the global crisis’. The Assembly will examine the implications of the systemic crisis on human, gender and social rights and offer alternative solutions to these global challenges.

     

    The Assembly, which meets every three years, will set medium- and long-term priorities and identify potential alliances in advocacy strategy. Participants will also elect members of the Coordinating Committee to coordinate and offer political leadership between assemblies.

     Ghana’s vice president John Mahama, who was the special guest at the opening ceremony, said relentless demands by citizen groups and social movements, such as Social Watch, for accountability from both governments and international institutions have had significant impact on national and global policy decision-making processes and implementation of adopted policies.

     

    The Ghana government, vice president Mahama said, ‘will not shirk its social contract with the people by sacrificing their welfare on the altar of fiscal and monetary expediency’. As such, government has its eyes ‘wide open’ in the country’s dealings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and other multilateral institutions.

     

     

    to read the rest, kindly visit: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=225:fourth-general-assembly-of-social-watch-opens-in-accra&catid=73:social-watch&Itemid=124

     

    ]]>     <![CDATA[Fourth General Assembly Opens in Accra]]> Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:36:15 GMT     The 4th Social Watch General Assembly takes of today, Monday 26, 2009 with a Coordinating Committee Meeting. The General Assembly sessions start tomorrow Tuesday, October 27 to 29 at the M-Plaza Hotel at. On Thursday, October 29, at 4 pm, there will be a public event at the International Press Centre.

    The various workshops will be centred around the following topics:

    *Financing for development

    *gender

    *Climate and environmental issues

    *Analysis of anti-poverty programmes

    *concept of social development

    *Human resource approach to poverty

    *Human Resource Budget analysis and Social indicators.

    All programmes begin at 9.00am and end at 5.30 pm except for the last day Thursday, which ends at 2.30pm to make way for the public event at the Press Centre at 4pm.

    The opening session will be addressed by His Excellency the Vice President.

     

    *To find out more about SOCIALWATCH, kindly visit the link here: http://www.twnafrica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=73&Itemid=124 .

     

    *To view pictures of the launch of the SOCIALWATCH report on 7 October, kindly visit the Photo gallery: http://apps.twnafrica.org/Gallery/album.cfm?a=8964 .

    ]]>     <![CDATA[Fourth Social Watch General Assembly Opens in Accra]]> Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:36:45 GMT

    TWN-Africa's Yao Graham explains SOCIALWATCH at Media Briefing on Monday 19 October, 2009:

     

    to view the remaining videos, kindly go to youtube.com/twnafrica

    ]]>     <![CDATA[TWN-Africa's Yao Graham explains SOCIALWATCH at Media Briefing on Monday 19 October, 2009]]> Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:11:21 GMT