The November 2011 edition of AEFJN's Forum for Action is now online. It contains articles on the ethical responsibility of the Church on the climate issue, on the clean up of the Ogoniland oil spills, which will take decades, on the spread of Libyan arms in the Sahel, on the production of medicines in Africa and on the EU's attempt to force African countries to sign EPAs.
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.
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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 $12).
Capital Flight and its impact on Africa
According to estimates, every year US$ 1.26 trillion - 1.44 trillion disappears without a trace from developing countries, ending up in tax havens or rich countries. The main part of this is driven by multinational companies seeking to evade tax where they operate. The sum that leaves developing countries each year as unreported financial outflows, amounts to ten times the annual global aid flows and twice the amount of debt developing countries repay each year. Read more
Zimbabwe ratifies interm EPA
Zimbabwe has now completed the ratification of the interim EPA it signed in August 2009. With Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar already having completed the ratification process, this becomes the first interim EPA that will be implemented in Africa.
In the meanwhile ACP Ministers strongly opposed the EU's January 2014 deadline, declaring that “the delay in concluding the negotiations is due to the non-resolution of contentious issues owing to entrenched positions of the EC side as well as additional issues being added to the negotiating agenda in which the EC cannot be absolved from blame”. Read more
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.