AFRICA@ 50 EVENT HOSTED BY THE MAYOR OF LONDON BORIS JOHNSON
The Nigeria acting High Commissioner, HE Ambasador N. and his invited Zambian guests joined a reception in City Hall hosted by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson to mark 50 years of independence of Africa in London on Wednesday 27 October 2010.

The event was to commemorate African Independence in 1960 at which a total of 17 countries gained independence: Somalia (Great Britain/Italy), Nigeria (Great Britain), Benin (France), Burkina Faso (France), Cameroon (France), Central African Republic , Chad (France) (France), Congo (France), Cote d’lvoire (France), Democratic Republic of Congo (Belgium), Gabon (France), Madagascar (France), Mali (France), Mauritania (France), Niger (France), Senegal (France) and Togo (France).

Other attendees included His Excellency Hatem Aziz El Nasr (Egypt); HE Antonio Gumende (Mozambique); Her Excellency Elizabeth Ya Eli Harding (Gambia); HE Dr Francis Moto (Malawi); HE Dr Z Skweyiya (South Africa); HE Edward M Turay (Sierra Leone); HE Joan Rwabyomer (Uganda); HE Dr Dalhatu Tafida (Nigeria); HE Ana Marie Teles Carreira (Angola); HE Nkwele Ekaney (Cameroon); HE Ephraim Ngare (Kenya); HE Philippe Djangone-Bi (Côte D’Ivoire); HE Abdou Sourang (Senegal); HE Berhanu Kebede (Ethiopia).
Other guests included celebrities and public figures drawn from the arts, business and politics.
These are some of the photos captured by uBUNTU PLATFOAM from the event.

The mayor of london greeting the Chair of the Uganda community in the UK

The Mayor with the Cameroon , Mozambique and Sierra leone High commissioners

The deputy High commissioner with the Zimbabwe High commmisioner

The Mozambique, Cameroon and Angola High commissioners

Na Ally Kondo , New York

Tanzania imeungana na nchi nyingine duniani wanachama wa Umoja wa Mataifa kupinga vikwazo vya kiuchumi, kibiashara na kifedha vilivyowekwa na Marekani miaka 50 iliyopita dhidi ya Cuba .

Nchi 187 wanachama wa Umoja wa Mataifa , Tanzania ikiwemo zilipiga kura ya ndio kuunga mkono Azimio lililowasilishwa na Cuba kwenye Baraza Kuu la Umoja wa Mataifa kutaka vikwazo hivyo vilivyowekwa na Marekani viondolewe.

Upigaji kura huo ulifanyika wakati wa kikao cha 65 cha Baraza kuu la Umoja wa Mataifa kinachoendelea mjini New York tarehe 26 Oktoba 2010. Nchi mbili, Marekani na Israel zilipinga Azimio hilo . Aidha, nchi tatu, Palau , Micronesia na Marshall island hazikuunga mkono upande wowote.

Akihutubia kikao hicho Mwakilishi wa Kudumu wa Tanzania kwenye Umoja wa Mataifa, Balozi Ombeni Sefue alieleza kuwa vikwazo vya kiuchumi dhidi ya Cuba vimesababisha matatizo makubwa kwa watu wa Cuba na kurudisha nyuma jitihada za nchi hiyo za kujikwamua kiuchumi na kijamii. “kwa kiasi kikubwa vikwazo vimekwaza juhudi za Serikali ya Cuba za kuondoa umasikini na kuinua hali ya maisha ya wananchi wake” Balozi Sefue alisikika akisema.

Balozi alisema kuwa, vikwazo vimesababisha madhara makubwa kwa kinamama na watoto wa Cuba na zaidi ya hapo vinainyima Cuba haki ya kufanya biashara na nchi nyingine duniani pamoja na kukwamisha juhudi za Serikali ya nchi hiyo kufikia Malengo ya Milenia.

Balozi Sefue alieleza kuwa, vikwazo vya Marekani dhidi ya Cuba haviathiri nchi hiyo tu bali pia vina madhara kwa uchumi wa nchi nyingine. Tanzania inaviona vikwazo hivyo kuwa ni ukiukwaji wa Mkataba wa Umoja wa Mataifa na Sheria za Kimataifa.

Balozi alimalizia kwa kueleza kuwa, Tanzania inashirikiana na Cuba katika maeneo mengi ikiwa ni pamoja na uchumi, elimu na afya. Alieleza kwamba, ushirikiano huo utaimarika na kuwa mzuri zaidi ikiwa vikwazo dhidi ya nchi hiyo vitaondolewa.

HELP SAVE ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE RADIO NOW !by Explo Nani-Kofion Thursday, 28 October 2010 at 23:06The Another World Is Possible Radio programme run as part of PanAfrican Oracle presented by Kilombo Centre for Civil Society, Peki,Ghana (developing relations with Centre for Civil Society ofUniversity of Kwazulu Natal) and Kilombo Community Education Project,London, UK has been going on through GFM Radio since 2008. Pan AfricanOracle was initiated through Voice of Africa Radio in 1999.Our numerous listeners and supporters are saddened that the programmehas no been on air for the past three months as a result of eithertechnical difficulties at GFM Radio or administrative reorganisationof GFM Radio. Many have phoned us to make a public appeal to oursupporters and listeners to find ways to solve this problem.We are making this appeal to all to assist us find a solution topermanently having our programme on air through some means withoutdisruption.Details of the programme are as follows:PROGRAMME :Kilombo Pan-African OracleSLOGAN :Another World Is PossiblePROGRAMME PRESENTATION :This programme will be jointly hosted by Explo Nani-Kofi (by phonefrom Ghana) and Nia Abena Noel (from the GFM Radio studio in London).PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES:(1) To examine and discuss the how Africa and Africans historicalintegration into the global political and economic architecture isresponsible as the primary factor of the marginalisation of theAfrican continent and disproportionate representation of Africans inthe marginalized and disadvantaged sections of the global population.(2) Reflect on historical legacies of Africa and Africans inreversing the above situation as described in (a) and examine what canbe built on and what sad lessons can be drawn from.(3) Examine and exemplify independent grass root andextra-establishment efforts to develop organizational capacity forAfricans to reverse the present state of their marginalization anddisproportionate representation in the disadvantaged sections of theglobal population.(4) Give the opportunity to intellectual and activist efforts toreverse Africa’s marginalization to be articulated on the programme.PROGRAMME CONTENT:Introduction simplifying and explaining objectives by Explo Nani-Kofi.Interviews examining international military pacts, internationalfinance institutions arrangements, multinational companies operations,governance and representation, wars etc and their effect on Africa,Africa development and African self-determination.The programme will be in two parts.The first part to be hosted by Nia Abena Noel will interview scholarsand activists outside Africa.The second part will give feed back on grass root andnon-establishment efforts from the Africa continent and alsointerviews with grass root activists based on a pilot project inGhana.After the introduction the programme will be divided into 15 minuteinterview slots interspersed with motivating music from Afro Beat,Reggae, High Life etc after each 15 minute slot.The programme will conclude with acknowledgements by Nia Abena Noel

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4

– Briefings Analyzing Election Results:- 9:30 a.m. Professor David Lublin, American University, will provide analysis of election results- 10:30 a.m. Mike Allen, White House reporter, POLITICO, will provide a point of view from the White House on how the election will affect the Obama Administration’s agenda.For additional information/ RSVP for briefings or one-on-one requests, please contact Alyssa Goodson at http://uk.mc274.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Goodsonam@state.gov or Miriam Rider at http://uk.mc274.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=riderm2@state.gov or 202-504-6315. You can also RSVP on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/USDoS.FPC

MEDIA ADVISORY
INVITATION TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

AFRICAN MINISTERS TO REVIEW AFRICA’S AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

What: Conference of African Ministers of Agriculture (CAMA)
Theme: "Delivering on Africa's Agriculture Development Agenda"
When: The Conference will be organized in two sessions:
(i) African Union (AU) Member States Experts meeting, 26-27 October 2010
(ii) AU Ministerial meeting, 28-29 October 2010
Where: Lilongwe, Malawi, at Cross Roads Hotel
Who: The conference is organized by the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (REA) of the African Union Commission (AUC), together with the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA), in collaboration with the Government of Malawi.
Why: As a follow up to efforts to fast –track implementation of the African Food Basket Initiative, the African Union Commission (AUC) jointly with the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NEPAD Agency), is convening a Conference of African Ministers of Agriculture to review progress on implementation of continental agricultural development; and consider and adopt an action-oriented strategy to move forward this vision of a food secure Africa within five years.
The conference is also expected to:
- Deliberate and agree on how the strategy can be put into action considering ongoing initiatives and activities, mainly on the Comprehensive African Agricultural Programme (CAADP) at regional and country level.
- Recommend to African political leaders on how the initiative can be put to action in the context of ongoing CAADP related actions at regional and country levels.
All media representatives are invited to cover the Conference of African Ministers of Agriculture (CAMA), as per the attached programme.
Contacts:
Mr. Boaz Blackie Keizire
Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture
AUC
http://uk.mc274.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=KeizireB@africa-union.org

Mr. Martin Bwalya
NEPAD Agency
+27 83 461 0089
http://uk.mc274.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=martinb@nepad.org

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke
Division of Communication and Information (DCI)
African Union Commission
Tel: 0991405439
http://uk.mc274.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=molalett@africa-union.org or http://uk.mc274.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=molalet24t@yahoo.com

ull list of deaths during deportations from Europe

By IRR European News Team

21 October 2010, 4:00pm

We publish a full list of all those who have died during deportation from European countries.

There have been fourteen deaths (twelve men and two women) since 1991 during forced deportations. The official cause of death in most cases was positional asphyxia or cardiac arrest. Of the fourteen that died, ten were Africans (of which six were Nigerians).

The full list of deaths:

• 2010 Jimmy Mubenga (Angolan - UK)
• 2010 Joseph Ndukadu Chiakwa (Nigerian - Switzerland)
• 2007 Osamuyi Aikpitanhi (Nigerian - Spain)
• 2003 Mariame Getu Hagos (Somali - France)
• 2002 Ricardo Barrientos (Argentinian - France
• 2001 Samson Chukwu (Nigerian - Switzerland)
• 2000 Christian Ecole Ebune (Cameroonian - Hungary)
• 1999 Aamir Mohamed Ageeb Sudanese - Germany)
• 1999 Marcus Omofuma (Nigerian - Austria)
• 1999 Khaled Abuzarifeh (Palestinian - Switzerland)
• 1998 Semira Adamu (Nigerian - Belgium
• 1994 Kola Bankole (Nigerian - Germany)
• 1993 Joy Gardner (Jamaican - UK)
• 1991 Arumugam Kanapathipillai (Tamil, Sri Lanka - France)

Driven to Desperate Measures

17 October 2010, 11:00pm

The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) publishes today a report on deaths of asylum seekers and migrants which damns government policies for putting vulnerable people at risk.

On Tuesday, an Angolan asylum seeker died during his deportation. But this is not an isolated case. According to IRR's report, Driven to Desperate Measures: 2006-2010, forty-four people have died since 2006 as a consequence of the iniquities of the immigration/asylum system. Another seven died at the hand of racists on our streets.

Harmit Athwal, the author of the report, said, 'Racism percolates right through the immigration/asylum system - from forcing people to risk life and limb to enter, forcing them to live destitute on the street, prey to violent racist attack. That twenty-eight people died at their own hand, preferring this to being returned, when their asylum application failed, to the country they fled, is a terrible indictment of British justice.'

Download a copy of Driven to Desperate Measures: 2006-2010 (pdf file, 432kb).

The Institute of Race Relations is precluded from expressing a corporate view: any opinions expressed are therefore those of the authors.

Related links

Download ERA Briefing Paper no.4: 'Accelerated removals: a study of the human cost of EU deportation policies, 2009-2010' (pdf file, 1.3mb)

The vice president of Nigeria H.E Mohammed Sambu delivering a speech at Oxford University on G20 : Nigeria Agenda




The vice president was hosted the Oxford International Relations Society






NIGERIA @50 CLEBTRATIONS cont'd

The Vice President of Nigeria H.E mOHAMMED NAMADI SAMBO ia in London to promte trade and investment in Nigeria




At a CBS mmeeting , he said that Nigeria is very clear on what they want from the Power sector reforms since the sector is very dear to heart of the present administration.
With a population of more thatn 150 million people and the 7th largest deposits of natural gas , a major fuel for power in the world, nigeria is ready for4 investment.




The Governor of Akwa Ibom was present at the event



Dr Alistair Soyode CEO of BEN TV was also present

Congo in Harlem 2 is the second annual series of Congo-related films and events at the Maysles Cinema in Harlem. This year's program showcases a wide range of films by Congolese and international directors, representing the most important issues facing the Democratic Republic of Congo today. Most screenings will be followed by panel discussions, special events, performances, and receptions. Congo in Harlem 2 will provide audiences with more than the traditional movie-going experience -- it will offer opportunities celebrate Congolese culture, learn about the ongoing humanitarian crisis, engage in dialogue, and get involved.

Highlights of the program include: On October 23rd, there will be an engaging panel discussion focused on solutions to the child soldier problem, featuring Ishmael Beah (author of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier) and Jimmie Briggs (author of Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go to War). The closing night film will be Thierry Michel's expose of mining operations in Congo, Katanga Business, followed by a panel with Peter Rosenblum (Professor of Human Rights Law, Columbia University) and other special guests.

Special exhibit in cinema lobby: Photographs from North Kivu, DRC by Robert Garner and Mary McFarland.

Congo in Harlem 2 is supported by VDAY, the Caipirinha Foundation, and other organizations. Ticket will be sold on the basis of suggested donation and the proceeds from each event will be contributed to NGOs and organizations working in Congo.

Series Partners: Friends of the Congo, Now AfriCAN, HEAL Africa, V-Day, Cultures of Resistance, Tabilulu Productions, New York African Film Festival, Congo Global Action, Museum for African Art, Yole!Africa, and First Run/Icarus.

Congo in Harlem 2 Webpage

Friday, October 22nd, 7:30 PM
Congo in Harlem 2

Africa in Pieces/L'Afrique En Morceaux

Dir. Jihan el-Tahri (2001) 100 min.
A chronicle of DR Congo from 1994-2000, filmed at the height of the Second Congo War. With astonishing access to key political and military players in the conflict -- including Kabila, Kagame, Musaveni, and Kabarebe -- El-Tahri has created an essential historical document that remains as relevant today as it was nearly a decade ago. Africa in Pieces served as an important reference in the recently leaked UN mapping report, and it's screening at Congo in Harlem will be the film's first public showing in the US.

After the Movie:
Discussion with director Jihan El-Tahri, Jason Stearns (Congo researcher/analyst, former UN investigator) and Luc Côté (Lead investigator/writer of the UN mapping report), moderated by Samar Al-Bulushi (Congo researcher) & reception.

Co-Presented by The New York African Film Festival, Hirondelle, USA, and Radio Okapi

Take Action -- Bring a used cellphone to be recycled and receive a free gift!

Saturday, October 23rd, 2:00 PM/7:00 PM
Congo in Harlem 2

Child Soldiers and Youth Leadership 2:00 PM
A panel discussion about how youth leadership and entrepreneurship can have a positive impact on the lives of former child soldiers and young people affected by war. Confirmed speakers include Ishmael Beah (author A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier) and Jimmie Briggs (author Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go to War), and Kambale Musavuli (student coordinator and spokesperson for Friends of the Congo). Moderated by Priscillia Kounkou Hoveyda, co-founder of Now AfriCAN.

Co-Presented by Now AfriCAN, Hirondelle, USA, and Radio Okapi

Katanga Business 7:00 PM
Dir. Thierry Michel, 2009, 120min.


Set in one of the world's richest mining regions, Katanga Business is a riveting political and economic thriller that exposes some of the key actors in the scramble for Congo's natural wealth. The impoverished residents of Katanga are pitted against a motley collection of individuals and multinationals all vying for a piece of the action, including a Belgian entrepreneur known as "The King of Katanga", a Canadian CEO attempting to save an obsolete, state-run mine from bankruptcy; a Chinese businessman who just signed the mining contract of the century with the Congolese government; and a wealthy provincial governor, praised by the masses, who struggles to keep the situation from imploding.

AFTER THE FILM:

Panel discussion with Peter Rosenblum (Professor of Human Rights Law at Columbia University) and Howard French (Senior Correspondent with The New York Times and Associate Professor at Columbia University School of Journalism) & closing night reception.

The Equatorial Guninea Ammbassador H.E A NZE NFUMU celebrated hsi countyr independece in style wih his community at his residence in Boreham wood,ELSTREE-England
















Press release by the Labour Party

Thursday 21 October 2010

For immediate use

IFS confirms children hit hardest by Spending Review

George Osborne’s Spending Review continued to unravel today as the Institute for Fiscal Studies took apart his claims to be fair and progressive.

Alan Johnson MP, Labour's Shadow Chancellor, said:

"It's now clear children have been hit hardest by this Government. And it's a double whammy. At home, they lose the most from George Osborne's tax and spend changes. And at school, children will see the money available for their education cut."

Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said:

“This regressive spending review is a blow to families in the squeezed middle. Far from investing in our children's future as the Chancellor claimed, the spending review cruelly takes away hope and life chances from young people from less well off backgrounds.

"At home, families will shoulder a huge burden, with cuts in child tax credit, child benefit and the child trust fund.

"While at school, children and young people will suffer the coalition’s cuts to further education, the Educational Maintenance allowance that helps poorer pupils stay in school after 16, and to school capital.

"Children who have lost out can see that claims of 'we're all in this together' bear as much resemblance to reality as the High School Musical show it comes from."

Angela Eagle MP, Labour's Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said:

"George Osborne's smoke and mirrors have well and truly unravelled. On any measure his plans hit the poorest hardest. And the IFS have all but called him a liar for his ridiculous claim that he is cutting less than Labour planned."

Children losing out from cuts to schools

The IFS finds that total schools spending will be cut in real terms by 0.6% per pupil. 60% of primary school pupils and 87% of secondary school pupils will be in schools where real funding falls.

– total schools spending per pupil to be cut in real-terms by 0.6% per year (total of 2¼%)
– Assuming flat-rate pupil premium of £2,400 (stated total cost £2.5 billion) and underlying funding per pupil frozen in cash-terms
– 60% of primary school pupils in schools where real funding falls
– 87% of secondary school pupils in schools where real funding falls
– 43% of pupils in (less deprived) schools would see cuts of 5% or more
– 1 in 8 pupils in (very deprived) schools would see increase of 5% or more
IFS, "Where did the axe fall?", 21 October 2010, slide 28

Taxes and benefits: families with children are the biggest losers

Before the election, David Cameron said that he wanted his Government “to be the most family friendly Government we’ve ever had in this country”

“And let me just say something about the organisation that I think is the most important of all in fighting for a, and delivering, a responsible society and that is the family. I want the next Government to be the most family friendly Government we’ve ever had in this country and that is about everything we do to support families and it’s about supporting every sort of family. It’s about saying to parents you should have the right to request flexible working because parents suffer from not having enough time with their kids as well as not having enough money to spend with them. It’s about saying when a new child comes along you should be able to share the maternity leave and the paternity leave in whatever way you think is right for your kids."
David Cameron speech, Mending our Broken Society, 22 January 2010

But the IFS finds that the families with children are the biggest losers – even before factoring in cuts in public services.

• HMT say that package of tax and benefit reforms to be introduced by 2012-13 is progressive (apart from bottom income decile)
• We disagree. Having considered all welfare cuts:
• Reforms by 2012–13 are slightly regressive or flat within bottom nine-tenths of households
• Reforms by 2014–15 are more clearly regressive within bottom 90%
• The regressive impact is the result of reforms announced by the current Government both in the June Budget and in SR
• Families with children the biggest losers
• HMT said that reforms will not increase relative child poverty over next two years. Maybe, but what about future years?
• Of course, this all omits cuts in public services…
IFS, “Distributional analysis of tax and benefit changes”, 21 October 2010, slide 11

Regressiveness – poorest hit hardest

The IFS’s analysis of the distributional impact of welfare measures announced in the Spending Review, to be in place by 2012-13, finds that the poorest 10% will be hit hardest as a percentage of their net income.
IFS, “Distributional analysis of tax and benefit changes”, 21 October 2010, slide 4.

While the impact of welfare measures will be less regressive by 2014-15, people in the poorer half of society will still lose out more.
IFS, “Distributional analysis of tax and benefit changes”, 21 October 2010, slide 5.

Osborne’s smoke and mirrors

The IFS finds that the Treasury claim that the Spending Review is progressive relies on omitting the impact of reforms to Housing Benefit, ESA, DLA, tax credits and Council Tax Benefit, which “are all likely to affect poorest half more than richest half”.

• HMT omit impact of following reforms
– Housing Benefit
– Employment and Support Allowance
– Disability Living Allowance
– the way in which in-year income changes affect tax credit awards
– Council Tax Benefit
• These are all likely to affect poorest half more than richest half
• We think we can roughly estimate the likely distributional impact
• Means our estimates will be more complete, but less precise
• Throughout we assume that there is no behavioural response, and that reforms do not change pre-tax prices in the economy
– More plausible in some cases than others (e.g. VAT, Housing Benefit)
IFS, “Distributional analysis of tax and benefit changes”, 21 October 2010, slide 3

Cuts to departmental spending are “larger than implied by March Budget despite Chancellor’s rhetoric”.

• Deep cuts to departmental spending by 2014-15
– average cut of 13% compared to Labour’s 2010-11 baseline
– larger than implied by March Budget despite Chancellor’s rhetoric
IFS, "Where did the axe fall?", 21 October 2010, slide 33

Nick Clegg’s IFS u-turn

Today Nick Clegg attacked the Institute for Fiscal Studies, saying that “they are frightening people and sort of claiming that we are doing unfair things when we are not”.

"And I think what I would say to people who are trying to take only one bit of the equation, and saying 'ah that shows it is all very unfair', they are not being very straight with people and frankly they are frightening people and I think that is not right they are frightening people and sort of claiming that we are doing unfair things when we are not and they are not talking to people about how all of us, about how all families actually live their lives, which isn’t just as recipients of benefits but also of people who care about their children, care about childcare costs, care about what happens in the tax system, put all that together, put all our decisions together, and yes, to be fair some decisions taken by the previous government in their latter months and very, very clearly I’ll be really clear about this the richest pay the most and this is the fairest possible way of doing this very difficult thing that we are doing."
Nick Clegg, PM and DPM Direct, 21 October 2010

But before the election, Clegg was only too happy to quote the IFS when it suited his purposes.

"I was really delighted at the Institute of Fiscal Studies when they compared the three parties' manifestos this week said very, very clearly, and very directly, that our proposal to lift the income tax threshold to £10,000 is the best incentive to work."
Nick Clegg, Leaders Debate, 29 April 2010

"The Institute for Fiscal Studies this morning assessed the parties’ policies on the deficit and taxation. And concluded that the Liberal Democrats’ plan is the most credible – even if there’s still much more work to do, we have gone further in spelling out how to cut the deficit."
Nick Clegg, Speech to the Royal College of Nursing, 27 April 2010

Ends