AFRICA NEWS DIGEST
Namibia Conference Vows To Fight Neo-Colonialism in Africa
The ruling parties of seven southern African countries met in Windhoek, Namibia the last week in May, to collaborate on how to resist the West's continued attempts "to install puppet regimes and to impose surrogates that guarantee the exploitation of our resources," according to The Herald of Harare May 30. The sister liberation parties passed the "Windhoek Resolution," resolving to "fight together with all progressive forces against neo-colonial designs imposed on our region." The parties attending the meeting were the African National Congress of South Africa, the Botswana Democratic Party, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania, Frelimo of Mozambique, the MPLA of Angola, Swapo of Namibia, the United Democratic Front of Malawi and Zanu-PF of Zimbabwe.
Namibian President Sam Nujoma, who opened the meeting, urged the ruling parties in SADC (Southern African Development Community), to begin holding regular meetings, seminars, and workshops at different levels of authority to discuss pertinent issues now affecting the region. He saluted the parties for having successfully carried out the noble task of liberating their countries from the yoke of colonialism and apartheid with honor and dignity. President Nujoma insisted that the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) must not be hijacked by external forces who want to use it as an instrument to divide Africa and prescribe to them how they should run their own affairs.
On the subject of Zimbabwe, the parties "acknowledged that the degree of international focus on Zimbabwe was a reflection of British and Western interests in Zimbabwe and in other countries in that region." The ruling parties resolved to unequivocally support "the irreversible land reform and resettlement program taking place in Zimbabwe in accordance with its Constitution and laws."
They condemned the continued shortwave broadcasts into Zimbabwe from Britain and the Netherlands, which they said are meant to misinform and cause ethnic divisions and social tension.
The countries also resolved to condemn all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that act as extensions and fronts for foreign policies of some of the Western governments and countries through direct involvement in local politics. According to the Herald, they also "deplored the imposition of the Western-biased perspective of democracy and good governance, saying this interference had seen the West sponsoring, financing and sustaining opposition parties in the region."
Doctors' Group Welcomes Zimbabwe's AIDS Emergency Declaration
The Geneva-based group Medicins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) noted that Zimbabwe's declaration of an HIV-AIDS drugs emergency will slash the cost of anti-AIDS drugs in the country, where some 2,500 people die each week from the disease. "The procedure Zimbabwe has chosen allows swift action. This is the model other countries should follow," MSF said, adding, "We hope this will be just the first of many." On June 3, the Zimbabwe government declared a six-month emergency, during which all legal restrictions on access to generic drugs, essentially cheaper versions of patented drugs, would be lifted.
Largest Hydro-Power Project in Africa To Be Built by China
China will build the Tekeze Hydro-Power Project on the Tekeze River in Ethiopia, a tributary of the Nile River, the director for international cooperation of the China National Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Corp., announced May 31. According to the director, Sun Yue, it will be the largest hydro-power project in Africa, and, when completed, as important for Ethiopia as the mammoth Three Gorges Dam project is for China.
The main structure of the concrete dam will stand 185 meters, 10 meters higher than Three Gorges. Although abounding in water, the rate of use in Ethiopia is less than 5%.
The contract to build the dam will be signed in Addis Ababa on June 7. The $224-million contract, will be the largest cooperative project between China and an African country.
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