Lesotho: Ban on women chiefs must end
By Sarah | January 17, 2012
AllAfrica.com, 17 January 2012
The Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) today joined the fight to repeal parts of Lesotho’s discriminatory Chieftainship Act, which only allows the first-born son to succeed to chieftainship, by filing submissions in a landmark case that is due before the country’s Constitutional Court next month. Read the rest of this entry »
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UK Aid Priorities
By Mark | January 10, 2012
British parliamentarians query choice of countries to receive UK aid.
Should the UK have bilateral aid programmes for Lesotho and Swaziland?
A report by British parliamentarians queries some the approaches and methodology used by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) in its Bilateral Aid Review. Read the rest of this entry »
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Floods leave Angolan returnees stranded
By Sarah | January 10, 2012
IRIN News, 6 January 2012
Several thousand Angolan returnees from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are stranded by floods in northeastern Angola. They are among the first casualties of what promises to be a very wet rainy season in parts of southern Africa. Read the rest of this entry »
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Lesotho leapfrogs SA to harness wind and water
By Sarah | November 1, 2011
Mail & Guardian Online, 1 November 2011
The tiny mountain kingdom of Lesotho is to harness the power of wind and water in a $15-billion green energy project, the biggest of its kind in Africa.
The Lesotho highlands power project (LHPP) will generate 6 000 megawatts (MW) of wind power and 4 000MW of hydropower, equivalent to about 5% of South Africa’s electricity needs. Read the rest of this entry »
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COSATU criticises SADC leadership and calls for Day of Action
By Mark | August 18, 2011
Congress of South African Trade Unions calls on SADC leaders to act now in defence of democracy in Southern Africa
COSATU, 17 August 2011
The Congress of South African Trade Unions notes that the 31st Ordinary Summit of SADC heads of states and government begins today in Luanda, Angola to discuss various issues affecting the region.
We are however very disappointed by the behaviour of the in-coming Chairperson of SADC, Angola’s President Jose Dos Santos who refused entry into Angola for about 17 civil society activists and leaders from the region, as well as two Mozambican journalists, whilst also seizing publications belonging to Zimbabwean activists. This is unacceptable, particularly coming from someone assigned with the responsibility of providing leadership to the whole region at a time when the challenge of democracy, human rights and economic justice are daunting throughout the region. This also brings into question Angola’s own record of freedom of political activity, free flow of information and right to expression. Read the rest of this entry »
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Lawyers accuse Swazi chief justice of sexual harassment
By Campaigns | July 21, 2011
Mail and Guardian, 14 July
Swazi lawyers have filed a sexual harassment case against the chief justice, who sparked controversy by suspending a judge for “insulting” King Mswati III. Read the rest of this entry »
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Aid, development and solidarity
By Tony | March 4, 2011
ACTSA’s Director, Tony Dykes comments on the government’s aid review
On 1 March the Secretary of State for International Development announced the results of the aid review. There were winners, where the aid budget was increased and losers where aid was cut completely. Action for Southern Africa is asking that the decision to cut the UK aid budget to Lesotho be reviewed. It is one of the poorest countries in the world and has the 3rd highest rate of HIV/AIDS. Nearly 50 per cent of the population try to live on less than $1.25 cents a day. The Department for International Development (DFID) spent £5 million in Lesotho in 09/10. Not a lot, but Lesotho is relatively small with 2 million people and £5 million spent well there can make an important contribution to poverty reduction and development. It could have a much greater impact in Lesotho than being re-allocated. (DFID) says Lesotho is one of the poorest countries in the world with a high degree of vulnerability. So we think right to push for a rethink. Read the rest of this entry »
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Lesotho – one of the poorest countries in the world: Britain should retain its direct aid programme says Action for Southern Africa
By Sarah | March 1, 2011
ACTSA press release, 1 March 2011
Britain should not close its bilateral aid programme to Lesotho which it will do if the announcement in the bilateral aid review is not reconsidered. Read the rest of this entry »
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UN raises alert on high flooding risks in parts of southern Africa
By Mark | February 8, 2011
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) helps governments prepare as rising waters threaten food security
07 Feb 2011, FAO
Thousands of hectares of agricultural land and crops have been damaged by floods and heavy rains in parts of southern Africa, and more damage may occur in the coming weeks if above normal rains persist. Read the rest of this entry »
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Leaders commit to deepening economic integration
By Laura | August 19, 2010
The two-day SADC Summit ended in Windhoek yesterday with regional leaders reaffirming their commitment to deepening economic integration and speedy implementation of the bloc’s programmes.
A communiqué issued at the end of the Summit attended by heads of state and government from 14 member countries renewed SADC leaders’ calls for integration placing emphasis on the urgency of implementing agreed programmes. Read the rest of this entry »
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