TRADE-MAURITIUS: Meeting EU Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Norms

Mauritian producers and exporters are slowly adapting to the sanitary and phyto-sanitary norms imposed by the European Union (EU) on fruit, vegetables and fish.

HEALTH: Commonwealth Event Debates Why AIDS Wears “the Face of a Woman”

The issue of women continuing to be at higher risk of HIV infection than men has received considerable attention at a gathering of women's affairs ministers from Commonwealth countries underway in Uganda's capital, Kampala.

ENVIRONMENT-SOUTH AFRICA: Land Returned in St Lucia World Heritage Site

A section of the world heritage site the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, Africa's largest estuary, has been returned to its rightful owners, who have in turn undertaken to manage the land in accordance with the country's environmental laws.

RIGHTS-SOUTH AFRICA: Back to the Land of Our Parents

‘‘Today we are here to say never again shall our people lose their land rights because they are black,'' said Lulama Xingwana, South Africa's minister of agriculture and land affairs.

POLITICS-AFRICA: Continental Government by 2015?

Debate on the prospects for continent-wide government in Africa is heating up ahead of the African Union (AU) summit that is scheduled to begin Jun. 25 in the Ghanaian capital of Accra.

Q&A: “People Often Cannot Avoid Putting at Risk the Natural Resource Base Upon Which They Depend”

With the World Day to Combat Desertification set to take place shortly (Jun. 17), efforts are gearing up to highlight the threats posed by land degradation in much of Africa - as well as initiatives to safeguard against desertification.

EDUCATION-AFRICA: Will eLearning Make Teachers Redundant?

Does electronic learning (eLearning) threaten to displace the teacher?

G8: Cacophony on Global Warming

The summit of the heads of government of the eight most industrialised countries opened Wednesday in this Baltic seaside resort, surrounded by impressive security measures, and dominated by a total cacophony on the group's efforts to curb climate change.

G8: Poverty Reduction and Climate Change Inextricably Linked, Say Activists

In the final hours before this week's Group of Eight (G8) summit gets underway in Germany, activists have underscored the need for progress with both climate change and poverty alleviation - key items on the meeting's agenda - for there to be real improvement in Africa's living conditions.

POLITICS: Blair Bids Farewell to Africa

Opinions appear divided about outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair's legacy concerning Africa - this as the leader ended his last official visit to the continent Friday. The five-day trip took him to Libya, Sierra Leone and South Africa.

EDUCATION-AFRICA: Learning at the Flick of a Switch

The role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in improving education throughout Africa has been in the spotlight over recent days at the e-Learning Africa Conference.

ENERGY-MALAWI: Technology to Save Forests

Malawi's utilisation of energy resources is heavily dominated by firewood, which provides 93 percent of all energy needs. Current annual household consumption of firewood and charcoal are at 7.5 million tons, exceeding sustainable supply by 3.7 million tons.

DEVELOPMENT-SOUTHERN AFRICA: Leaving the Country to Earn a Living

‘‘We have lost a young woman in South Africa. We have raised R3,500 (500 US dollars) but we need R5,000 (714 dollars). We want to transport the body home to her relatives in Zimbabwe. But it is difficult,'' Joyce Dube, director of the Southern African Women's Institute for Migration Affairs (SAWIMA), told a gathering.

HEALTH-SOUTHERN AFRICA: One Million People Need AIDS Treatment

About one million people in need of anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment are yet to receive it in four southern African states, according to Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), a global nongovernmental organisation specialising in medical services.

SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Floral Kingdom as Vulnerable as It Is Biodiverse

Climate change is threatening the Cape Floral Region, a World Heritage Site in South Africa's Western Cape province, say environmentalists.

LABOUR: Reversing South Africa’s Brain Drain

The short, black and white film projected on a white board in a room filled with about 200 South African expatriates had an unambiguous message - if you want a better South Africa, come back home and help build it.

DEVELOPMENT-ZIMBABWE: As Long as Crisis Continues, Border Jumping Will

Attempts to convince Zimbabweans to stay in their country are futile as long as the political and economic crisis continues, say activists and politicians.

TRADE-AFRICA: How to Turn The Curse of Oil Into a Blessing

Africa's abundance in natural resources, especially oil, has been called a curse because of the fierce global thirst that exists for these assets.

HEALTH-AFRICA: ”Brain Drain Is Killing People”

A shortage of health care workers is paralysing the health system in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa, and threatens the lives of millions, particularly in rural areas, warns Medecins Sans Frontieres, a global nongovernmental organisation specialising in medical services.

RIGHTS-ZIMBABWE: ”Women Politicians There to Serve The Men”

‘‘In terms of the number of women in government, yes, we are making progress. But if you dig deep about why these women were appointed you will find that they are only important when it is voting time,'' says Zhean Gwaze, a gender activist and journalist.

ENVIRONMENT-AFRICA: Long Knives Out Over Elephants

Environmentalists are readying themselves for another heated round of debate and horse-trading in the continuing international tussle over the issue of ivory sales.