My remarks on my very first visit to Cote d'Ivoire, Abidjan

My very first visit in Cote d'Ivoire, Abidjan. I must say, sometimes in trips like this, it is often a reflex to feel some shame (of my country of origin really). FIRST IMPRESSION: the airport is way advanced (pictures soon). SECOND IMPRESSION: the roads: if I must say...! smooth drive no pot holes, auto-roads all over. THIRD IMPRESSION: air condition in public hospitals...SERIOUSLY...!!!! you know you have to come in contact with public places/offices to really understand the governance culture that exist in the country; well decided to pay the hopital a visit: this was the University hopital of Treichville.

International Day of Rural Women

International Day of Rural Women in Douala Cameroon: Ms Rachel Sen Kong leading the group as she heads toward the rural women with their multiple exposed agricultural productions. Photo credit: Nadine Tonguem of Empower Success in Africa' Blog.

UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka: Message for the International Day of Rural Women

"We must enforce and protect the rights of rural women. When women have access to land, there are improvements in household welfare, agricultural productivity and gender equality. And greater progress is made against poverty, gender-based violence and HIV/ AIDS. It makes everybody better off."

Today the 18th of October, the International Day of Rural Women was observed at Lindi, Douala 5eme, Cameroon. 

More after the cut....

My Love affair with Dubai

Hello Hello and welcome back to me..!

It has been a while since I last blogged; well thought I will start this new month with much happiness and adventurous aura; all with the hope of infecting you all my readers. 

Lately I paid two visits to Dubai, one in August, and the other  September breaking August. I must say I fell in love with the city, its attractive market and competitive prices. Its infrastructure is the most jaw dropping of all I have ever seen. LOVE this city and I recommend anyone to atleast visit once in their life time. Enjoy fotos

Photo credit: Nadine Tonguem of Empower Success in Africa's blog

More fotos after the cut....

The Lost Boy: Arif’s Story; As told by Alice Farmer, children's rights researcher

This photo shows two asylum-seeking boys standing on a staircase as they are detained at Belawan Immigration Detention Center in September 2012

I was disturbed by this story when reading it on http://www.hrw.org, these boys or rather children are from various nationalities; their story shows they are resilient and brave in finding their path in such  remarkable journeys alone. Read on please....

A story as told by Alice Farmer, children's rights researcher

I met Arif, a 16-year-old boy from Afghanistan, in a Pizza Hut near Jakarta, Indonesia. He dressed neatly, with his hair carefully slicked back. He held himself with confidence, dressed in a pressed, white t-shirt, but beneath the exterior I saw a boy who lived thousands of miles away from his family, who had risked his life repeatedly for safety and opportunity.

We were meeting to discuss Arif’s experiences while locked up in Indonesia’s immigration detention system. But his story began when, at 15, he borrowed $7,000 from his oldest brother, who lived in Australia, to hire smugglers to sneak him out of Afghanistan and into Indonesia. He ultimately planned to join his brother in Australia, where he hoped to claim asylum, go to school and build a new life.

Nigeria Is the 8th Most Corrupt Country in the World

Published By: ireporterstv - Today

According to Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer 2013, The non-profit anti-corruption body surveyed residents in 107 countries.

Nigeria, Russia and Mexico are among the world’s biggest countries with active corruption indices. Liberia and Mongolia lead the table.

According to the report, the world’s corrupt nations differ in many ways. Four are located in Africa, three in Latin America and two in Asia.

GAMBIA/SENEGAL FINAL COMMUNIQUE

FINAL COMMUNIQUE OF THE 6TH SESSION OF THE JOINT COMMISSION BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF SENEGAL
BAN JUL,9TH JULY 2013

On the 8 and 9 of July 2013, the 6th Session of the Joint Commission between the Republic of The Gambia and the Republic of Senegal was held in Banjul, under the auspices of Her Excellency Madame Susan Waffa-OGOO, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of The Gambia and His Excellency Mr. Mankeur NDIAYE, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad of the Republic of Senegal.

This high level meeting is part of the framework of implementing executive directives given by His Excellency Yahya A J J JAMMEH, President of the Republic of The Gambia and His Excellency Mr. Macky SALL, President of the Republic of Senegal, who are desirous of seeing that the cooperation reflects the excellent brotherly and friendly relations that happily bind the two countries and their highest authorities.

This 5th Session of the Joint Commission afforded the two Heads of delegation the opportunity to exchange points of view on issues of mutual interest at both the regional and international levels.

Nelson Mandela ambulance broke down on the way to hospital

Nelson Mandela enjoying his 89th birthday celebrations at the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund in Johannesburg. Photograph: Denis Farrell/AP

The emergency ambulance carrying Nelson Mandela to hospital two weeks ago broke down; says South African presidential spokesman. Mac Maharaj confirmed that the vehicle had engine trouble and  the former president was tranferred to another ambulance. But he said there was no threat to Mr Mandela as he was surrounded by intensive  care nurses  the whole time. 

Philipines destroy illegal ivory

The philippines is destroing millions of dollars worth of ivory smuggled in to the country from Africa in a bid to discourage its illegal trade. Heavy machinery began crushing the ivory in a car park on Friday. 

The stockpile was built up over the last decade as customs officials seized several illegal ivory shipments. 

Wildlife campaigners say there has been an increase in the illegal trade in tusks over recent years - much of it reportedly through the Philippines. 

"This act is a strong statement to the rest of the World that the Philippines will not tolerate the illegal wildlife trade,"

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

Destroying the stockpile ensures that seized ivory cannot be stolen from government warehouses and sold on the black market. 

The international trade in Ivory had been banned since 1989, to protect Africa's elephant populations, some of which are endangered.  

A detained Cameroon fecafoot president wins election

Depspite being detained by the country's authorities, Cameroon Fecafoot president Iya Mohammed  has been re-elected to the role.

According to The Median (24th June 2013), Mohaammed was arrested on 10 June in connection with his job as director-general of the country's state- owned Cotton Development Company. 

He won Wednesday's election after an initial delay, when police blocked delegates fron entering the Fecafoot headquarters for the polls. In his continuing absence, Fecafoot vice-president Mbombo Njoya will take chage of the organisation. 

International Widows' Day

In Douala, economic capital of Cameroon, it was attended and chaired by the followings: Senators, Eposes of administrative authorities,  Female juries, Dignitaries of many feminine NGOs associations, Governor of the littoral regions represented by his secretary, Delegate of public service littoral region, Civil right society officials. Photo credit: Nadine Tonguem of Empower Success In Africa (ESIA)

International Widows' Day was introduced to address poverty and injustice faced by widows and their children in many countries. It was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2010 and is usually observed anually on June 23. 

"No woman should lose her rights when she loses her husband – but an estimated 115 million widows live in poverty, and 81 million have suffered physical abuse. Girls married to much older men are especially vulnerable. Let us use International Widows’ Day to advocate for the rights of all widows so they can enjoy better lives and realize their great potential to contribute to our world." by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.