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The ASEA Daily News & Resources

Africa Southeast Area

Thursday 15 October 2015

Issue: 200

(First Issue on 6 November 2014)

The Church has: . 37 Official General Authority Facebook Pages & 27 Official Church Organizations Pages

Africa Southeast Area Websites

Countries

Mormon Newsroom Sites

Link from these sites to Facebook!

Mormon Newsroom Facebook sites.

Church HQ Mormon Newsroom Mormon Newsroom Facebook page (English)

Angola Angola Mormon Newsroom Angola Mormon Newsroom Facebook (Portuguese)

Botswana none Botswana Mormon Newsroom Facebook (English)

Congo DR DR Congo Mormon Newsroom DR Congo Mormon Newsroom Facebook (French)

Congo Rep none Republic of Congo Mormon Newsroom Facebook

(French)

Indian Ocean Indian Ocean Newsroom Indian Ocean Mormon Newsroom Facebook (French)

Kenya Kenya Mormon Newsroom Kenya Mormon Newsroom Facebook (English)

Madagascar Indian Ocean Newsroom Madagascar Mormon Newsroom Facebook (French)

Malawi None Malawi Mormon Newsroom Facebook (English)

Mozambique None Mozambique Mormon Newsroom Facebook

(Portuguese)

Namibia None Namibia Mormon Newsroom Facebook (English)

South Africa South Africa Mormon

Newsroom

South Africa Mormon Newsroom Facebook (English)

Uganda Uganda Mormon Newsroom Uganda Mormon Newsroom Facebook page (English)

Zambia none Zambia Mormon Newsroom Facebook (English)

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Mormon Newsroom Zimbabwe Mormon Newsroom Facebook (English)

Totals for ASEA 7 Country-Mormon Newsrooms! 14 Country Newsroom Facebook pages!

ASEA YouTube ASEA (Africa Southeast Area) Public Affairs YouTube Channel

HQ YouTube Mormon Newsroom YouTube Account

AFRICASE Africa Southeast Page Africa Southeast Area Facebook page

Liahona Issues (downloadable) Liahona Local Inserts

Helping Hands Mormon Helping Hands - Africa Southeast Facebook page

Public Affairs All Public Affairs individuals are able to access the Public Affairs Network (Secure Site) at this link: Public Affairs Network

Online Resources

Use of Online Resources in Church Callings When carefully used, the Internet can help coordinate the work of the Church, strengthen faith, and minister to the needs of others. The Internet can also help with missionary work as people connect with friends and family and share Church content. However, electronic communication should not replace face-to-face contact.

Law and Religion Symposium BYU Law International Center for Law and Religion Studies

Emergency Preparedness: Emergency Preparedness and Response

Calendar

18 October 2015 Tanzania Presidential and Parliamentary elections

20 October 2015 Kenya Mashuja Day (Heroes Day)

25 October 2015 DR Congo Provincial elections

25 October 2015 Tanzania Parliamentary and Presidential elections

26 November 2015 African Girls Summit to end child marriage. Lusaka, Zambia

Tuesday 16 December 2015 South Africa, Day of Reconciliation

25 October 2015 Tanzanian General Elections

27 November 2015 DR Congo Presidential Election

29 November 2015 Burkina Faso Presidential and Parliamentary elections

21 February 2016 Niger Parliamentary and Presidential elections.

Keyword News Topics below in Tan

Country Specific News Topics in Light Blue

Church Articles of Interest to Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

From Buddhist to bishop: The Norm Fukui story What converts find most compelling about a new religion, some say, is not the doctrine but the lives of those who believe it. So it was with Norman Fukui, a Bear River City native who went not only from farm boy to bank executive but also from a Buddhist to a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His life has been a Mormon trek. “Some people say they’d like to read my journal,” he said with a laugh. Perhaps one day it will be in print. But for now, here are the highlights. The Fukui home, for young Norm Fukui, brimmed with devotion — devotion to Japanese Buddhism. His mother kept a shrine in the house that had been passed down to her. At times the aroma of incense wafted about. In those days, young Fukui was a regular at the small Buddhist temple in Box Elder County.

Parliament of World Religions convenes in Mormon country — at last SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) When the World’s Parliament of Religions first met in Chicago in 1893, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and even Spiritualists prayed together. But Mormons were kept out. What a difference 122 years make. On Thursday (Oct. 15), when the Parliament of the World’s Religions — a slight adjustment of the name was made a century after the first meeting — convenes in Salt Lake City, it will not only feature a slate of Mormon voices, it will sit in the proverbial lap of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its global headquarters only a five-minute walk away. The selection of this city is no coincidence, organizers and participants say, but a clear sign that both the LDS church and the parliament have evolved. After Hofmann forgeries, a ‘revolution’ in LDS Church approach to history Today, Mormon forger and murderer Mark Hofmann likely would have a tougher time selling his fake documents — and his seriously skewed view of the origins of the LDS Church — than he did 30 years ago. Hofmann preyed on the urge to hide unwelcome information so he could pass off counterfeits as real. Mormon officials, among others, fell right into his trap. Back in October 1985, when Hofmann killed two people with homemade pipe bombs in an attempt to divert attention from his double-dealing and dishonesty, the Utah-based church restricted access to its historic archives and promoted only a canonized — some would say narrow — view of the faith's founding. No more. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has opened its archives, posted thousands of documents online, produced groundbreaking research on its past and published a dozen recent essays on controversial historical developments. "It's been a revolution," says Ronald W. Walker, a retired Brigham Young University professor of history who has been involved in telling the Mormon story for more than four decades. "We now understand we can approach difficult questions and do it successfully."

Upcoming Church related Historical Events in the ASEA Area. (taken from the resource section at the end of this Daily News)

Burundi 19 October 2010: Elder Holland dedicated the country of Burundi. Angola 20 October 2010: Elder Christtofferson dedicates Angola

Uganda 23 October 1991: James E. Faust dedicates Uganda.

Kenya 24 October 1991: James E. Faust dedicates Kenya Zimbabwe 25 October 1991: James E. Faust dedicates Zimbabwe.

Malawi 25 October 1999: Elder Nelson dedicates Malawi

Central Africa Republic 29 October 2012: Elder Holland dedicates CAR.

Gabon 05 November 2013: Elder Bednar dedicates Gabon

Tanzania 18 Movember 2003: Elder Nelson dedicates Tanzania

Mauritius 22 November 1988: Elder Ashton dedicates Mauritius

Reunion 23 November 1988: Elder Ashton dedicates Reunion

South Africa 1 December 1973: President Kimball rededicates South Africa. (exact day not known)

If anyone has any additional historical events for the ASEA Area historical calendar …please email them to the address at the top of page 1

Interesting Stuff about Africa & ASEA area Found in the news stream.

Medical News Found in the news stream.

Ebola virus can linger in semen of survivors for 9 months, study shows An electron micrograph scan shows the Ebola virus emerging from an infected cell. Researchers have long known that the Ebola virus can linger in certain bodily fluids even after an infected person begins to recover. But a new study shows that remnants of the virus remained in the semen of some male survivors in Sierra Leone for 9 months after the onset of symptoms, raising new questions about how long Ebola might remain transmissible.

"These results come at a critically important time, reminding us that while Ebola case numbers continue to plummet, Ebola survivors and their families continue to struggle with the effects of the disease," Bruce Aylward, the World Health Organization's top Ebola official, said in a statement. "[The study] provides further evidence that survivors need continued, substantial support for the next 6 to 12 months to meet these challenges and to ensure their partners are not exposed." The shrinking malaria map A CENTURY ago, malaria existed nearly everywhere in the world. It was endemic in America and Britain until the early 1950s. By 1970 much of the rich world had wiped it out. Today, 107 countries are malaria-free. Another 28 are in the elimination stage, meaning they have less than one diagnosed case per 1,000 people per year. A paper published by the UN and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on September 28th claims that the world can be rid of malaria by 2040. The countries projected to become malaria-free last are African nations where vast areas are hard to reach, often because of armed conflict. Achieving global eradication depends on two things. One is a greater investment in traditional measures to bring malaria infections down, including bed nets treated with insecticide, epidemiological surveillance, and rapid diagnosis and treatment. The other is a robust pipeline of new drugs, vaccines, diagnostics and insecticides. With perseverance, the world can see the end of a scourge that kills 450,000 people a year, within a generation. (See the excellent interactive map on the site.-rb)

Mozambique: Death Toll for Malaria Reaches 2,000 People Maputo, Oct 14 (Prensa Latina) A total of 1,809 people were killed by Malaria from January to August this year, said health sources quoted by the press. The Malaria death toll decreased this year by 28 percent compared to the same period in 2014, when 2,497 people were killed by the disease, said Benigna Matsinhe, deputy national director of the ministry of Health. Matsinhe said that in the same period the lives of 295 people were also claimed by diseases related to diarrhea. From January to August a total of 4.2 million cases of Malaria were reported, said Matsinhe. The cases of Cholera totaled 568,464 in the same period, compared to 524,949 in 2014.

Social Media Found in the news stream.

Facebook Update: Social Network Adds 'Reactions' Emoji To Like Button; Plus Hide Sensitive Post From 'On This Day' Facebook may have found the answer to the dislike button. The company recently revealed a new feature in the works dubbed, "Reactions" emojis. "Reactions" is a feature that adds several emojis to Facebook's

thumbs-up symbol that can be used in place of a binary "Like." With six total, these Reactions include love, laughter, excitement, surprise, sadness and anger. Facebook Reactions Emoji

"Reactions" will begin testing in Spain and Ireland, two countries selected as the best forms of a closed test group due to their generally dedicated national base and numbers showing fewer international friends. A Facebook rep also claim Spain is a good testing ground to see how non English-speaking areas react to the emojis. If you're on mobile, these "Reactions" emoji will react in a similar fashion to the differently-colored face emojis in iOS 8. One will click on "Like," then have the option to select one of these reactions from a small drop-down window. Selecting emoji on desktop will work in a similar matter. Twitter Layoffs: Social network slashing 8 percent of workforce (NBC NEWS)---Twitter's nest is getting a bit smaller. The social-media company is planning to lay off up to 8 percent of its employees, with the deepest job cuts in the product and engineering teams. Up to 336 employees globally will lose their jobs, Twitter said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission Tuesday morning. Twitter's Jack Dorsey, who was named the company's permanent CEO last week, tweeted a link to a letter he sent to employees, which was included in the SEC filing: Made some tough but necessary decisions that enable Twitter to move with greater focus and reinvest in our growth. http://t.co/BWd7EiGAF2 — Jack (@jack) October 13, 2015 "We feel strongly that Engineering will move much faster with a smaller and nimbler team," Dorsey wrote in the letter. "And the rest of the organization will be streamlined in parallel."

Religious Freedom Found in the news stream.

Misc. Found in the news stream.

Animal Conservation and related articles 26 more elephants killed with cyanide in Zimbabwe HARARE, Zimbabwe -- Rangers in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park have discovered the carcasses of 26 elephants at two locations, dead of cyanide poisoning along with 14 other elephants who were found last week, officials said Wednesday. Patrolling rangers discovered the carcasses Tuesday, according to Bhejani Trust and the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. Bhejani Trust undertakes joint animal monitoring and welfare work with the parks agency Parks spokeswoman Caroline Washaya Moyo said 14 tusks were recovered from these elephants and others were not recovered. She said rangers found 16 of the elephants in an area known as Lupande and 10 others in Chakabvi.

Multiple African Countries or other African Countries Nigeria's Boko Haram Urges Somali Shabab: Join Islamic State Nigeria's Boko Haram extremists are urging Somalia's al-Shabab rebels to join them in pledging allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State group, and thus abandon al-Qaida. Al-Qaida and Islamic State are rivals for jihadi recruits and the video posted on Twitter on Wednesday tells Shabab fighters that uniting "is of greater benefit to the struggle on the path of Islam" and will "help in defeating the infidels of the world." The appeal from an unidentified armed fighter is part of a wider courting of al-Shabab. Similar messages came nearly two weeks ago from militant extremists in Iraq, Sinai, Syria, and Yemen. Al-Shabab has been losing ground in Somalia to a multinational African force but staged an April attack in neighboring Kenya that killed nearly 150 people at Garissa University. Relations Between Burundi, Rwanda Deteriorating NAIROBI, KENYA—Burundi has been dealing with unrest on and off since April when President Pierre Nkurunziza launched his bid for a third term. But the conflict isn’t just internal. Tensions with neighboring Rwanda have steadily been on the rise. Relations between Central African neighbors Burundi and Rwanda, rarely warm, have been on the downswing in recent months. “Before the crisis, the relations were already a bit complicated, but during the crisis, there has been an exchange of accusations between Bujumbura and Kigali, and both capitals consider that the other capital is supportive of its opponents,” said Thierry Vircoulon, Central Africa project director at the International Crisis Group. The crisis he refers to is Burundi's internal unrest. Opponents of Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza said his bid for reelection in April violated the constitution and the Arusha Agreement that led to the end of Burundi's civil war in 2004, when the ceasefire was signed. A coup attempt in May and Nkurunziza’s re-election in a poll boycotted by opponents did nothing to calm the situation. Rwandan President also criticized Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term, and accused him of harboring a Rwandan rebel group. Nigeria: IMF Blames Insurgency for Hardship in Nigeria, Cameroon, Sudan, Others New York — The International Monetary Fund (IMF)on Tuesday blamed the widespread suffering in Nigeria, Cameroon, South Sudan, Chad and Niger on the civil war and acts of violence perpetuated by insurgents. The financial agency which made this known in a statement obtained by our correspondent continued that the acts of terrorism in these countries are also weighing on economic activity, straining fiscal budgets and diminishing the prospects for investment. Specifically, the IMF also said that the violence part by the general elections in Maroondi and the recent developments in the area are reminders that political cycles can also still cause turmoil. On the newly introduced cocktail of foreign exchange restriction policies by the government of Nigeria, the statement said the exchange rate pressures in Nigeria and other oil producers had been considerable in the course of this past year because of what has happened in terms of exchange earnings as oil prices have reduced those considerably. Chad: Nigeria, Others in Danger as Lake Chad Dries up Abuja — A new report, the 'Environmental Audit of the Drying Up of the Lake Chad' has warned of dire

consequence for Nigeria and other neighbouring countries if the Lake Chad basin is allowed to dry up. Presenting the report to President Muhammadu Buari at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday, the Auditor General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, said the key message in the report "is that Lake Chad is drying up very fast from 25,000 sq.km in 1963 to just 1,500 sq.km presently. "We must save Lake Ckad from extinction." He

noted that there was a correlation between the shrinking of Lake Chad and the current insecurity in North-east of Nigeria.

"It is believed that part of the root causes of violence and insecurity in the Lake Chad Basin which has not been adequately addressed is the crucial issue of weak water resources management which led to scarcity of water.

Angola

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 64% / 26% Population: 24,316,360

Penetration of population w/ internet 19.4% Labor Force: 9,298,000

GDP per capita USD$ 8,100 Life Expectancy: 52

Unemployment / year est. 26% / 2014 Church Members: 1,436

Population below poverty line: 40.5% Congregations: 8

Activists call for release of Angolan hunger-strike rapper The rapper Luaty Beirao is a key figure in Angola's opposition movement, and he has been on hunger strike for 25 days. More than 100 people gathered at a church on Monday in the capital Luanda, to demand his release and 14 other activists who are accused of plotting to overthrow the government. The rapper Luaty Beirao and 14 other activists, all belonging to a youth opposition movement, were arrested in June, as they were peacefully gathering to protest against the current President, Eduardo dos Santos, who has been in power for 36 years. Accused of plotting to oust the president, they have been held without trial for more than three months, which is the maximum allowed under Angolan law. On September 21, a day after the three-month detention period expired, Beirao went on hunger strike. Some say the reasons behind the activists' arrests are uncalled for. "What is also critical about this case, is the fact that Angola has over 120 000 soldiers in its army, and the presidential guard is one of the largest in Africa. So how could 15 young activists, who were only reading books, and discussing the content of those books, possibly have staged a rebellion?" Rafael Marques, a journalist and anti-corruption activist, told RFI.

Botswana

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 164% / 26% Population: 2,115,710

Penetration of population w/ internet 13.2% Labor Force: 1,017,000

GDP per capita USD$ 16,000/2014 Life Expectancy: 47

Unemployment / year est. 17.8% / 2009 Church Members: 3,104

Population below poverty line: 30.3% Congregations: 12

Ten members of Eritrea soccer team seek asylum in Botswana (Eritrea is an ASEA Country.-rb) Ten players from the Eritrean football team are seeking asylum in Botswana, the latest in a series of defections by athletes from a country under investigation by the United Nations for human-rights violations. The Eritrean national team was in Botswana to play a World Cup qualifying match. The players refused to board their plane home on Wednesday and were detained by police, Dick Bayford, who has been hired by the Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights (EMDHR) to represent the players, told Reuters. "I have been engaged by the movement to assist in keeping the football players in the country after they received reports that there was an attempt to forcibly remove the players from Botswana," he said. Similar mass defections by Eritrean soccer players occurred in Kenya in 2009, Tanzania in 2011 and Uganda in 2012. They were fleeing a country where slavery-like practices are routine and torture widespread, the United Nations said after a year-long investigation. The investigation also found that Eritrea subjected its citizens to indefinite national service and killed people who try to flee the country, according to a U.N. report. The Eritrean Foreign Ministry dismissed the report without addressing specific allegations. That investigation has now been extended for a second year. The U.N. Human Rights Council wants the extended investigation to consider whether Eritrea was committing crimes against humanity, a level of offence that can be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court.

Burkina Faso (A West African Country)

Burkina Faso: No amnesty for soldiers who killed unarmed civilians • 14 people, including two children, killed: six shot in the back • Hundreds injured by beatings and live ammunition, including a child born with a bullet wound • Commission of inquiry should investigate recent and historical abuses Burkina Faso’s former presidential guard displayed a cold-blooded disregard for human life, killing 14 unarmed protestors and bystanders and wounding hundreds more with automatic weapons following last month’s coup d’état, Amnesty International said today. Whilst General Gilbert Diendere, who led the coup, and General Djibril Bassole, former Foreign Minister, have been arrested and charged with crimes including attacking state security and murder, members of the Regiment de sécurité présidentielle (RSP) are being reintegrated into the national army. A detailed investigation by the organisation into the deaths of people killed in the days following the 16 September coup has found that 14 protestors and bystanders were killed by automatic weapon fire from members of the RSP. None of those killed, including two children, had been armed or posed any threat to the security forces. (A related article) Amnesty Says 14 Civilians Were Killed in Burkina Faso Coup Attempt Members of Burkina Faso’s former presidential guard killed more than a dozen unarmed civilians, including two children, and wounded hundreds more with automatic gunfire during their short coup last month, Amnesty International announced Wednesday. Amnesty International said its investigation of the coup found that members of the Presidential Security Regiment, a powerful group allied with former President Blaise Compaoré, “displayed a cold-blooded disregard for human life,” killing 14 protesters or bystanders, some of whom were holding their hands in the air when they were gunned down. “For soldiers to gun down large numbers of unarmed protestors, including children, with automatic weapons is an outrageous use of force amounting to a crime under international law,” said Alioune Tine, Amnesty International West Africa director, in a statement. The security regiment was put into place during the 27-year rule of Mr. Compaoré, who was ousted last year after mass protests against his attempts to change the nation’s constitution and prolong his time in office.

Burkina Faso’s current interim government, restored to power after the failed coup, has said it would disband the security regiment and that its members would be folded into the regular army. Amnesty International is calling on the government to expand an inquiry of the coup to investigate the regiment’s suspected abuses. The Amnesty report, assembled after a review of videos, medical records and interviews with eyewitnesses, accused the group of shooting, whipping and beating as many as 271 civilians. One pregnant woman standing in her home was shot in the stomach. Her child was delivered by cesarean section and had a gunshot wound on the buttock, the midwife who helped deliver the child told Amnesty. The studio of a hip-hop artist known as Smockey, a founder of a civil society group that opposed Mr. Compaoré, was damaged by an antitank rocket. Gen. Gilbert Diendéré, the leader of the coup, has been charged with high treason, murder, “attacking the security of the state” and “colluding with foreign forces to destabilize internal security.” Attorney: Burkina Faso Leader Sankara Was Assassinated A lawyer for the family of Burkina Faso's late Marxist revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara said Tuesday that an autopsy proved he was assassinated in 1987. The attorney said Sankara was killed by at least 10 gunshots to the head and legs and thrown into a grave with 12 others. Sankara's relatives have always said they never got satisfactory answers on how he died. Sankara's successor, former President Blaise Compaore, always denied involvement in the killing but thwarted the family's demand for an investigation. A popular uprising overthrew Compaore last year, and the transitional government in the West African country gave permission for Sankara's body to be exhumed. Sankara took power in 1983 after a military coup and immediately went to work to help the poor in the former French colony. He changed the name of the country from Upper Volta, nationalized private industries, redistributed land, and increased educational and health opportunities for children. He was overthrown by Compare in 1987. Burkina Faso Sets Late November Poll Burkina Faso's presidential and parliamentary elections, delayed by a failed coup, will take place November 29. The elections, seen as a major step in the impoverished West African country's road to democracy, were originally scheduled for October 11 but had to be postponed after a short-lived putsch by elite troops loyal to deposed leader Blaise Compaore. The presidential guard (RSP) announced the coup September 17, bringing the country to the edge of chaos for six days before the bid collapsed, with its leaders admitting they did not enjoy popular support. The RSP disarmed and was formally disbanded at a ceremony in the capital, Ouagadougou, this month.

Burundi

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 25% / 2% Population: 11,010,900

Penetration of population w/ internet 1.4% Labor Force: 4,806,000

GDP per capita USD$ 900 Life Expectancy: 54

Unemployment / year est. 35% / 2009 Church Members: 526

Population below poverty line: 68% Congregations: 3

Violence in Burundi's Capital Leaves at Least 10 People Dead Violence flared overnight in Burundi’s capital, leaving 10 people dead, as police fought unidentified assailants and a local journalist and his children were killed. Three police officers were seized by armed men late Tuesday in the Ngagara district of Bujumbura, sparking a rescue attempt after which five of the kidnappers and one of the abductees were left dead, police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said Wednesday on national radio. Also in Ngagara, national television cameraman Christophe Nkezabahizi and his two teenage children were killed, his channel reported. An unidentified witness cited by national radio on Wednesday said men wearing the uniform of Burundi’s presidential guard shot him dead and killed five other people in his compound. Nkurikiye said an investigation had begun into the cameraman’s death. A 10th fatality was reported in Jabe district, where a woman was killed in a grenade blast late Tuesday, while explosions were also heard in three other areas of Bujumbura, he said. More than 130 people have died in violence in Burundi since April when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he was a candidate to serve a third term. Opponents say his re-election violates a term-limit set in peace accords that ended the 12-year civil war in 2005. Burundi cameraman, family shot dead by security forces: residents Nairobi (AFP) - A Burundian journalist, his wife and their two children were shot dead by security forces in a flashpoint district of the capital Bujumbura amid tensions following the re-election of President Pierre Nkurunziza, residents said Wednesday. Burundian police spokesman Pierre Nkurikiye said at least six people, including an officer, were killed on Tuesday in violence in the anti-Nkurunziza neighbourhood of Ngagara. Residents however accused the security forces of killing at least seven civilians, including the journalist and his family. In a statement on Twitter, Nkurikiye said two police officers had been kidnapped by "insurgents" in Ngagara. One officer was killed and one was severely wounded by gunfire, the spokesman said, adding that five other people were killed in clashes that erupted when the police intervened. A third police officer who had also allegedly been kidnapped was later found safe and sound, Nkurikiye said. Several residents however gave a different version of events. They said members of the presidential guard (API) "executed" at least seven civilians by shooting them in the head or the chest. Among the dead was RTNB cameraman Christophe Nkezabahizi, his wife and two of their children -- a 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy.

The journalist, who was in his sixties, and his family were shot at close range in their home, their neighbours told AFP. Burundi asks Belgium to replace envoy, in latest sign of strained ties Burundi has asked its former colonial power Belgium to replace its ambassador because it has lost confidence in him, a senior official said. Salvator Ntacobamaze, permanent secretary in Burundi's Ministry of External Relations and International Cooperation, gave no further explanation for the action. A Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Belgium viewed the request as an "unfriendly act" but had yet to decide on a course of action and would keep channels of communication open with Burundi's government. Bilateral relations have deteriorated since Belgium said this month it would halt some aid in protest at Pierre Nkurunziza securing a third term as president of the central African country. "Through a verbal note, the government of Burundi asked its counterpart for the replacement of the Belgian ambassador to Burundi since it has no more confidence in him," Ntacobamaze told Reuters. Belgium had summoned the Burundian ambassador in Brussels on Friday to explain reports that the accreditation of the envoy, Marc Gedopt, had been withdrawn. Gedopt is not in Burundi at present. Belgian aid for Burundi was just under 50 million euros ($56 million) in 2013, most of it going directly to the state. Burundi has experienced turmoil and sporadic violence since April, when Nkurunziza announced he was seeking a third term, a move the opposition says violated the constitution and a peace deal that ended civil war in 2005. He was sworn in on Aug. 20 after winning an election boycotted by his opponents.

Cameroon

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 71% / -% Population: 23,248,261

Penetration of population w/ internet Labor Force: 9,105,000

GDP per capita USD$ 3,000 Life Expectancy: 55

Unemployment / year est. 30% / 2001 Church Members: 1,498

Population below poverty line: 48% / 2000 Congregations: 7

U.S. Troops to Cameroon in Anti-Boko Haram Fight The Obama administration says it expects to deploy about 300 U.S. service members to the African nation of Cameroon to help stop the spread of Boko Haram and other violent extremist groups. Roughly 90 U.S. service members are already en route to Cameroon to conduct airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in the region. President Barack Obama notified House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, in a letter and the White House released the letter Wednesday. U.S. personnel began deploying on Monday under an arrangement with the Cameroon government. The U.S. troops will be armed to provide their own protection and security and will stay in Cameroon until they are no longer needed, the White House said on Wednesday. Cameroon has been battling Boko Haram militants based in neighboring Nigeria. The group has vowed to retaliate against Cameroon for backing the Nigerian military's mission to defeat Boko Haram. (Related article) U.S. to Send Drones, Troops to Help Cameroon’s Campaign Against Boko Haram Temporary mission aims to gather intelligence on Islamist militant group, aid counterinsurgency efforts

Central African Republic (CAR)

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 33% / 1% Population: 4,851,884

Penetration of population w/ internet 3.4% Labor Force: 2,217,000

GDP per capita USD$ 600 Life Expectancy: 50

Unemployment / year est. 8% / 2001 Church Members: 216

Population below poverty line: na Congregations: 1

UN mission in Central African Republic on ‘high alert’ as armed group threatens capital The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has reported that it is on “high alert” as the situation in the war-torn country remains fragile, with armed groups threatening to destabilize its capital city, Bangui. The Mission’s update was provided by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General at the regular press briefing at UN Headquarters, who said that MINUSCA “remains on high alert to prevent any attempts of armed ex-Séléka moving towards the capital, Bangui.” On Saturday in the Kemo prefecture, MINUSCA and Sangaris (French-led) forces “confirmed the presence of approximately 150 ex-Séléka or Front Popularie pour la Renaissance de Centrafrique (FPRC),” said the Deputy Spokesperson. Central African Republic: Thousands flee latest violence in Bangui On 26 September, violence broke out yet again in Bangui, capital of Central African Republic, forcing thousands of people to flee and seek shelter and protection. Against this backdrop of persistent tension and instability, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams continue to provide assistance to the displaced in Bangui. Since this latest outbreak of violence, around 40,000 people have fled from their neighbourhoods to different sites that include Mpoko near Bangui airport. “They left with nothing and now they’re living in the most appalling conditions. Most have no shelter, no food and almost no access to medical care”, says Jean-Guy Vataux, MSF head of mission in Bangui. (Related article) Central African Republic: 40,000 people fleeing a new wave of violence Blood Diamonds From the Central African Republic May Flood the Market The landlocked Central African Republic has been in a state of civil war for over a decade as the government vies with Muslim and Christian forces for control of the incredibly impoverished county, displacing nearly 200,000 and killing thousands. Medical relief organizations claim the region is too dangerous to work in, despite the critical need for supportive care. Bloody conflict has effectively shredded the nation's government, leaving it a rudderless nation - and one with an economy heavily driven by gold and diamonds. While the issue of conflict diamonds is a growing concern on the world stage, many are not aware of the consequences of the internal diamond trade, and what will happen when massive stores of diamonds are released on the market by unscrupulous Western diamond buyers.

Armed groups, parties boycott Central African Republic talks Armed groups and politicians in Central African Republic boycotted the start of a political forum this week, dealing a blow to attempts to get an election process back on track. Interim President Catherine Samba-Panza called for the discussions, which began on Tuesday, partly to discuss elections scheduled for October 18 but which are expected to be postponed for technical and security reasons. The former French colony has been torn by bloodshed since 2013 and authorities are struggling to disarm militias despite a peace agreement in May. A surge in violence in the capital Bangui last month sparked by the murder of a Muslim man killed 77 people and injured 400.

Chad (This country borders ASEA)

47% / -% Population: 13,288,797

Penetration of population w/ internet 2.4% Labor Force: 4,919,000

GDP per capita USD$ 2,600 Life Expectancy: 51

Unemployment / year est. 22% / 2009 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: 80% / 2001 Congregations:

Chad: UN Agency Condemns Suicide Attacks in Chad, Pledges Continued Support The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today deplored the violent and fatal suicide attacks that were carried out over the weekend in the western Chad town of Baga Sola. "We are particularly concerned about the attack at the Kousseri site for internally displaced Chadians in Baga Sola that left at least 22 people dead in an area where UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies have been trying to help provide protection and assistance to tens of thousands of people displaced from their homes by the conflict with Boko Haram," Leo Dobbs, UNHCR spokesperson said at the bi-weekly news briefing today in Geneva. According to local and UN security reports, the suicide bombers, including three women and two children attacked the market and the Kousseri site for internally displaced people (IDPs) on the outskirts of Baga Sola on Saturday afternoon. The attack in Baga Sola, the first on the town, came a day before female suicide bombers killed nine people in Kangaleri, northern Cameroon. The attacks left 47 people dead and dozens injured and those in critical condition were flown by helicopter to N'Djamena.

Congo Rep. (Brazzaville)

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 100% / 7% Population: 4,753,445

Penetration of population w/ internet 2.0% Labor Force: 2,890,000

GDP per capita USD$ 6,600 Life Expectancy: 59

Unemployment / year est. 53% / 2012 Church Members: 6,053

Population below poverty line: 46.5% / 2011 Congregations: 17

Congo DR (Kinshasa)

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 59% / 8% Population: 71,509,992

Penetration of population w/ internet 2.0% Labor Force: 27,590,000

GDP per capita USD$ 700 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 50

Unemployment / year est. 46% / 2009 Church Members: 42,689

Population below poverty line: 63% Congregations: 145

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) - ISLAMIST MILITIAS THREATEN CENTRAL AFRICA TOO (This article is worth reading in its entirety.-rb) DR CONGO (ANS - October 13, 2015) --In Africa, it isn't only in the west that Islamist insurgencies are posing a security threat. While attention has been focused on Nigeria's radical Islamist group Boko Haram (whose attacks have spread to neighboring Cameroon, Chad and Niger), a relatively unknown militant group has intensified attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), raising fears of the emergence of a new jihadist organization in central Africa. According to Illia Djadi of World Watch Monitor (https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org), the vast country of DRC borders Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania to its east. A group of militants originally rooted in a rebel movement to overthrow Uganda's government and replace it with an Islamist fundamentalist state, but forced to re-locate over the border into DRC, has been carrying out murders of local people, far from the attention of most of the world's major media. Congo-Kinshasa: DRC - Economic Expansion and the Delay of Democracy in Kinshasa The International Monetary Fund has praised the surprising economic growth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But politics may once again get in the way of this African success story, with growing fears that national elections will be postponed. By FRANK CHARNAS. In September, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revealed a notable finding with regard to the surprising economic growth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It turns out that the country's real gross domestic product growth is estimated at 9.2%, making it the highest in the world. The IMF further praised what it believes are strong fiscal policies, commending the "authorities for their prudent macroeconomic policies, which have supported robust economic growth and macroeconomic stability". It is these policies which aided the central African nation to shrink its current account deficit and achieve a balance of payments surplus. Despite the reported fragility of some of the country's economic structures, and an over-reliance on weakening commodity exports, the growth of the DRC economy is impressive, especially for a country fraught with conflict, ravaged by war and lacking in infrastructure. Rebels kill at least 7 civilians in attacks in eastern Congo KINSHASA, Congo – A representative of civil society groups in eastern Congo says rebels have killed at least seven civilians in two attacks. Omar Kavota said Monday that rebels from the Allied Defense Forces-NALU launched attacks against Congo’s military and during clashes in Mukoko four civilians were killed. He said members of the group also attacked the army in Tenambo, killing three civilians and injuring four. Fighting continued in the villages near the town of Beni in Congo’s North Kivu province. Kavota, the executive director of the rights group, said many families were forced to flee. The area has been the site of repeated attacks by the rebels, who have origins in neighboring Uganda. Eastern Congo is home to myriad armed groups, many vying for control of the region’s vast mineral resources.

Equatorial Guinea

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 87% / -% Population: 802,008

Penetration of population w/ internet 16.0% Labor Force: 195,200

GDP per capita USD$ 32,600 Life Expectancy: 53

Unemployment / year est. 22.3% / 2009 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: na Congregations:

Ethiopia

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 26% / 49% Population: 101,683,016

Penetration of population w/ internet 1.7% Labor Force: 47,320,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,500 Life Expectancy: 64

Unemployment / year est. 17.5% / 2012 Church Members: 1,854

Population below poverty line: 39% / 2012 Congregations: 64

Ethiopia's government makes international appeal for food aid following poor harvests ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia's government is calling for international assistance to help feed 8.2 million people after erratic rains devastated crop yields. Climate shocks are common in Ethiopia and often cause poor or failed harvests that lead to acute food shortages. The government has allocated $192 million for food and other aid and is appealing for $596 million in assistance from the international community for the remainder of 2015, said Mitiku Kassa, secretary of the Ethiopian Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Committee. More than 300,000 children are in need of specialized nutritious food and a projected 48,000 more children under 5 are suffering from severe malnutrition, according to a government assessment conducted in September.

Gabon

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 175% / -% Population: 1,742,265

Penetration of population w/ internet 9.9% Labor Force: 636,000

GDP per capita USD$ 21,600 Life Expectancy: 63

Unemployment / year est. 21% / 2006 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: na Congregations:

Kenya

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 83% / 67% Population: 46,764,772

Penetration of population w/ internet 36.7% Labor Force: 17,700,000

GDP per capita USD$ 3,100 Life Expectancy: 62

Unemployment / year est. 40% / 2008 Church Members: 12,471

Population below poverty line: 43,4 / 2012 Congregations: 62

Lesotho

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 95% / 24% Population: 2,074,095

Penetration of population w/ internet 5.3% Labor Force: 894,400

GDP per capita USD$ 2,900 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 49

Unemployment / year est. 25% / 2008 Church Members: 867

Population below poverty line: 49 / 1999 Congregations: 2

Madagascar

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 40% / ? Population: 24,540,641

Penetration of population w/ internet 73.5% Labor Force: 12,150,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,400 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 65

Unemployment / year est. 3.6% / 2013 Church Members: 10,322

Population below poverty line: 50% Congregations: 38

Malawi

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 37% / 10% Population: 17,393,962

Penetration of population w/ internet 72.2% Labor Force: 5,747,000

GDP per capita USD$ 800 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 55

Unemployment / year est. 6.6% / 2013 Church Members: 1,931

Population below poverty line: 53% / 2004 Congregations: 8

Mauritius

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 128% / 40% Population: 1,322,860

Penetration of population w/ internet 6.2% Labor Force: 600,200

GDP per capita USD$ 17,900 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 74

Unemployment / year est. 8.3% / 2013 Church Members: 458

Population below poverty line: 8% / 2006 Congregations: 2

Mozambique

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 58% / 22% Population: 27,282,161

Penetration of population w/ internet 5.6% Labor Force: 12,250,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,100 Life Expectancy: 50

Unemployment / year est. 17% / 2007 Church Members: 7,943

Population below poverty line: 52% / 2009 Congregations: 26

Namibia

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 137% / 32% Population: 2,325,019

Penetration of population w/ internet 14.8% Labor Force: 1,168,000

GDP per capita USD$ 10,800 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 6

Unemployment / year est. 27.4% / 2012 Church Members: 793

Population below poverty line: 28.7% / 2010 Congregations: 2

Niger

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 25% / 2% Population: 19,289,323

Penetration of population w/ internet 1.6% Labor Force: 5,800,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,000 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 58

Unemployment / year est. 2.25% / 2009 Church Members: 793

Population below poverty line: 63% Congregations: 2

Nigeria

(This country borders ASEA)

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 107% / 15% Population: 179,825,664

Penetration of population w/ internet 37.6% Labor Force: 54,970,000

GDP per capita USD$ 6,100 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 52

Unemployment / year est. 23.9% / 2011 Church Members: 129,989

Population below poverty line: 70% Congregations: 416

Can Nigeria’s New Government Overcome Its Old Corruption? On September 30th, his self-imposed deadline for finally announcing his Cabinet after four months in office, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari simply said that he would run the oil ministry himself. Buhari would appoint someone else to run day-to-day operations of the ministry, but he would direct the national oil portfolio rather than let it be further mismanaged.

His declaration had an unfortunate dictator-like tone, coming from a former military dictator, but the timing was apt. Two days later, former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, who left office in March along with the rest of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Cabinet, was arrested in London by Britain’s National Crime Agency on suspicion of bribery and money laundering. The agency’s International Corruption Unit also arrested four others; all five were released on conditional police bail that night. Alison-Madueke reportedly had forty-one thousand dollars on her when she was apprehended, which the National Crime Agency temporarily seized last Monday. In her five years as oil minister, she has been implicated in the graft of billions of missing oil dollars in Nigeria. (Last weekend, Alison-Madueke’s lawyer issued a statement saying that she was not arrested or detained, and only spent forty-five minutes with British police.) Niger MDAS operated 400 accounts-Gov Bello Ministries, departments and agencies in Niger State operated 400 bank accounts, making monitoring and control of their operations difficult, the state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has said. He made the revelation while playing host to participants of Course 24 of from the National Defence College, Abuja, who were on a study tour to the state. He said multiplication of accounts by the state government always gave room for corruption and make accountability impossible, adding that the adoption of Treasury Single Account (TSA) by his administration was aimed at redressing the anomaly. He said the adoption of TSA would check corruption, block leakages, wastages and improve the revenue base of the state.

Reunion Island

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 105% / 48% Population: 874,345

Penetration of population w/ internet Labor Force:

GDP per capita USD$

Life Expectancy:

Unemployment / year est. 40% / ? Church Members:

Population below poverty line: Congregations:

Rwanda

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 61% / 28% Population: 12,540,798

Penetration of population w/ internet 9.2% Labor Force: 6,061,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,700 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 64

Unemployment / year est. 3.4% / 2012 Church Members: 281

Population below poverty line: 44.9 / 2011 Congregations: 3

Somalia

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 50% / 2% Population: 10,742,489

Penetration of population w/ internet 1.5% Labor Force: 3,011,000

GDP per capita USD$ 600 / 2010 Life Expectancy: 55

Unemployment / year est. 25.4% / 2012 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: na Congregations:

South Africa

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 154% / 35% Population: 51,621,506

Penetration of population w/ internet 46.8% Labor Force: 20,230,000

GDP per capita USD$ 12,700 Life Expectancy: 57

Unemployment / year est. 24.9% / 2013 Church Members: 61,221

Population below poverty line: 31.3% Congregations: 159

Apparent Islamist Attack Raises Fears in South Africa A mysterious shooting and suicide in Cape Town raises fears of the spread of ISIS influence Chaos erupted in Cape Town’s central train station on Tuesday as a man dressed in the long gown and headscarf of a conservative Muslim woman opened fire on a train platform before eventually turning the gun on himself. Only the shooter was killed in an incident that left bystanders both terrified and perplexed. Just moments before a resident in the area had called a police hotline to report the presence of “two strange men dressed in black” with “latex gloves over their other gloves.” The image of two tall, slender figures clad head to toe in black flowing garments was captured by nearby security cameras as well. It is not clear what happened to the other man. ….South African authorities have been concerned about the country becoming a terror haven ever since the United Nations Security Council warned in February that extremist groups might use the country as an operational base. Fears that terror groups were actively recruiting South Africans from the country’s Muslim community — around 740,000 or 1.5% of the population — ignited in April when a 15-year-old girl was stopped from boarding a plane in Cape Town on suspicion that she was traveling to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS). What South Africa leaving the International Criminal Court would mean The call by South Africa's governing party to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) has implications for the rest of the continent. But it is not going to happen any time soon. When South Africa joined the ICC in 1998 the country had just emerged from the scourge of apartheid. South Africans were fresh victims of gross human rights violations and had hoped that the rest of the world would join the ICC. But some of the most powerful countries did not follow. And now the governing African National Congress (ANC) is calling for the country to leave the ICC - which would make it the first to do so. South Africa's Police Chief Suspended After Massacre Probe South Africa’s police chief was suspended on Wednesday, more than three months after a panel that investigated the most deadly action by the security forces since the end of apartheid questioned her integrity and competence to hold office. Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega has been placed on leave while another probe into her conduct is conducted, President Jacob Zuma said in an e-mailed statement. Johannes Phahlane, the divisional commissioner for forensic services, was named as acting head of the police service. Phiyega has been under pressure from opposition parties and civil-rights groups to resign since riot police killed 34 striking miners and more than 70 others were injured at Lonmin Plc’s Marikana platinum mines on Aug. 16, 2012. Zuma appointed a panel led by retired Judge Ian Farlam to probe the killings and the deaths of 10 other people in the lead-up to the police shooting.

Thousands expected at Numsa's anti-corruption march JOHANNESBURG -The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) will on Wednesday finally launch its march against corruption in Johannesburg. The union, whose action is also in support of job creation, says it will be joined by other trade unions within and outside of Cosatu. It has called on workers to participate and it says it expects them in their thousands. The march initially due to take place of Wednesday, September 30 was derailed when Nedlac issued the protection notice for a later date. Instead, it marched in what it called a dress rehearsal. The union wants government to act against corruption and corrupt individuals in key areas of governance. According to Unite Against Corruption, R700-billion rand has been lost to graft in since 1994.

Sudan

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 70% / 31% Population: 40,313,269

Penetration of population w/ internet 24.0% Labor Force: 11,920,000

GDP per capita USD$ 4,500 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 62

Unemployment / year est. 20% / 2012 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: 46.5 / 2005 Congregations:

South Sudan

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration

28% / 12% Population: 11,749,434

Penetration of population w/ internet unkn Labor Force:

GDP per capita USD$ 2,000 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 62

Unemployment / year est. 12% / 2008 Church Members:

Population below poverty line: 50.6% / 2009 Congregations:

Swaziland Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 70% / 11% Population: 1,280,595

Penetration of population w/ internet 23.8% Labor Force: 435,000

GDP per capita USD$ 7,800 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 49

Unemployment / year est. 28.5% / 2010 Church Members: 1,768

Population below poverty line: 69% Congregations: 4

Tanzania

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 62% / 24% Population: 50,998,619

Penetration of population w/ internet 15% Labor Force: 25,000,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,900 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 61

Unemployment / year est. 10.7% / 2011 Church Members: 1,336

Population below poverty line: 36% / 2002 Congregations: 6

Tanzania president warns against violence ahead of polls Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete dismissed opposition accusations on Wednesday that his CCM party planned to rig a presidential vote next week and warned against violence ahead of the Oct. 25 elections. Addressing a rally in the administrative capital Dodoma, Kikwete accused the opposition of stoking unrest before the parallel presidential, parliamentary and local government polls. "Anyone who participates in violence during the elections will be dealt with," said Kikwete. "Our security forces will ensure that the elections are peaceful ... we will never allow our democracy to be kidnapped." Kikwete cannot run after serving two terms in office but the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party's John Magufuli leads in opinion polls ahead of what is expected to the closest presidential race since Tanzania became independent in 1961. Tanzania’s Coming Election Raises Threat to Albinos NAIROBI, KENYA—As Tanzania gears up for October 25 elections, the demand for good luck charms is rising. And so is the danger to albinos: Some people mistakenly believe their unusually white body parts hold mystical powers – perhaps enough to guarantee victory in the polls.

Fear of being attacked for their limbs and other parts is driving albinos – people who lack pigmentation in their skin, hair and eyes – into hiding. They face amputation and even death. At least four have been killed since Tanzania’s electoral period began, according to the Tanzania Albinism Society. The United Nations estimates that, since 2000, at least 74 in the East African country have suffered violent deaths at the hands of witch doctors and others seeking

good luck charms, Reuters news agency reports. The congenital disease afflicts roughly one in 20,000 people worldwide and is more common in sub-Saharan Africa. According to Reuters, it affects about one out of every 1,400 Tanzanian. The country is thought to have approximately 30,000 people with albinism, making it one of the world’s largest such populations.

Uganda

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 64% / 11% Population: 40,777,196

Penetration of population w/ internet 16.8 Labor Force: 18,000,000

GDP per capita USD$ 1,800 Life Expectancy: 59

Unemployment / year est. 4.2% / 2010 Church Members: 13,248

Population below poverty line: 25.5% Congregations: 26

Zambia

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 73% / 10% Population: 15,549,296

Penetration of population w/ internet 15.4% Labor Force: 6,338,000

GDP per capita USD$ 4,100 Life Expectancy: 58

Unemployment / year est. 15% / 2008 Church Members: 3,359

Population below poverty line: 60.5% Congregations:

Zimbabwe

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 102% / 85% Population: 15,762,551

Penetration of population w/ internet 19.5% Labor Force: 5,0 63,000

GDP per capita USD$ 2,000 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 60

Unemployment / year est. 95% / 2009 Church Members: 26,156

Population below poverty line: 68% / 2004 Congregations: 64

Zimbabwe asks chrome producers to cede mining claims HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has asked two ferrochrome producers, including a unit of China's Sinosteel Corp Ltd, who own 80 percent of all chrome mining claims to release some ground for distribution to new investors, the mines minister said on Wednesday. Zimbabwe holds the world's second largest deposits of chrome, which is smelted to produce ferrochrome, a raw material used in the making of stainless steel. Walter Chidhakwa said Zimbabwe had more than 950 million in chrome reserves, most of which are held by Sinosteel's Zimasco, and Zimbabwe Alloys, which Anglo American sold to local businessmen in 2006. Chidhakwa said just as the government had forced Zimbabwe's biggest platinum producer Zimplats to release ground with 36 million ounces worth of resource in 2006, the two ferrochrome producers had been asked to do the same. "What we are saying is that we want to have more players in the chrome sector," Chidhakwa told a mining conference. "We are in discussions with the companies and the expectation is that we will come up with a new structure which will enable us to also begin then to allocate chrome claims to others who also want to go into the claim sector," he said. Zimbabwe: Portrait of an Economy in Pain - Zimbabwe in 2015 (This very interesting article should be read in its entirety.-rb)

United States Data Provided for comparison

Cellphone/Smartphone penetration 102% / 85% Population: 324,343,287

Penetration of population w/ internet 86.8% Labor Force: 156,000,000

GDP per capita USD$ 54,800 / 2014 Life Expectancy: 79

Unemployment / year est. 5.5% / 2015 Church Members: 6,466,267

Population below poverty line: 15.1% / 2010 14,018 Congregations

Travel Advisories/Warnings Chad Travel Warning Saturday, October 03, 2015 U.S. citizens are urged to carefully consider the risks of travel to Chad and, if already in Chad, are encouraged to review their and their families’ personal safety and security plans to determine whether they and their family members should depart. U.S. warns citizens not to travel to Somalia 2 October 2015 The Department of State reiterated its warning to U.S. citizens against all but essential travel to Somalia for the second time in a year, describing the situation in the country as “remaining dangerous.” While the Horn of Africa nation continues to recover from over two decades of civil war, the department of state said in a statement released on Thursday that its citizens should avoid all travel to Somalia because of the general threat of violent crime, terrorism, and the targeting of foreigners for murder and kidnappings, particularly by the extremist terrorist group al-Shabaab. Travel Warning: Central African Republic 9/30/2015 The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against all travel to the Central African Republic (CAR) due to an unpredictable security situation subject to rapid deterioration, activities of armed groups, and violent crime. The border between Chad and CAR is currently closed. Other land border crossings may close at short notice. U.S. citizens who have decided to stay in CAR despite this warning should seriously consider departing. Embassy Bangui cannot provide consular services to U.S. citizens in CAR at this time. This replaces the Travel Warning of May 1, 2015 to reflect the risk of remaining in CAR and continued lack of security. Indiscriminate violence and looting has occurred in CAR since the overthrow of the Government in March 2013. Sectarian violence is frequent and has resulted in thousands of deaths. Despite the creation of a transitional government in January 2014 and the presence of a United Nations stabilization force, the security situation remains highly fragile. Instability has increased as the political transition process unfolds around the upcoming constitutional referendum and elections which were initially scheduled for October 2015.

Cameroon Travel Warning Thursday, October 01, 2015 :: Staff infoZine The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the high risk of traveling to Cameroon, and urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to the North and Far North regions of the country because of the general threat of violent crime, terrorism, and the targeting of westerners for murder and kidnappings, particularly by the extremist terrorist group Boko Haram. Washington DC - infoZine - There is also a growing threat in the East Region, where former Seleka and criminal elements from the Central African Republic (CAR) occasionally cross the border of Cameroon to steal property and take hostages for ransom. Because of the security situation in country, the U.S. Embassy’s ability to provide consular services in remote and rural areas is extremely limited. This replaces the Travel Warning of August 5, 2015 to emphasize the continuing threat of armed attacks, bombings and kidnappings in the Far North region of Cameroon and Boko Haram’s aspirations to extend the threat to other parts of the country

BURKINA FASO TRAVEL WARNING 21 September 2015 This Travel Warning is being issued to notify U.S. citizens that on September 21, the Department of State authorized the voluntary departure of eligible family members and non-emergency personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou. U.S. citizens are urged to carefully consider the risks of travel to Burkina Faso and, if already in Burkina Faso, encouraged to review their and their families’ personal safety and security plans to determine whether they and their family members, should depart. U.S. citizens are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. Citizens who decide to remain in Burkina Faso despite this travel warning should maintain situational awareness at all times and register their presence within Burkina Faso with the Embassy by enrolling in STEP. This Travel Warning supersedes and replaces the Travel Alert issued on September 4, 2015.

State Dept. Issues Sierra Leone Travel Warning, Sept. 17, 2015 Washington, DC--(ENEWSPF)--September 17, 2015. After review of health conditions and limited availability of medical evacuation options, the U.S. Department of State, on August 14, 2014, ordered the departure of

eligible family members residing with Embassy staff in Freetown, and issued a Travel Warning advising U.S. citizens against non-essential travel to Sierra Leone. The Embassy recommended this action out of an abundance of caution following the determination that there was a lack of options for urgent health care services at major medical facilities due to the Ebola outbreak. On February 4, 2015, the U.S. Department of State modified the status for accompanying family members to allow only adult eligible family members to accompany the principal employee to Embassy Freetown. US Warns Citizens Against Travel in Chad 14 September 2015 The U.S. State Department is warning its citizens in the African nation of Chad to leave and is cautioning Americans against travel in the area.

Tanzania Travel Alert, Saturday, September 05, 2015 : The State Department alerts U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Tanzania to the upcoming general elections scheduled for October 25, 2015.

US Renews Travel Warning to Cameroon as Boko Haram Targets Americans 10 August 2015

Historical Events in Church History for Countries in the ASEA Area

(and related events) Return to top of News

Country Year Date Historical Event

Zimbabwe 1999 January 1 * 1999: Zimbabwe’s first stake is organized in Harare. The first full edition of the Book of Mormon is published in Shona, a native language of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe 1980 February 1 Rhodesia becomes Zimbabwe

Swazliand 1990 February 21 In what has been termed a continuation of events in the "dawning of a new day in Africa," Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Council of the Twelve dedicated two African kingdoms to the work of the Lord and for the preaching of the gospel. Swaziland, an independent mountain kingdom bordered on three sides by South Africa and by Mozambique on its eastern side, was dedicated Feb. 21. Lesotho, a kingdom surrounded by South Africa, was dedicated Feb. 22.

Lesotho 1990 February 22 In what has been termed a continuation of events in the "dawning of a new day in Africa," Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Council of the Twelve dedicated two African kingdoms to the work of the Lord and for the preaching of the gospel. Swaziland, an independent mountain kingdom bordered on three sides by South Africa and by Mozambique on its eastern side, was dedicated Feb. 21. Lesotho, a kingdom surrounded by South Africa, was dedicated Feb. 22.

Zimbabwe 2013 APRIL 1 2013: Edward Dube is called to the First Quorum of the Seventy, making him the first General Authority from Zimbabwe.

South Africa

1853 April 19 When the first LDS missionaries arrived in Cape Town in 1853, they climbed Lion’s Head (which they called Mount Brigham Heber Willard, in honor of the Church’s First Presidency) and dedicated the land to the growth of the gospel.

Zimbabwe 2009 July 1 2009: Edward Dube becomes the first native mission president to serve in Zimbabwe.

Nigeria 2005 August 7 Aba Nigeria temple dedicated August, 2005

Zambia 1992

August 20 Zambia-On Aug. 20, at a secluded spot on a hill near a lake on university grounds in the capital city of Lusaka, Elder Nelson dedicated the nation of Zambia to the preaching of the gospel. "It was a touching scene," commented Pres. Vern Marble of the neighboring Zimbabwe Harare Mission who was present for the prayer of dedication.

Botswana 1992 August 21 The prayer of dedication on the nation of Botswana was offered by Elder Scott on Aug. 21, in a small clearing in the Gaborone Game Reserve. Nearly 100 people were present, including members and missionaries.

Cameroon 2009 August 21 Elder Holland dedicated the country of Cameroon on August 21, 2009, on a green hillside overlooking Cameroon's capital city of Yaounde in the company of local church leaders. Later in the day, approximately 600 people gathered to hear Elder Holland speak at Yaounde's City Center. http://www.mormonwiki.com/Missionary_Work

Namibia 1992 August 22 In Namibia, on Aug. 22, a small group of members gathered on Tower Hill in Windhoek to witness the dedication of the land by Elder Nelson. Namibia is part of the South Africa Cape Town Mission. Its president, Blaine Hudson, described the gathering as "the Lord's people who in the past years have been faithful in the desert and in the wilderness, and have made it blossom as a rose."

Congo Rep (Brazzaville)

1992 August 24 The nation of Congo was dedicated Aug. 24 by Elder Scott. Elder Nelson briefly addressed the small gathering of members and leaders who gathered in a peaceful setting in a shaded area located on a hillside overlooking treetops about 10 miles down the Congo River from the capital city of Brazzaville. A picturesque Congolese village was visible in the distance beyond the river's rapids. About 65 members and leaders of three branches in Congo attended the dedication.

South Africa

1985 August 24 1985: On August 24–25 the Johannesburg South Africa Temple is dedicated. https://www.lds.org/ensign/1993/02/south-africa-land-of-good-hope?lang=eng

Rwanda 2009 August 27 Elder Holland dedicated Rwanda on Aug. 27 during a sacred moment on the top of a mountain overlooking the capital city, Kigali. http://www.mormonwiki.com/Missionary_Work

Ethiopia 1993 September 16 The Church was officially recognized in Ethiopia on 16 September 1993.

Burundi 2010 October 19 The chosen dedication spot for the country of Burundi was located on a hill overlooking Bujumbura, the capital city, with Lake Tanganyika shining in the distance beyond. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve pronounced a blessing upon the country of Burundi in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa. Elder Holland offered a blessing on the people and the nation, dedicating the country of Burundi for missionary work on Oct. 19.

Angola 2010 October 20 On Wednesday, Oct. 20, a small group of Church leaders and members gathered at the base of a large, several-hundred-year-old baobab tree on a quiet hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the capital city of Luanda, Angola, to the north, where Elder Christofferson pronounced a blessing upon the country and formally opened Angola to missionary work.

Uganda 1991 October 23 In late October 1991, Elder James E. Faust of the Quorum of the Twelve dedicated Uganda, Kenya, and Zimbabwe for the preaching of the gospel and the establishment of the Church. On October 23, Elder Faust, accompanied by Elder Richard P. Lindsay of the Seventy, who serves as president of the Africa Area, dedicated Uganda from the capital city, Kampala. Earlier this year, Uganda granted the Church official status. https://www.lds.org/ensign/1992/02/news-of-the-church/uganda-kenya-zimbabwe-dedicated?lang=eng

Kenya 1991 October 24 The next day, October 24, Elder Faust, Elder Lindsay, and President Larry Brown of the Kenya Nairobi Mission traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, where more than one hundred Church members gathered for the outdoor service. https://www.lds.org/ensign/1992/02/news-of-the-church/uganda-kenya-zimbabwe-dedicated?lang=eng In the dedicatory prayer, Elder Faust said, “We acknowledge this as a blessed land.” The prayer contained references to Kenya’s beauty, grandeur, and abundant plant and animal life. Elder Faust asked that “the beasts of the earth, which have historically been native to this land, may continue to find a home.”

Zambia 1964 October 24 1964: Northern Rhodesia becomes Zambia, and Southern Rhodesia becomes Rhodesia.

Zimbabwe 1991 October 25 1991: On October 25 Elder James E. Faust (1920–2007) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicates Zimbabwe for the preaching of the gospel.

Malawi 1999 October 25 While the first branch of the Church in Malawi was organized in 1999 and there are now about 1,000 members in four branches, the land had not been formally dedicated. Elder Nelson and others met as a small group for that purpose on Oct. 25.

Zimbabwe 1991 October 25 On October 25, Elder Faust and Elder Lindsay met Zimbabwe Harare Mission President Vern Marble for the dedication of Zimbabwe. “Before the meeting, the Saints of Zimbabwe had been fasting and praying for rain,” Elder Lindsay said. “As the dedicatory prayer by Elder Faust concluded, a gentle rain began to fall, and rainfall increased for days afterward.” In the prayer, Elder Faust asked for a blessing upon the earth of Zimbabwe and prayed that the land would “continue to provide the abundance which it has in the past. … May the rain fall and the streams flow, and the sun kiss the land to provide for thy people.” https://www.lds.org/ensign/1992/02/news-of-the-church/uganda-kenya-zimbabwe-dedicated?lang=eng

Central Africa Republic

2012 October 29 On a heavily forested hillside overlooking the capital city of Bangui, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve offered a prayer of dedication and blessing upon the country and people of the Central African Republic. The prayer was offered Monday, October 29, on Gbazabangui hillside overlooking the Ubangi River—a major tributary of the Congo River—a few degrees north of the equator that is the original site of the Bangui people. https://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-holland-dedicates-central-african-republic?lang=eng

Gabon 2013 November 5 On November 5, 2013, eleven days after the Church received full legal status in the Central African country of Gabon, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles performed a powerful and significant country dedicatory prayer in a forest clearing at the base of a tall tree. He was accompanied by his wife, Susan K. Bednar, and local leaders: Elder Carl B. Cook of the Africa Southeast Area Presidency and his wife, Sister Lynette H. Cook; President W. Bryce Cook, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa Mission, and his wife, Sister Karol Cook; and President Armand Mpandou, president of the Libreville Gabon Branch.

Tanzania 2003 November 18 The East African nation of Tanzania was blessed and dedicated Nov. 18 by Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Elder Nelson, who was accompanied by his wife, Sister Dantzel Nelson, gathered for the occasion on a sunny afternoon with some 15 members and Church leaders on a promontory overlooking Oyster Bay on the Indian Ocean, near the capital city of Dar es Salaam. http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/44749/Gospel-takes-root-in-Tanzania.html

Mauritius 1988 November 22 The islands of Mauritius and Réunion, in the Mascarene Islands Mission, were dedicated late in 1988 for the preaching of the gospel. https://www.lds.org/ensign/1989/03/news-of-the-church/mauritius-runion-dedicated-for-missionary-work?lang=eng Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Council of the Twelve dedicated the two islands, located off the southeast coast of Africa. He visited Mauritius, an independent nation of 1.1 million, on November 22, and Réunion, an overseas departmént of France with a population of 500,000, on November 23.

Reunion 1988 November 23 The islands of Mauritius and Réunion, in the Mascarene Islands Mission, were dedicated late in 1988 for the preaching of the gospel. Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Council of the Twelve dedicated the two islands, located off the southeast coast of Africa. He visited Mauritius, an independent nation of 1.1 million, on November 22, and Réunion, an overseas departmént of France with a population of 500,000, on November 23. https://www.lds.org/ensign/1989/03/news-of-the-church/mauritius-runion-dedicated-for-missionary-work?lang=eng

South Africa

1973 December 1 In 1973, President Spencer W. Kimball rededicated South Africa “to the preaching of the gospel … to the transformation of lives.” Among the many blessings pronounced by this prophet of God, none was more thrilling than his request that “processes might converge to bring a temple to this land” and that “no hungry or thirsty soul may ever miss the privilege of hearing and accepting the truth.” https://www.lds.org/ensign/1993/02/south-africa-land-of-good-hope?lang=eng

Sources of information:

All church membership information is provided by Mormon Newsroom by clicking on the ‘Africa’ continent on the map (at the right) and then finding the desired country on the list. The information is reviewed from the list each month for correctness.

All keywords and country information is collected from an Internet scan of about 60 specific keywords that is supplied to me at 0300 each morning via Google alerts. This keyword list is reviewed and updated daily.

All Population data are from Country Meters and is updated each month for correctness.

All Cellphone and smartphone data are from GMSA Intelligence and is updated each month for correctness.

All Internet users by country data are from Internet Live Stats and Internet World Stats is reviewed each month for correctness.

GNI (Gross National Income per capita) and Life Expectancy data is from The World Bank

Unemployment and other data are from Photius , IECONOMICS, Quandl, Wikipedia, Theodora & The World Factbook.

Elder Berg Elder Berg & Sister Berg Africa Southeast AreaAssistant Directors of Public Affairs, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Email: ASEAPublicAffairs@ldschurch.org Cellphone……. +27 (0)83 443 3829 Office…………... +27 (0)11 645 1538

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