Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda have signed a controversial deal to regulate and share the waters of River Nile, despite protests from downstream nations Sudan and Egypt. Ethiopia at the same time opened its first major dam on the Nile.

After more than a decade of volunteer work in Angola's rural Matala district in the southern province of Huila, a Finnish doctor is seeing maternal mortality rates gradually come down in a country where about one in every 70 women dies in childbirth. Since 1998 Birgitta Long has spent three months each year working as a volunteer in a run-down clinic handicapped by staff and skills shortages, and which battles to source emergency medicines, but she sees the growing queue of women coming for medical help as a step in the right direction.

In this weeks roundup of emerging actors in Africa news, South-South biotech collaborations flourish, China pledges economic aid for $6 million to Seychelles, Kenya reaps handsome rewards from its robust 'Look East' policy, India pushes for more cultural, educational ties with Africa, and Vedanta to Buy Anglo American Mines for $1.34 Billion.

Moremi Initiative proudly announces the 2010 MILEAD Fellows. The MILEAD Fellows were chosen through a highly competitive selection process and criteria, including their outstanding leadership promise, community service accomplishments and commitment to the advancement of women in Africa. The 25 selected fellows are some of Africa’s most extra-ordinary young women leaders with the courage and commitment to lead and shape the future of their communities and Africa as a whole.

The first anniversary celebration of the life and legacy of Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, pan-African friend, comrade, brother and inspiration to so many, is to be held in London on:

Date: Saturday 22 May 2010 Venue: Amnesty International Human Rights Action Centre, 17 – 25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA Time: 1pm - 6pm

The celebration is open to the public and all are welcome to attend.

The celebration is jointly organised, in the spirit of Pan-Africanism, by friends of Tajudeen, including his widow Mounira Chaieb, Justice Africa, the Centre for Democracy and Development, the Pan African Development Education and Advocacy Programme, the Royal African Society and Pambazuka News.

The day will comprise speeches on the life and works of Tajudeen, the launch of a book of the compilation of Tajudeen’s postcards entitled , performance poetry and traditional African music and the launch of the Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem Educational Trust.

We welcome all other organisations, groups and persons who wish to join our efforts to honour and continue the work of Tajudeen.

'Forward ever, backward never' Kwame Nkrumah (1909–72) 'Don't agonise, organise!' Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem (1961–2009)

Dear friends of Walter Rodney,

13 June 2010 will be 30 years since Walter Rodney was assassinated in Guyana. In tribute to Walter Rodney and to rekindle and remind ourselves of his contribution to the understanding of oppression and the forces of oppression, we call on you to organise activities in your community in the month of June.

Walter left us with a simple task. As the ultimate teacher of the nature and art of oppression, he left us with the task of carrying the torch. His message was clear and unambiguous. We have the benefit of his life work of scholarly activism, which can be used by the working people to cut through the maze of the politics of race that consume our societies.

Today, more than at any other time in history, our people, the working people, can begin anew to engage the new phase of the struggle for transformation. To that end we encourage the self-mobilisation of activities across the world under the theme 'Walter Rodney: Racial Unity, Resistance and Transformation'.

The Walter Rodney 30th Anniversary Commemoration Committee can be contacted as follows:

- Guyana: Andaiye at 592 227 7481 or by email: [email]andaiye@gol.net.gy
- Canada: Jai Parsram at 416 289 1346 or by email: [email]jparsram@yahoo.com
- USA: Wazir Mohamed at 765 373 8421 or by email: [email]wmohamed@iue.edu
- UK: Luke Daniels by email: [email]lukedaniels1@talktalk.net

Co-coordinators, Walter Rodney 30th Anniversary Commemoration Committee Andaiye and Horace Campbell

Africa's lake Tanganyika has heated up sharply over the past 90 years and is now warmer than at any time for at least 1,500 years, a scientific paper said on Sunday, adding that fish and wildlife are threatened.The lake, which straddles the border between Tanzania in East Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the world's second largest by volume and its second deepest, the paper says.

For four days from March 31, fifteen women gathered at the Feminist Tech Exchange in the Brazzaville (Congo) Digital Campus. Participants and trainers alike came from human and women’s rights organisations, the media and politics to learn more about how to use technology to end violence against women and girls.

The government of Lesotho has enacted the Education Act 2010, legalising the right to free and compulsory education. The act is hailed as "a historic landmark for the children of Lesotho" and will boost school enrollment. In Lesotho, free primary education was introduced in the year 2000 as a major strategy towards achieving the "Education for All" goals. This initially led to rapid increase in the net enrolment rate, which currently stands at an impressive 82 percent of primary school aged children - 80 percent of boys and 84 of percent girls.

A South African government agency has become the first to join the world's leading patent pool for neglected diseases, a move that could bolster home-grown innovations in the fight against diseases including tuberculosis (TB). The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), a government body, recently announced that it had joined a patent pool established by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to spur research into 16 neglected tropical diseases.

FEMNET and Reality of Aid Africa Network will undertake country - based studies to review and assess the changes that are taking place in the countries mentioned above as a result of consistent implementation of the Paris Declaration and the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) and how this is translating into development effectiveness. The studies will give voice to the views of the citizens of these countries on the progress made in achieving the aid effectiveness agenda in relation to the development priorities of each country.

On May 4, Guinea underwent its first Universal Periodic Review (UPR) before the United Nations Human Rights Council. The objective of the UPR is to improve the human rights situation in each of the 192 member States and is conducted on the basis of information submitted by the Guinean Government, civil society and the Council’s Secretariat. During an interactive dialogue with UN member States, a number of questions were posed to Guinean Government representatives on the grave human rights situation in the country. In addition, States formulated a series of concrete recommendations intended to improve the human rights situation as quickly as possible.

Jointly convened by Fahamu, UN Millennium Campaign, Oxfam International and Kenya Human Rights Commission

AFRICA: 50 YEARS ON, HOW IS PAN AFRICANISM STILL RELEVANT?

Panel discussion 16.00 – 18.00

Occurring each 25 May, Africa Liberation Day has been celebrated as a day for Pan Africanist reflection since 1963. This day takes place in a year when Africa will host the World Cup, some African countries will celebrate 50 years of independence and the world reflects on 10 years of the Millennium Development Goals and 15 years of the Beijing Platform for Action for Women.

Resource-persons include: Charles Abugre, Rachel Shebesh and Irungu Houghton

ONE YEAR ON, WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TAJUDEEN ABDUL-RAHEEM AND HIS IDEAS?

Book launch 18.00 – 20.00
Launch of the late Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem’s collection of writings

Resource-persons include: Anyang’ Ny’ong’o, Firoze Manji, Ndungu Githuku and Sarah Mitaru

This year also marks the first anniversary of the passing away of Dr Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem (1961–2009), who died on the Mombasa road this day last year. Dr Abdul-Raheem served a range of African organisations including the Africa Research and Information Bureau, the Pan-African Movement and Justice Africa before becoming the UN Millennium Development Campaign Africa director in 2006. His weekly ‘Pan-African Postcards’ were published regularly in Pambazuka News and in several African newspapers. This book is the first comprehensive attempt to bring his opinion editorials together. A limited set of copies will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at the launch.

Both events are open to the public.

Opportunities when African writers meet on the same pages at the continental level are few and sometimes, decades apart, especially when this congregation is within Africa itself. For young, un-established writers, this kind of opportunity and the chances that it offers are even rare.

Kwani Trust is pleased to announce such a congress with the launch of this Africa-wide short story competition. The official narrative of ‘inherent’ goodness, indigenous beauty and widespread historicism has now been running on empty for a while. So we seek newer stories that reflect our day to day lives both private and public: the stories and narratives exchanged in schools, colleges, public transport, offices, churches, pubs, streets, suburbs, estates, trading centres, valleys and hills; stories told through song and dance, paint and brush, word and phrase, lens and shutter – stories now being told by a new generation, spurred by new imaginations, revealed by new narratives and expressions.

This call-out is unique for targeting writers under the age of 30, on a continent in which young people virtually have no international airing. It is an important, historical opportunity that opens the way for new directions in African writing to emerge, an exciting vent which is likely to throw up endless surprises.

Published authors will be paid a fee of $100.

Submission guidelines for short stories on new African writing

Deadline: 30 June 2010

World Press Photo, an independent, non-profit organization, together with Canon, TNT and IFAD are sponsoring a project that builds on the capacity of French-speaking photojournalists in sub-Saharan Africa. Photojournalists from the region will be selected through a competition and their work will contribute to increasing global awareness on the challenges and opportunities facing the African continent.

Under-developed public accountability systems are hindering efforts to combat corruption in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine, according to a new report by Transparency International (TI) anti-corruption organisation. The report points to major gaps in legal anti-corruption provisions and a worrying lack of resolve to introduce effective practices to curb the problem, which pose a risk for sustainable development, social cohesion and economic growth.

Mozambique is rapidly improving its road and rail connections with neighbouring countries, most of which have higher HIV prevalence. Government now wishes to halt the expected boost in HIV infections along these inroads. Improved road and rail infrastructure in Mozambique, including the establishment of the Maputo, Beira and Nacala corridors and new bridges connecting to Malawi and Tanzania, is rapidly expanding the transport sector and increasingly linking the country with its neighbours.

Mobile clinics for HIV patients have been benefiting entire communities in rural Swaziland, but tight budgets have scuppered plans to expand the project, or even sustain a fleet of just two vehicles. "Whatever financial problems we have are temporary, I am sure, because the people have responded so well to the mobile clinics," said Siphiwe Hlope, founder and director of Swaziland Positive Living (SWAPOL), an NGO that supports those living with HIV, especially in rural communities, which started the project.

An additional police unit and more troops should be added to the UN Office in Côte d’Ivoire’s peacekeeping presence of 8,500 troops, to keep the peace in the west, say the International Crisis Group (ICG) and aid officials. There is broad support for the call among aid workers IRIN spoke to, and the general public.

The Egyptian government is often forced to recognize past abuses in the course of putting a pretty face on future ones, as aptly illustrated by a presidential decree issued on May 11 that extended the State of Emergency for another two years. This time, the Prime Minister and parliamentarians with the ruling party swore that the Emergency Law would only be applied in terrorism and drug cases, implicitly admitting that it has been applied much more broadly over the last 29 years, despite repeated denials by the government.