JIUQUAN – THE crewed spaceship Shenzhou-13, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, is launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China’s Gobi Desert, Oct. 16, 2021. About 582 seconds after the launch, Shenzhou-13 separated from the rocket and entered its designated orbit. The crew members are in good shape and the launch is a complete success, the China Manned Space Agency declared.
– Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua
from OMAN MBIKO in Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR)
BANGUI, (CAJ News) – THE declaration of a unilateral ceasefire in the Central African Republic (CAR) is a breakthrough in efforts to attain lasting peace in the country.
President Faustin Archange Touadéra announced the accord with armed groups last Friday.
The president is hopeful the ceasefire would lead to dialogue and greater protection of civilians.
Some leaders of the main rebel alliance, the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC), have reportedly welcomed the ceasefire.
António Guterres, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, lauded the developments.
“The Secretary-General calls on all the other parties to immediately respect this ceasefire and renew efforts to advance the implementation of the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation,” Guterres’ spokesperson said.
The UN chief said this was is in line with a roadmap for peace adopted in September by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.
It is an intergovernmental organization of 12 countries in the volatile region.
CAR has faced cycles of rebel violence since the 2013 ouster of François Bozize.
This is despite the signing of an agreement between the government and 14 armed groups two years ago.
The UN peacekeeping mission (MINUSCA) has been in the landlocked country since 2014 with a mandate to protect civilians and support peace processes.
A total of 155 peacekeepers have been killed since the deployment.
– CAJ News
from ALEXIS DOUMBIA in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
ABIDJAN, (CAJ News) – ORANGE is widening the digital ecosystem in Africa with the opening of a number of digital centres.
New centers were opened in Cameroon and Ivory Coast last week, in partnership with the German Cooperation.
Several Orange Digital Centers have already been opened in the continent.
These are also in Ethiopia, Mali, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia.
An unspecified number of these facilities that offer training on technology will be opened in other countries by the end of 2021 and during 2022.
“Orange is a socially responsible company everywhere,” said Stéphane Richard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Orange Group.
He said to promote digital technology, which drives inclusion and is accessible to as many people as possible, the company aimed to deploy an Orange Digital Center in every country it operates by 2025.
“This objective reflects our determination to take action to make digital technology a positive innovation,” Richard said.
Orange is a mobile network operator with digital service provision in 26 countries.
Alioune Ndiaye, CEO of Orange Africa and the Middle East, said the main objective of the digital centers was to “democratise” access to digital technology for young people.
– CAJ News
from ALLOYCE KIMBUNGA in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
Tanzania Bureau
DAR-ES-SALAAM, (CAJ News) – THE crowning of Tanzania’s senior women’s football team as the regional champions gives credence to the adage that all is well that ends well.
This is besides enhancing the country status as a rising force in the women’s version of the Beautiful Game in Africa.
Prior to the team’s departure, President Samia Suluhu Hassan caused a stir for her remarks about women footballers having “flat chests” and suggesting they would not be attractive candidates for marriage.
The remarks were made in late August as the Twiga Stars prepared for the Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) Women’s Championships.
This week, the president’s mood was joyous.
She heaped praise on the national women’s team after they were crowned the champions of the tournament played in the Nelson Mandela Bay in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province.
“The Twiga Stars national team has continued to build respect in Tanzania after successfully winning the Cup,” she said.
The president was addressing the nation at the launch of the Development Campaign which brought together leaders, citizens and various political and development stakeholders at the Jakaya Conference Hall in the administrative capital, Dodoma.
Earlier, she expressed delight after the senior men beat Benin 1-0 in the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) 2022 World Cup qualifiers last weekend.
Hassan amplified the performance of the women, adding the latest tournament won, as well as those by the female juniors in regional competitions, had earned the nation some respect.
By completing a clean sweep of the tournaments on offer in Southern Africa, Tanzania has underlined its standing as a force to reckon with in the continent.
The Twiga Stars last weekend beat Malawi 1-0 in the final, securing a deserved trophy after dislodging the hosts as the new queens of the regional tournament.
To highlight their dominance, Tanzania scored ten times and conceded ones, having first won all three group matches against Botswana, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.
That was before they drew 1-1 against Zambia in the semifinal, which they prevailed on penalties.
Amina Bilali added to the impressive campaign by receiving the Player of the Tournament accolade.
The Tanzanians now hold titles in all the women’s categories in COSAFA.
These are the Under-17, Under-20 and senior football.
Last year, the juniors were crowned champions of the COSAFA Women’s Under-17 Championship after beating Zambia in the final.
That added to the COSAFA Women’s Under-20 Championship title from 2019, with Zambia again the beaten finalists.
“We are happy to go home with the (another) COSAFA trophy,” senior women’s coach, Bakari Shime, said after senior team won the tournament in South Africa.
The rising dominance of the Twiga Stars has not gone unnoticed globally.
The Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) believes the 2021 COSAFA Women’s Championship win demonstrate that the talent pool in African women’s football is growing at an exponential rate.
Thus, the upcoming African zone FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 qualifiers will be a mouth-watering prospect.
The first round matches are scheduled to be played between next Monday (October 18) to the 26th.
Ranked 22nd in the continent and 142 globally, Tanzania’s queens begin their qualification campaign against Namibia.
Tanzania’s senior women have been on a brilliant run over the past two years.
They have won five of the seven matches played during the period, only dropping points in the draw with Zambia, mentioned above, and a loss to Botswana (0-1) in the COSAFA Women’s Championship 2020.
– CAJ News