SA to host Congolese dialogue
The facilitator of the inter-Congolese dialogue, Ketumile Masire, has said that talks will resume in Sun City, Pilanesberg, South Africa, at the end of January 2002. An exact start date has yet to be determined.

"I have been assured that excellent and adequate conference facilities exist there. I have also been assured that enough accommodation at a modest cost level will be available for the 45 days that the dialogue is expected to last, as provided for in the Lusaka Agreement," Masire, the former president of Botswana, said from Gaborone.

"But before the meeting can start, we will have to solve certain outstanding issues, and consultations are now in progress in several places," he added. "Also, I will not resume the dialogue unless sufficient funds have been secured for holding the full dialogue during the period foreseen in the Lusaka Agreement."

The dialogue first opened on 15 October in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, but was adjourned a week later after the DRC government delegation left, citing insufficient representation of all stakeholders. It was decided that the talks would be reconvened later in South Africa at the invitation of the South African government. (IRIN)

Zambia's first prime minister dies
Zambian liberation leader Mainza Chona, who was the nation's first prime minister died in a South African hospital early this month.

Chona's actual age was not known but his family believes he was born around 1930. He was the founding president of the former ruling United National Independence Party (UNIP). He relinguished power to his close friend, Kenneth Kaunda, who became the first Zambian President.

Chona was one of Zambia's most respected citizens. He served in various government positions. Most recently, he was ambassador to China until 1992. He was also a leading lawyer in the country who worked on many high-profile cases including the defence of soldiers who attempted to overthrow Chiluba in 1997. (AFP/The Chronicle)

SADC to honour excelling scribes
Everything is now ready for the official launching of the first SADC journalism prizes next year, according to the general secretary of the SADC information and culture unit, Renato Matusse.

"Now the only thing missing for granting the regional journalism prizes is candidates," Matusse said recently.

He was speaking at a meeting of the regional committee dealing with the prizes. Matusse said that all SADC member states have agreed to make an annual contribution of US$5,000 in prize money, to be added to the US$10,000 that the committee already had available.

"So we have guarantees that we can give this prize annually to journalists in the region," he added.

Matusse said the committee has also received guarantees that the launching of the new prize, scheduled to take place during the next SADC summit, which will be held in Luanda in August 2002, will be broadcast live throughout the region by the Southern African Broadcasting Association (SABA).

The committee has already produced the application forms to be used by candidates. There will be three prizes -- one for print journalists, one for radio and television, and one for photo-journalism.

Matusse said the purpose of the prize is to encourage SADC media professionals "to promote southern Africa". It was intended to stimulate "contributions by journalists to regional integration". (AIM)

Illegal fishing endangers Mozambican shark
The prominent conservation NGO, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), has denounced the increase in illegal fishing of sharks and other marine species in the Bazaruto Archipelago, off the coast of the southern province of Inhambane in Mozambique.

Antonio Reina, the Director General of the EWT Mozambican chapter, has accused Mozambicans and foreigners, notably Chinese, of endangering the shark population in the waters of the archipelago.

"There are some Chinese who are fishing and who are also giving Mozambicans living on the islands material for fishing," he said. However, EWT is talking to the Mozambican illegal fishermen on the negative impact of their activities.

"We're working with our fellow countrymen. But it is the fisheries and immigration authorities that have to work with the others since we aren't authorised to arrest people," he said. (AIM)

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