Category: Politics

Tunis: A scientific symposium on tension environments and their impact on democratic coexistence took place Saturday in Tunis on the initiative of the Awfia Coalition for Democracy and Transparent Elections. Participants unanimously said there is a "general crisis" affecting the media, social networks and the political sphere on the internet. This crisis has an impact on democratic coexistence, they said. Coalition Programme Manager Brahim Zoghlami said monitoring hate speech on social media during the local elections unveiled a multidimensional crisis. This crisis found explicit expression in media coverage which, he added, failed to be "professional." This is due to the "lack of professionalism" and reflects an attempt to instrumentalise media , he added. Zoghlami said Decree-Law No. 54 which, he called "catastrophic" for the media and the freedom of expression, could also be one of the reasons. It resulted in journalists and citizens, in general, to censor themselves, particularly on social media. Soc iology Professor Adel Ayari said rhetorical violence has been observed over the recent years in the speech of political players. "The extensive use of these terms has become a tool of political analysis and interaction for all parties, " he said. Verbal violence has become a context in which we live and by which we are influenced, said the member of academia. Risks entailed by such violence are no longer limited to media but also cover social media supports and platforms, Adel Ayari highlighted. A study conducted by the Awfia Coalition last February 2-4 revealed that "violent terms on the Internet are used by an entire generation (aged between 20 and 45), which shows that this phenomenon is not spontaneous but is the result of a systematic policy over decades which has stifled communication and awareness raising from school onwards, and limiting discussions to marginal topics that cannot contribute to creating a generation that respects differences and is capable of using tools of peaceful debate". Sourc e: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse

WINDHOEK: Namibia has expressed disappointment at the recent failure of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to grant full membership of the United Nations (UN) to the State of Palestine. In a statement on Friday, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Peya Mushelenga criticised the United States, which vetoed a resolution recommending Palestine's full UN membership on Thursday. 'The use of the veto in the UNSC to deny the State of Palestine its legitimate right for UN membership is testimony that some powerful member states of the UN value their national interest at the expense and detriment of the values and norms of the international community. 'Regrettably, while small states believe in the lofty ideals and principles inscribed in the Charter of the UN, the action by a Permanent Member of the Security Council to prevent Palestine's full membership leaves serious doubt on their full commitment to these noble principles,' Mushelenga said. Palestine applied for UN membership in accord ance with Article 4 of the UN Charter, which states that membership is open to all other peace-loving states. Since 2012, Palestine has had observer status at the UN and has been lobbying for years to gain full membership. However, it is recognised by only 138 out of 193 UN Member States. 'The government of the Republic of Namibia expresses strong disappointment over the veto by the United States preventing the adoption of the resolution to recommend to the General Assembly Palestine's full membership in line with the provisions of Article 4 of the UN Charter. 'This is a serious setback to the international community's efforts to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the unwarranted protracted Israel-Palestine conflict,' the minister said. Mushelenga emphasised that Namibia 'continues to call for the immediate reform of the UNSC to address inequity and injustice, in order to reflect the present reality and ensure the legitimacy of its decisions.' Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Madam Felicia M. Bortey, the Greater Regional Women's Organiser, National Democratic Congress (NDC), has urged market women in the Ashaiman Municipality to vote massively for the party's presidential candidate, Mr John Mahama in the December 7 general election. Interacting with the market women, she said they needed to vote the NDC back into office to implement the 24-hour economy policy. Madam Bortey told the Ghana News Agency?in an interview after the programme that the engagement was to ensure the market women understood the 24-hour economy policy and how beneficial it would be for the country. 'The policy will breathe fresh life into the ailing Ghanaian economy. And this is where the market women stand the chance of benefiting as they will have more time to trade at their own convenience,'she said. Madam Borley said the party would visit and interact with all traders in the 80 markets in the Greater Accra Region to explain and sell the policy to them. She urged party members to take up the challenge to sensitise the public on the policy, as it was their duty to ensure that Ghanaians understood and voted massively for the party. She encouraged the youth who just turned 18 years to fully participate in the limited registration exercise when it opens on June 3, and urged them to comport themselves during the elections. Meanwhile, the GNA observed the keen interest showed by the market women in the discussions, who asked questions to enhance their understanding, while some sang the 'Sankofa' song. Source: Ghana News Agency

Youth Organizers of the People's National Convention (PNC) and the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), and Conveners of ELECTION WATCH GHANA have called for Serial numbers of all biometric voter registration kits that will be used for the upcoming limited voter registration exercise. ' Following credible media reports regarding the theft or disappearance of Biometric Verification registration kit (BVRs) at the Headquarters of the Commission and the destruction of BVD's during the just ended District and Municipal Assembly election,2023, we write to request your office to furnish all political parties with the following'. A statement jointly signed by Jude Balma and Mark Ewusi Arkoh, Conveners also requested that Number of the corresponding registration centres and all Registration printout during the limited voter registration should have the Biometric Voter Registration kits serial number on it, for authentication purposes. 'This request is necessitated by our commitment to ensuring that Ghana's elec toral processes conform to best and widely accepted practices.' Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is set to outdoor its running mate for the December 7 general elections, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang to the public in Accra on Wednesday, April 24. The event would take place at the Kofi Ohene Konadu Auditorium at the University of Professional Studies (UPSA) at 1600 hours. A statement signed by the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Mr Sammy Gyamfi, and copied to Ghana News Agency in Takoradi, said the event would be graced by the NDC's Flagbearer for 2024 general elections, Former President John Dramani Mahama. Others are members of the National Executive Committee and members of the Council of Elders of the party. Also in attendance would be Members of Parliament and an array of distinguished guests from the Diplomatic corps, the clergy, traditional leaders, women groups, academia, representatives of Civil Society Organizations, labour organisations, and creative arts among others. The statement said Prof Opoku-Agyemang would address the nation o n the NDC's vision for a progressive, inclusive and prosperous Ghana as well as the life-transforming policies of its flagbearer for the December 7, 2024, general elections. The statement added that her address would be preceded by several activities between 1600 hours and 1655 hours before the official commencement of the main programme of the day at 1700 hours. The statement asked all media houses who intend to deploy reporters to cover the event to contact the national Communications Bureau of the NDC for the necessary accreditation. Source: Ghana News Agency