EU APPROVES A SERIES OF PROJECTS TO PROMOTE HUMAN RIGHTS IN AFRICA

The European Commission has recently decided to finance a series of actions to safeguard human rights and democracy in various African countries.

* In Central Africa (Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea), the EU will grant Euro 131,773 over two years, accounting for half of the programme's total budget, to strengthen capacity forest conservation and indigenous peoples' rights organisations. The project is co-sponsored by the Rainforest Foundation.

* In Madagascar, the EU will send Euro 765,000 over three years to fund a project aiming at easing access to law for handicapped people through the creation of a structured associative movement. It aims at fighting poverty and social exclusion of discriminated people and poor people.

* The Commission is sending Euro 928,300 to Rwanda for a one-year project called 'Justice for all in Rwanda'. It aims at promoting the restoration of peace by helping to ensure that the genocide trials are conducted fairly.

* Euro 563,492 will be channelled into a project in the Dominican Republic over the next three years to promote and protect the people's fundamental rights. The action is mainly targeted to the poor and Haitian immigrants. In the same country, the EU will also clear Euro 981,330 over ten months to support reforms and modernisation of the legal system and democratisation.

* The EU will run a project in Democratic Republic of Congo and provide 92% of the budget with Euro 400,752 over three years. The project is a public awareness campaign to promote human rights of the autochton pygmee ethny in the Kivu province.

* The Commission will clear Euro 503,082 over three years to part-fund a project aiming at promoting human rights in Burkina Faso. The project will be co-sponsored by Denmark and the Netherlands.

* In Tanzania, the EU will grant Euro 450,000 over the next three years to fund a project aiming at the promotion and of human rights within the context of democracy and good governance in mainland Tanzania.

* Euro 714,410 will go to fund a three-year project of training trainers to standards and procedures for protecting human rights in Chad, Burundi, Central African Republic, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

* The Commission will send Euro 260,910 to Senegal to fund a project aiming at the creation of de-centralised observatories of human rights.

* In Somalia, the EU will fund a project aiming at community-based building of peace and democracy and education. The EU will clear Euro 1,307,332 or 88% of the total budget, over two years.

* Southern African countries, will receive Euro 427,195 over 18 months to support the professional and social reinsertion of war-mutilated people.

* In West and East Africa, the EU will spend Euro 957,652 over the coming three years to fund a project on a 'Media for Democracy' programme. It will consist in professional assistance to journalists and media organisations in Africa.Other projects.