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Learning Resumes In Morocco Schools After Earthquake
More than a week after a deadly earthquake struck Morocco, children have returned to school in a number of hard-hit towns and villages, bringing a sense of hope and optimism to the community.
Classes resumed on Monday in the towns of Amizmiz and Asni in the High Atlas Mountains and some villages in the Taroudant province in the south-west, according to the local media.,
Local authorities have set up 150 special tents equipped with teaching supplies and essentials where classes will take place, the education department in El Haouz province said.
In Amizmiz, the army has set up tents that are waiting to be installed with mobile education units, the media reported.
Both teachers and students expressed a sense of optimism and determination to move forward.
Meanwhile, around 6,000 students enrolled in schools in six municipalities most affected in El Haouz are being bussed to schools in the nearby city of Marrakesh.
The earthquake, which struck on September 8, killed more than 3,000 people and injured thousands more. Many schools were damaged or destroyed, leaving many children without a place to learn.
The reopening of schools is a significant step towards restoring normalcy in the affected areas.
Kagame To Run For Fourth Term In Rwanda
Rwandan President Paul Kagame confirmed on Tuesday that he will run for a fourth term next year, which could extend his presidency to nearly three decades.
In an interview with French-language magazine Jeune Afrique, Kagame said that he was “happy with the confidence that Rwandans have in me” and that he would continue to serve “as long as Rwandans want me to stay and serve them.”
Kagame has been the dominant force in Rwanda since his then-rebel group, the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), came to power in 2000. He has faced criticism from rights groups, which have accused him of cracking down on the opposition and limiting free speech.
In 2015, Rwanda amended its constitution to allow Kagame to run for a third term in 2017. He won the election with nearly 99% of the vote.
When asked about what the West would think about his decision to run again, Kagame said that “what these countries think is not our problem.”
“Personally, I no longer know what corresponds to Western values. What is democracy? The West dictating to others what they should do? But if they violate their own principles, how do we listen to them?” Kagame said.
“Seeking to transplant democracy to someone else is already a violation of democracy in itself. People are supposed to be independent and should be allowed to organise themselves as they wish,” he added.
Kagame’s decision to run for a fourth term has been met with mixed reactions. Some Rwandans support him, saying that he has brought stability and economic development to the country. Others are critical of his human rights record and say that he is authoritarian.
DR Congo Tells UN: It’s Time to Take Full Control of Our Destiny
Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi has called for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in his country, known as Monusco, to begin its withdrawal this year, rather than waiting until December 2024 as previously planned.
In his address to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Tshisekedi said that Monusco had failed to bring peace to the DRC despite being there for nearly 25 years. He added that it was “illusory and counterproductive to continue to cling” to the force to maintain peace.
“It is time for our country to take full control of its destiny and become the main actor in its own stability,” he told the audience in New York.
Tshisekedi’s call for a faster withdrawal of Monusco comes amid growing dissatisfaction with the mission among Congolese civilians. In recent years, there have been several protests against Monusco, with protesters accusing the force of failing to protect them from attacks by rebel groups.
Monusco is the second-largest UN peacekeeping mission in the world, with nearly 18,000 personnel in the DRC, including more than 12,000 soldiers. The mission was deployed in 1999 to help the DRC transition from civil war to peace.
However, the DRC has remained plagued by violence and instability, particularly in the mineral-rich east of the country. Rebel groups continue to operate in the region, and civilians are often caught in the crossfire.
In December 2021, it was agreed that Monusco would begin its withdrawal from the DRC in December 2024. However, Tshisekedi is now calling for this withdrawal to begin a year earlier.
It is unclear how the UN will respond to Tshisekedi’s call. The UN Security Council, which is responsible for authorizing and renewing peacekeeping missions, has previously expressed its support for Monusco’s continued presence in the DRC.
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