African population in Oslo growing

The African population in Norway has grown tremendously over the years.

The older generation have either got a number of children, some of them have resorted also to family re-union and managed to bring their relatives from Africa.

Those who have acquired residency permits, due to asylum and refugee status, have also managed to get families into Norway through the family re-union program.

The Norwegian government has now, through the immigration department, decided to make it difficult for foreigners, and especially Africans in Norway, to get their relatives to Norway through the re-union program by demanding they show proof they have enough income to support those who will be allowed into the country. The amount required has been raised and many Africans will not manage, due to little income, to make use of the re-union program.

So far, the number of Africans in Norway as per May 2006, according to the Norwegian Statistisk sentralbyrå is as follows;

Total number of Africans is 47 732.

We have decided to place them in 4 categories namely, the older generation, those born in Norway by African parents, those with one parent of African origin and those who are mixed.

1. Older generation with no Norwegian background totals 36 768
2. Children born in Norway and having both parents African are 10 764.
3. Total mixed children with one parent of African origin are  8987
4. Total children of mixed parents are 11 702.

For more details, go to the link below:

https://africanpress.wordpress.com/africans-in-norway-2/

By Korir, APN

africanpress@chello.no

Demonstrators ambushed World bank boss in Oslo on debt eradication for Africa!

World bank boss, Mr Paul Wolfowitz visited Oslo in the weekend and while here he met with a Norwegian minister for development Mr Erik Solheim who has been UN envoy engaged in peace negotiations between The Tigers and Sri Lankan government.

While in Oslo, the world bank boss was met by demonstrators demanding that he chats a way forward to eradicate debts that the developing countries owe the international community. The demonstration cited two examples namely; Rwanda and Liberia in the African continent.

According to Aftenposten, a Norwegian newsmedia, Mr Wolfowitz yielding to demonstrators, held a meeting with about 60 Norwegian organizations and researchers. He, however, told them that he could not give any promises on debt eradication to be benefited by developing countries.

There are many other African countries that should benefit from debt eradication. If the World bank accepted to do so, it will enable the countries in question to use the little money they have in prioritising development projects that will benefit the people sooner rather than late.

For more details on the World bank chief’s visit to Oslo, go the link below:

http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1497091.ece

By Korir, APN

africanpress@chello.no

Africans and there involvement in Norwegian politics

Africans living in Norway are not active in Norwegian politics, yet decisions made by politicians in this country affect them a great deal.

Most Africans are more committed to making earnings that they use to support their families in their motherland, thus they see no reason to use their time in politics.

Another aspect is the language. Most of them have little knowledge of the Norwegian language and that alone cuts them off from engaging in politics because everything to do with active politics is in the Norwegian language.

When a group of people do not involve themselves in the politics of the country they live in, they end up feeling isolated, because all decision making is left to the politicians who understand the language.

For the Africans in Norway, to be part of the society in Norway, they need to actively engage in what goes on  a day to day basis in the country.

And to be able to do so, they must show interest in learning the language and master it so that when decisions are being made, they get involved as well.

The older generation of Africans in Norway have grown up children who are supposed to look up to then as role models. If their children do not see their parents getting involved in decisions being made from time to time, they lose interest in involving themselves as well and continue being in the isolation territory.

By Korir, APN

africanpress@cchello.no