April 1 – Africa: SUDAN
The United Nations Security Council agrees to try war-crime suspects in Sudan’s Darfur region in the International Criminal Court (ICC). The United States decides not to veto the resolution after it receives assurances that no U.S. members of any peacekeeping operation in Sudan would be prosecuted.
April 1 – Africa: ZIMBABWE
President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF Party wins a two-thirds majority in Zimbabwe’s parliamentary elections. This enables Mugabe to amend the constitution. The opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, says the election has been rigged. Human-rights groups say that about 10 percent of voters were turned away from polling stations and hundreds of thousands of ghost voters were put on the electoral roll.
April 1 – South Asia: INDIA
Twenty-one of India’s 28 states start the implementation of a new value added tax (VAT) as part of tax reform. The Indian government argues this will simplify the tax system and raise more revenue. Opponents, who were on a three-day strike, say that the government is not ready to implement VAT and that people will end up paying more taxes.
April 1 – International Organizations: UNITED NATIONS
The United Nations Security Council agrees to try war-crime suspects in Sudan’s Darfur region in the International Criminal Court (ICC). The United States decides not to veto the resolution after it receives assurances that no U.S. members of any peacekeeping operation in Sudan would be prosecuted.
April 3 – Europe: VATICAN CITY
The Polish-born Pope John Paul II dies at the age of 84 after his health deteriorated in the last several weeks. His 26-year pontificate was characterized by a conservative stand on issues, such as abortion, contraception, family, and women’s role in church. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims arrive at St. Peter’s Square in Rome to mourn the pope.
April 4 – Europe: AUSTRIA
Joerg Haider, a controversial former leader of Austria’s right-wing Freedom Party, founds a new party, the Alliance for Austria’s Future. Haider clashed with the party activists over the weakening support for the Freedom Party. In an election held last November, the Freedom Party won 10 percent of the votes, which is two thirds less than in 1999.
April 5 – Former Soviet Republics/Europe: UKRAINE
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko pays his first official visit to the United States, where he meets with his U.S. counterpart, George W. Bush. President Bush promises to support Ukraine’s bid for membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the end of trade sanctions. He also promises economic aid to help Ukraine implement reforms and end corruption. However, President Bush says Ukraine has yet to meet NATO’s membership requirements.
April 6 – Europe: MONACO
Monaco’s Prince Rainier dies at the age of 81 and is succeeded by his son, Prince Albert. Prince Rainier ruled the small Mediterranean principality from 1949 and turned it into a haven for the rich and famous.
April 6 – Africa: COTE D’IVOIRE/SOUTH AFRICA
After four days of talks in South Africa, the Ivorian government signs a cease-fire agreement with the New Forces rebels. The agreement includes a recommitment that the war is over and a pledge to disarm the militias.
April 7 – South Asia: INDIA/PAKISTAN
The first cross-Kashmir bus route in 60 years makes its way through the Line of Control that divides Indian-controlled and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir. Leaders of both India and Pakistan hail the inaugural trip as a new phase in the peace process. Kashmir militants opposed to Indian rule made attacks on the bus route earlier in the week, but when the bomb exploded the bus had already passed, which prevented any fatalities.
April 7 – Middle East: JORDAN
Jordan’s King Abdullah swears in a new cabinet two days after dismissing the previous cabinet. Observers say the king wants a government that will accelerate economic reforms. The king was also reportedly unhappy with the previous government’s mishandling of foreign affairs.
April 8 – Former Soviet Republics: TURKMENISTAN
Turkmenistan’s President Saparmurat Niyazov, who was declared president for life, announces that presidential elections will be held in 2009. Niyazov may want to deflect criticism of his unaccountable government, or he may be actually considering retirement.
April 11 – East Asia: CHINA
China and India sign a border agreement, resolving a long dispute over their Himalayan border. According to the deal, China officially gives up its claims to the state of Sikkim. Both countries also set a target of increasing annual bilateral trade to $30 billion by 2010.
April 11 – South Asia: INDIA
China and India sign a border agreement, resolving a long dispute over their Himalayan border. According to the deal, China officially gives up its claims to the state of Sikkim. Both countries also set a target of increasing annual bilateral trade to $30 billion by 2010.
April 11 – Former Soviet Republics: KYRGYZSTAN
Kyrgyzstan’s parliament accepts the official resignation of President Askar Akayev, ousted by popular protest in March. The parliament also sets new presidential elections for July 10. This peaceful coup is a novel development among the Central Asian countries, all ruled by long-standing autocrats.
April 12 – Middle East: SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia bans forced marriages, saying the practice is contrary to Islamic law. This is a small liberation for Saudi women, who cannot travel alone, must always wear a veil in public, and face many other restrictions.
April 14 – Africa: KENYA
Kenya’s parliament unanimously supports the government’s appeal to seize all idle land and distribute it among the landless. The legislators also prompt the government to set a limit on the amount of land an individual can own.
April 14 – Latin America: VENEZUELA
As part of his new military doctrine, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela swears in the commanders of a new military reserve that will be under his direct command. Chavez wants to build the militia, consisting of 20,000 troops now, to two million troops in the near future.
April 15 – International Organizations/Africa: IMF/AFRICA
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reports that last year 20 Sub-Saharan African countries achieved more than five percent growth, with inflation the lowest in 25 years. However, the IMF also warns that African economies are still not growing fast enough to reduce poverty levels.
April 19 – Europe: VATICAN CITY
The College of Cardinals elects Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the new pope and the head of 1.1 billion Roman Catholics. Ratzinger, who takes the name Pope Benedict XVI, was born in 1927 in Germany. He was a close friend of Pope John Paul II and is known for his conservative views. For more than 20 years he was the head of the congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in the Vatican.
April 19 – Middle East: BAHRAIN
Bahrain’s press lauds a female parliamentarian, Alees Samaan, as she becomes the first woman in the Arab world to chair a parliamentary session. Although she spoke only by chance because all the higher-ranking members of the Consultative Council were absent, the incident is noteworthy as an example of changes in the Arab society.
April 20 – Europe: ITALY
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi resigns, but will stay as caretaker prime minister until he forms a new government. Berlusconi’s center-right coalition has gone into crisis after poor results in recent regional elections followed by the pullout of the Union of Christian Democrats and the New Italian Socialist Party from the coalition. The controversial war in Iraq and poor economy contributed to Berlusconi’s waning popularity.
April 20 – Latin America: ECUADOR
Ecuador’s President Lucio Gutierrez is deposed by a unanimous vote in Congress. Elected in 2002 on a left-wing platform, his free-market agenda in office alienated many of his supporters. Gutierrez’ opponents had been recently galvanized by the president’s attempts to pack the Supreme Court with his supporters. He is granted political asylum in Brazil.
April 21 – Europe/International Organizations: RUSSIA/NATO
A Russia-NATO Council session in Vilnius, Lithuania, ends with agreements on joint military exercises in the Kaliningrad region and military troop transit through one another’s territory. NATO ministers also agree to help Ukraine prepare for possible membership in the alliance, contingent on its military and democratic reforms.
April 23 – Middle East: SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia announces that moderate Islamists have won most of the open seats during the country’s first municipal elections. However, the poll is no sweeping reform in the kingdom. Elected representatives will work with an equal number of appointed representatives, only men were allowed to vote, and only municipal offices were contested.
April 25 – Europe: BULGARIA/ROMANIA/EUROPEAN UNION
The European Union signs accession treaties with Bulgaria and Romania, preparing them to join the union in 2007. The treaties contain a clause that both countries have to strengthen judicial independence and tackle corruption. Failure to meet these requirements might delay their accessions by a year.
April 26 – South Asia/North America: AFGHANISTAN/UNITED STATES
The U.S. arrests Afghan drug lord Bashir Noorzai, Afghanistan’s number-one opium trafficker. A 2004 U.S. Congressional report had identified Noorzai as an important financier of extremist organizations such as the Taleban and al-Qaeda. His arrest is seen as a turning point in Afghanistan’s fight against the opium and heroine trade.
April 26 – Middle East: Lebanon /SYRIA
Syrian troops complete their withdrawal from Lebanon. Public pressure for the Syrian departure mounted after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February. Earlier in the month, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati formed a transitional government balanced between pro- and anti-Syrian politicians.
April 26 – North America/South Asia: UNITED STATES/AFGHANISTAN
The U.S. arrests Afghan drug lord Bashir Noorzai, Afghanistan’s number-one opium trafficker. A 2004 U.S. Congressional report had identified Noorzai as an important financier of extremist organizations such as the Taleban and al-Qaeda. His arrest is seen as a turning point in Afghanistan’s fight against the opium and heroin trade.
April 27 – Latin America: COLOMBIA
Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe fires four generals who disagree with Uribe’s plans to fight inter-service rivalry in the armed forces. One of the sacked generals, Major General Roberto Pizarro, publicly states that he is being fired for his criticism of the president’s scheme. The Colombian Defense Ministry gives no reason for the dismissals.
April 28 – Africa: ZIMBABWE
The Zimbabwean government announces it will import 1.2 million tons of staple food, denying at the same time that the country ran out of food. There are also shortages of other items, such as toothpaste and margarine. The government blames food shortages on drought and economic sabotage by Western countries.
April 29 – South Asia: INDIA
India’s President Manmohan Singh and Japan’s Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi meet in India’s capital, Delhi, and sign a joint statement aimed at improving relations. The two countries agree to support each other’s bid for permanent UN Security Council seats. They also agree to bolster economic ties and cooperation in the region.
April 29 – Europe/Africa: UNITED KINGDOM/UGANDA
The British government withdraws $10 million of aid to Uganda, pressing the government to restore a multiparty system. For years, political parties have been severely restricted and opposition groups have insisted that donors cut aid. Half of Uganda’s budget consists of donors’ funding.
April 30 – International Organizations: UNITED NATIONS
The United Nations says it has received enough money pledged by UN members to set up a tribunal to try Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge leaders. The first trials are expected to begin next year. The Khmer Rouge regime led by Pol Pot persecuted political opponents and minority groups, and is responsible for deaths of more than one million people. Pol Pot died in 1998.