News That Matters To Africa©️
Quote of the Day:
“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.”
Highlights:
Heatwave makes South Sudan close schools.
US military operations in Sahel in jeopardy.
Deal to sell SA Airways crumbles.
African internet outage caused by subsea cable break.
Top News:
Eastern Africa
Kinshasa sues Kigali at EACJ over eastern DRC conflict
US Intelligence:’unresolved territorial issues could lead to a resumption of conflict’ in Ethiopia
Raila Odinga’s path to African Union Commission chair post gets easier
Kenyan doctors strike nationwide. Patients left unattended or turned away
US embassy warns its citizens of rising crime in Nairobi
UK Home Office condemns ‘cruel’ Rwanda phone scam targeting asylum seekers
Passage of Rwanda deportation bill could be delayed until after Easter
Swiss firm gets World Bank ban in Somali project
Somali Govt: “No holding meetings outside the country”
South Sudan announces schools closure as heatwave deepens
Sudan Situation Update for March: escalating conflict in Khartoum and attacks on civilians
Sudanese army captures South Sudanese mercenaries
Tanzania’s economy stands the risk of crumbling under its own population
West Africa
How Putin won over Burkina Faso after French adieu
Niger revokes military agreement with US
US military operations across the Sahel are at risk after Niger ends cooperation
What the recent escalation of mass abductions in Nigeria tell us
Bola Tinubu’s U-turn on Niger sanctions received with relief in northern Nigeria
Senegalese opposition leader vows to help win election, after prison release
Southern Africa
Namibian leaders call for talks with Germany over genocide reparations
2 men accused of murdering 3 Egyptian Coptic monks appear in a South African court
South Africa’s ANC wary of post-election coalition, says it ‘won’t work’
SAfr Govt deal to sell stake in SA Airways crumbles
Mass extermination planned for ravenous rodents on South African island
Zambian-born wins Wales election to become First Minister
North Africa
EU announces an $8 billion aid package for Egypt as concerns mount over migration
Egypt’s Al-Ahram film studio engulfed by fire
Egyptian club Al Ahly cancels tryout for South Africa’s Mokoena over his support of a politician
Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz to represent Morocco
Migrants and strongmen: the EU’s North Africa headache
Africa General
African internet outage was caused by subsea cable break
List of African countries facing internet outages and their severity
African students, others attacked at Indian university for praying during Ramadan
The Gulf’s scramble for Africa is reshaping the continent
Saudis bet on African minerals for green transition
Africa to play ‘huge role’ in US critical mineral strategy, says Treasury’s No. 2
Putin says France ‘resents’ Russia over Africa
Africa’s push to regulate AI starts now
Scientists find hundreds of unique species in Africa’s newest and most threatened ecoregion
Netflix & Showtime battle for high-octane drama – African style
UN-Related
Rich countries attain record human development, but half of the poorest have gone backwards
Video of the Day
Lions rescued from war-torn Ukraine start new lives in South Africa
Africa it’s your turn
Africa News Podcast
How gold fuels the war in Sudan
A Financial Crime View from Africa
Africa Related Books/Publications:
’Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe: a passage from the book in video by Lucien Msamati
Africa Calendar: The Week Ahead
The Week Ahead
(11) Articles on Analysis, Editorial & Opinion
Eastern Africa
DR CONGO
Kinshasa sues Kigali at EACJ over eastern DRC conflict
The conflict in eastern Congo is taking a legal turn after Kinshasa sued Kigali at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) in Arusha. The application is actually dated September 2023 but was amended early this year. And the Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Rwanda of abetting war as well as violating its territorial integrity. Over the past 25 years, Rwanda has on innumerable occasions violated the DRC’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence,” the application reads in part. The application details what it calls a list of atrocities committed allegedly by the DRC against Rwanda going back more than 25 years ago. The DRC has sought orders to bar Rwanda from infringing on its territory and has asked Rwanda to withdraw its troops it claims are based on its soil. “A declaration be and is hereby issued that Rwanda’s action of violating the DRC’s territorial integrity through the deployment of its RDF’s troops within the DRC’s territory has violated the EAC Treaty,” reads part of the prayers in the application by the DRC’s Minister for Justice Hon Mutombo Kiese Rose. “A declaration is hereby issued that Rwanda’s material, financial and logistical support of the M23 has led to numerous violations of human rights that violate the EAC Treaty.”
ETHIOPIA
US Intelligence:’unresolved territorial issues could lead to a resumption of conflict’
The 2024 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community released on 11 March warned that despite the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) signed in November 2022 between the Ethiopian Government and the Tigrayans that ended a two-year war, the “unresolved territorial issues could lead to a resumption of conflict. The threat assessment report was released in the same day when the first strategic review on the implementation of the CoHA took place at the AU premises in Addis Abeba to “undertake strategic reflection and support critical aspects of the Ethiopian Peace Process, such as humanitarian support, DDR, rehabilitation and reconstruction.” In addition to its warning on return of conflict, the 2024 threat assessment report, which highlighted other global trends including in the neighboring Sudan, further cautioned that Ethiopia “is undergoing multiple, simultaneous internal conflicts, heightening interethnic tension and the risk of atrocities against civilians.” The report zoomed in and cited the ongoing conflict in the Amhara Regional State, which started in April 2023, and involves militarized hostilities between government forces and the Fano armed group in the Amhara region that “persisted throughout the year.” In February, Ethiopian lawmakers extended a state of emergency in the Amhara region by four more months as the region continues to grapple with a widespread militarized conflict that led to the killing of countless civilians and destruction of vital infrastructure.
KENYA
Raila Odinga’s path to African Union Commission chair post gets easier
Kenya is preparing to launch a continental campaign after the African Union (AU) Executive Council dropped two key proposals that would have locked out its candidate for the Commission (AUC) chairperson seat. According to Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, the continental bloc will no longer demand that the next AUC chair be a woman. They also agreed that the next chair be from eastern Africa although the region will have autonomy to agree on who runs. Mr Mudavadi is also Kenya’s Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Cabinet Secretary. A dispatch from Mudavadi’s office said the council “unanimously” asserted the right of the Eastern Africa region to produce the next chairperson of the African Union Commission. “This is a major breakthrough for the Eastern Africa region to present candidates for the position of chairperson of the AUC,” said Mudavadi in a dispatch on Friday. The rules drop gives a sigh of relief to Mr Odinga who would have been locked out of the race had they been adopted. The decision means only the Northern Africa region will front candidates for the deputy chairperson, while the other three regions –Central, Southern and Western– will compete for the six positions of commissioners. Eastern Africa has 14 member states, often transcending their traditional regional blocs. For example, Madagascar often in the southern region belongs to Eastern Africa.
Kenyan doctors strike nationwide. Patients left unattended or turned away
Doctors at Kenya’s public hospitals began a nationwide strike Thursday, accusing the government of failing to implement a raft of promises from a collective bargaining agreement signed in 2017 after a 100-day strike that saw people dying from lack of care. Dr. Davji Bhimji, secretary-general of Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), said 4,000 doctors took part in the strike despite a labor court order asking the union to put the strike on hold to allow talks with the government. And Dr. Dennis Miskellah, deputy secretary general of the union, said they would disregard the court order the same way the government had disregarded three court orders to increase basic pay for doctors and reinstate suspended doctors. Some doctors, however, have remained on duty to ensure patients in the intensive care units don’t die. In an interview, Miskellah said doctors were committing suicide out of work-related frustration, while others have had to fundraise to get treated for sickness due to a lack of a comprehensive health coverage. In 2017, doctors at Kenya’s public hospitals held a 100-day strike — the longest ever held in the country — to demand better wages and for the government to restore the country’s dilapidated public-health facilities. They also demanded continuous training of and hiring of doctors to address a severe shortage of health professionals. At the time, public doctors, who train for six years in university, earned a basic salary of $400-$850 a month, similar to some police officers who train for just six months.
US embassy warns its citizens of rising crime in Nairobi
The United States Embassy in Kenya has advised its citizens to be aware of an increase in crime in residential areas in Nairobi County. In a security alert posted on the embassy’s website on Friday, the US told its citizens to be cautious while walking the estate streets even as the Kenyan government continues to address the matter. “There are reports of increased criminal activity in residential areas of Nairobi. Incidents include crimes of opportunity such as purse and phone snatching. The government of Kenya is taking measures to place more police in high crime areas,” the statement reads. US citizens have been urged to be aware of their surroundings, keep a low profile and not show signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive jewellery or watches or flashing large sums of money. At the same time, the embassy has told its citizens to keep doors locked and windows up while inside their cars. Last year, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said urban crime, which once threatened the safety of residents and businesses, had been curbed. “The National Police Service has put in a place in a multiagency, multi-disciplined response to this problem and to get these errant sons –and maybe a few daughters to get out of the streets and put them where criminals belong,” Prof Kindiki said.
RWANDA
UK Home Office condemns ‘cruel’ Rwanda phone scam targeting asylum seekers
The UK Home Office has condemned scammers who “cruelly attempt” to trick people by pretending they can help them go to Rwanda in exchange for a £3,000 government payment. The reported scam is the latest blow to government plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. News of a second Rwanda scheme was reported in the Times and later announced by government. This one is a voluntary returns programme for refused asylum seekers. The Home Office is offering £3,000 incentive payments to encourage this group to go to Rwanda. Asylum seekers who started to receive calls from Home Office officials asking them to go to Rwanda were left in a state of panic with some saying they thought they had no choice but to get on a plane. On Friday there was a further development suggesting that the new voluntary Rwanda scheme is being targeted by fraudsters. A Home Office spokesperson said: “We condemn in the strongest terms anyone cruelly attempting to defraud individuals based on our voluntary returns scheme.
Passage of Rwanda deportation bill could be delayed until after Easter
The passage of the government’s Rwanda deportation bill could be delayed until after Easter in a move that risks a backlash from Conservative MPs. The second round of “ping pong” between the Lords and Commons on the bill is no longer scheduled for the last week before the Easter break in the government’s legislative timetable. Ping pong, whereby a bill passes back and forth between the Commons and Lords as they respond to each other’s proposed changes, had been scheduled to take place on 25 and 26 March before the Commons breaks for its three-week Easter recess. Sources in the Conservatives and Labour said this could mean the bill will not become law until mid-April at the earliest. It would mark a further delay in the implementation of the deportation policy, which was first announced by Boris Johnson’s government nearly two years ago. A delay to passing the bill would risk angering Conservative MPs who are frustrated by the government’s record on illegal migration. Rishi Sunak has made “stopping the boats” a key pledge of his leadership. The government could still theoretically push through all its changes by the middle of this week, which would allow the Rwanda bill to become law before Easter. A delay to passing the Rwanda bill would be a sign that a general election will not be held in May. In an interview with ITV on Thursday, the prime minister ruled out 2 May, when voters are due to go to the polls for local elections.
SUDAN
Situation Update for March: escalating conflict in Khartoum and attacks on civilians
Sudan at a Glance: 10 February-8 March 2024. Vital trends: Since fighting first broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April, 5,170 events of political violence and more than 14,790 reported fatalities in Sudan; From 10 February to 8 March 2024, over 350 political violence events and 782 reported fatalities; Most political violence was recorded in Khartoum state during the reporting period, with over 157 events and 238 reported fatalities; The most common event type was battles, with 140 recorded, followed by violence against civilians, with nearly 120 events. Compared to the previous four weeks, a 30% decrease in battles and an 89% increase in violence against civilians. As the ongoing conflict between the SAF and the RSF nears the one-year mark, the SAF has begun to reclaim control over territory in the capital Khartoum after adopting offensive tactics and capitalizing on the scattering of RSF forces in other states. Advances by the SAF in Omdurman since January led to the linking of its forces in the north and south of the city. On 16 February, the SAF successfully broke the siege on its troops in the Engineers Corps base after weeks of what seemed to be an offensive based on attrition, whereby its troops engaged in recurrent infantry skirmishes, artillery shelling, and drone assaults. The SAF’s offensive shift has altered the dynamics of the battle in the metropolitan area of Khartoum. Clashes have also raged in al-Jazirah state, southeast of the capital city, as the RSF and the SAF locked horns along the borders with neighboring Gedaref, Sennar, and White Nile states. Since SAF’s withdrawal from Wad Madani city in December, the RSF has initiated a coordinated campaign of violence targeting civilians in al-Jazirah — though the military strategy behind this move remains unclear. In separate developments, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu has seized control of Habila in South Kordofan, prompting a violent retaliation from the RSF against the ethnic Nuba population in surrounding villages. The Nuba pledged their support to the SAF or al-Hilu’s faction of SPLM-N.
Sudanese army captures South Sudanese mercenaries
The Sudanese army announced on Thursday the capture of 14 South Sudanese nationals following their recapture of the Radio and Television Corporation headquarters. These individuals were allegedly fighting alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). On March 12th, the army seized control of the headquarters after intense clashes with the RSF, who had held the site since the war’s outbreak. A military source said that “during the operation to reclaim the radio and television station, which served as an RSF command centre in Omdurman, the armed forces apprehended 14 mercenaries from South Sudan.” He further specified that the captured group possessed expertise in operating heavy artillery and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Also, images have circulated online depicting South Sudanese fighters in RSF uniforms engaged in combat against the army in East Nile, Sports City, and Khartoum Bahri. The Sudanese army has repeatedly accused the RSF of recruiting fighters from neighbouring nations like Niger and Chad.
Children without registration papers – victims of rape of refugees in Egypt
Babies born to Sudanese refugees, who are victims of rape in Egypt, are often denied official registration, depriving them of citizenship and legal identification documents.
According to “The Egypt Response Plan for Refugees and Asylum-Seekers from Sub-Saharan Africa, Iraq & Yemen 2020”, produced by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) there were 1,312 registered cases of sexual violence during the first ten months of 2019. And Africans accounted of 90% of the survivors of these assaults. This study reveals the failure by both the UNHCR in Egypt and the Ministry of Interior, represented by the police, to provide legal support to victims in establishing that rape had occurred, and in registering the resulting child victims of these incidents. Repeated studies and enquiries have reported on sexual assault suffered by refugees in Egypt, but there is only sparse media information, with little detail, on the subsequent victims – those born as a result of such assaults…According to UNHCR conditions, a birth certificate proving a child’s existence and naming his/her parents is needed for them to obtain a refugee card. Without it, they are not eligible for services provided by UNHCR, whether its for paying part of the school fees, providing monthly aid, or even being given clothing. Nor can they take part in most of the activities organized by UNHCR’s support organisations for children, as they don’t have papers to prove who they are…
SOMALIA
Swiss firm gets World Bank ban in Somali project
The World Bank has banned a Swiss boutique advisory firm Africa Enablers GmbH and two of its principals from participating in projects and operations financed by the institution for 10 months over tendering irregularities related to the Somali Core Economic Institutions and Opportunities Programme (Score project). The World Bank, in a statement said the firm together with its two principals, Philipp Schuller and Stephan Willms, demonstrated misconduct in the bidding for the $28.5 million project by allegedly misrepresenting the company’s past experience in bidding for the contract. “These misrepresentations by Africa Enablers and the principals were reckless and constitute a fraudulent practice under the World Bank’s Consultant Guidelines,” the bank said. The Score Project was designed to improve the enabling environment for private and financial sector development, and to catalyse private investment and job creation. “The sanctions are the result of a settlement agreement, under which Africa Enablers and the Principals do not contest their responsibility for the underlying sanctionable practice and agree to meet specified integrity compliance conditions for release from debarment,” the Bank further said. The sanctions consist of an initial 10-month debarment, during which Africa Enablers and principals will be ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by the institutions of the World Bank Group. Thereafter the sanctions will convert to conditional non-debarment for another five months where the company and the principals will be eligible to participate in projects and operations financed by institutions of the World Bank Group but on conditions that they comply with their obligations under the settlement agreement.
Govt stops officials from holding meetings outside the country
The Cabinet of Ministers of Somalia has banned the meetings of government agencies held outside the country, according to a statement issued by the council. The decision was made at Thursday’s meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers in Mogadishu, chaired by Prime Minister. The council justified this decision “since our country has recovered in terms of security and development, and there is no need for foreign countries to hold meetings to discuss Somalia.”
SOUTH SUDAN
President Kiir sacks finance minister Bak Barnaba Chol
South Sudan President Salva Kiir on Friday evening sacked the Minister for Finance and Planning Bak Barnaba Chol, replacing him with Daniel Daniel Chuong, an engineer. In a presidential decree issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, Kiir did not give any reason for the dismissal of the Finance minister. The new Finance minister previously served as the former minister of Petroleum and was until his appointment the technical adviser in the petroleum ministry. The changes came amid hyperinflation and the depreciation of the South Sudanese pound (SSP), the country’s local currency. The SSP fell to a record low of 1,800 units against the US dollar, compared to 1,100 units to the greenback three months ago. The country is currently struggling to increase daily oil production from the current 150,000 barrels a day to 175,000 barrels per day to secure hard currency to stabilise the economy.
Govt announces schools closure as heatwave deepens
Authorities on Saturday announced an indefinite closure of all schools due to heatwaves characterized by very high temperatures in recent days. The Health minister, Yolanda Awel Deng said the heatwave could last for two weeks, with temperatures ranging between 41 degrees and 45 degrees Celsius. Heatwaves, the minister said, can acutely impact large populations for short periods, often trigger public health emergencies, and result in excess mortality and cascading socioeconomic impacts like loss of work capacity and labor productivity and can also cause loss of health service delivery capacity. A circular from the Environment and Forestry ministry warns of likely illness and deaths among adult and children should they be exposed to the high heatwaves.
TANZANIA
Tanzania’s economy stands the risk of crumbling under its own population
Tanzania faces the risk of crumbling under the weight of its population as the World Bank projects a massively significant population growth for the country within the next 2 decades. The World Bank estimates that Tanzania’s population is set to double every 23 years, owing to the high fertility rate. By 2050, the country could be overpopulated. According to a report by the World Bank, Tanzania’s population could reach 140 million by 2050. Given the country’s economic situation, and barring an economic miracle, this growth could put tremendous stress on the country’s resources. Tanzania’s population census in 2022 showed that there are approximately 65,497,748 million Tanzanians currently living in the country…The World Bank seems to agree as they suggested family planning services alongside increased access to secondary education for girls as measures to curb the potential overpopulation scenario. They urged that the country consider women’s empowerment and create economic opportunities for them, in order to reduce their chances of having too many children.
Western Africa
BURKINA FASO
How Putin won over Burkina Faso after French adieu
In the 1980s, the Soviet Union (USSR) had a strong presence in Africa through diplomatic representation and cultural centres, including in Burkina Faso. Three decades since Russia left large parts of Africa amid the breakup of the Soviet Union, however, signs of its return are visible in Burkina Faso, where the capital’s walls are adorned with pro-Russian graffiti, and Russian flags fly in the streets. A football tournament, a graffiti festival, a photo exhibition, film screenings, a public conference, and a daily radio show called “Russian Time”, during which hosts speak in a mixture of French and Russian, are some of the events that take place in Ouagadougou every day, as local frustration for former coloniser France has been exploited by Russia to secure influence in the country. Like Mali and Niger – two neighbouring countries led by military governments – Burkina Faso’s primary complaint against the former coloniser, however, is its inability to curb threats from armed groups in the Sahel region since 2013. “It is an official and assumed option to make Russia the partner, replacing all other partners, namely, Westerners and mainly France,” said Ahmed Barry, a Burkinabe journalist. He added that the move is not a “diversification of partnerships”, but rather a clear choice to rely on Russia to equip the army and protect the regime – similar to Russia’s involvement in Syria, the Central African Republic and Mali…”Burkina is becoming the laboratory of the post-Prigozhin Russian presence, where the dominant actor is the Russian state.”
NIGER
Military Govt revokes military agreement with US
Niger has ended a military agreement that allowed US personnel to be deployed in the country. Saturday’s announcement came in the week that a delegation from Washington had been in Niamey for talks with the country’s military leadership.
The US used its base in Niger to monitor regional jihadist activity. This latest announcement comes as Niger moves closer to Russia and after French troops were kicked out in December. “The US presence on the territory of the Republic of Niger is illegal and violates all the constitutional and democratic rules which would require the sovereign people… to be consulted on the installation of a foreign army on its territory,” Niger’s military spokesperson Col Amadou Abdramane said in a damning statement on national television. He also alleged that the US delegation had accused Niger of making a secret deal to supply uranium to Iran. Col Abdramane described the accusation as “cynical” and “reminiscent of the second Iraq war”. And finally, he suggested that the US had raised objections about the allies that Niger had chosen. “The government of Niger therefore strongly denounces the condescending attitude combined with the threat of reprisals by the head of the American delegation against the government and the people of Niger,” Col Abdramane said. There are thought to be at least 650 US personnel in Niger. In 2016, the US began investing around $100m (£79m) in a drone base in the central city of Agadez, 750km (460 miles) north-east of Niamey. It was used for surveillance and targeting of Islamic State and al-Qaeda-linked militants operating in the wider Sahel region.
US military operations across the Sahel are at risk after Niger ends cooperation
The United States scrambled on Sunday to assess the future of its counterterrorism operations in the Sahel after Niger said it was ending its yearslong military cooperation with Washington following a visit by top U.S. officials. The U.S. military has hundreds of troops stationed at a major airbase in northern Niger that deploys flights over the vast Sahel region — south of the Sahara Desert — where jihadi groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operate. Top U.S. envoy Molly Phee returned to the capital, Niamey, this week to meet with senior government officials, accompanied by Marine Gen. Michael Langley, head of the U.S. military’s African Command. She had previously visited in December, while acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland traveled to the country in August. The State Department said Sunday in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that talks were frank and that it was in touch with the junta. It wasn’t clear whether the U.S. has any leeway left to negotiate a deal to stay in the country. The U.S. has also invested years and hundreds of millions of dollars in training Niger’s military. Some of those forces were involved in the July overthrow of Niger’s democratically elected president, Mohammed Bazoum.
NIGERIA
What the recent escalation of mass abductions in Nigeria tell us
Since the end of February, over 500 people have been kidnapped in a series of mass abductions in Nigeria’s North East and North West regions. On 29 February, suspected Boko Haram members abducted at least 200 people, primarily women and children, in the North Eastern state of Borno. On 7 March, gunmen raided a school and abducted 287 pupils in the Chikun area of Kaduna. Two days later, on 9 March, gunmen abducted 15 children from an Islamic school in Sokoto. With authorities and communities still reeling in the aftermath of these incidents, on 12 March armed bandits reportedly struck Kaduna again — this time in Kajuru — taking with them 61 people. The resurgence of mass kidnappings is likely to be attributable to the declining profitability of individual kidnappings for ransom; the strategic use of Ramadan to pressure the government into paying ransoms; the desire to gain bargaining leverage for the release of detained members of armed bandit groups; and the killing of an armed bandit leader in February 2024. Mass abductions, although more difficult to coordinate, are more lucrative. They also carry the possibility of government ransom payments, which does not usually happen in individual cases. Mass abductions, particularly of women and schoolchildren, place significant pressure on the government, both domestically and internationally, to secure the release of the victims. Though the government’s public position is that it does not pay ransoms, there are reports that state actors have paid ransoms to armed bandits and violent extremist groups in the past. The recent surge in mass kidnappings could indicate a sustained uptick in the frequency of such incidents. With state forces stretched thin across various conflict zones in the country, the limited state presence in rural and remote areas makes the rural population vulnerable targets for armed bandit attacks.
Bola Tinubu’s U-turn on Niger sanctions received with relief in northern Nigeria
After the army seized power in Niger last year, the president of its giant neighbour Nigeria was at the forefront of demands that the junta step down, even warning that the West African bloc could use military force to oust the generals, while imposing tough sanctions and closing the border. However just eight months later, Bola Tinubu has lifted all those restrictions. In many ways, it is a huge climbdown for the regional bloc, Ecowas, but it is also personally embarrassing for Mr Tinubu, analysts say. The warm welcome for the lifting of sanctions in both Niger and across the border in northern Nigeria also shows the unpopularity of his original, hard-line position. The about-turn was partly because Niger, along with its fellow juntas in Burkina Faso and Mali, hugely increased the stakes by saying they would pull out of Ecowas altogether, raising serious questions about the bloc’s future. The three countries had been suspended from Ecowas, which has been urging them to return to democratic rule.It seems Ecowas realised its waning influence after the trio went ahead to form an alliance, sever ties with France and forge closer relations with Russia.
SENEGAL
Top opposition leader vows to help win election, after prison release
Opposition leader Ousmane Sonko vowed Friday to help his team win Senegal’s March 24 presidential election even though he is barred from the ballot, jumping into the campaign in his first public address since being freed from prison a day earlier. Ousmane Sonko’s release late Thursday after months behind bars triggered a mix of jubilation and political uncertainty on the streets of the capital, Dakar. Thousands took to the streets in celebration, reinvigorating enthusiasm for the election that will decide whether the West African country can remain a stable democracy in a region that has experienced a wave of coups and attempted coups. Sonko’s key ally, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was also freed from prison late Thursday, has been named the opposition’s presidential candidate. In his brief message, Sonko restated some of the key tenets of his campaign: the need to fight corruption in the government and to protect Senegal’s economy from the influence of foreign powers. In a separate decision Friday, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Karim Wade, an opposition leader and son of former Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, against the decision to rule him off the ballot because he holds dual citizenship. Wade said he has renounced his French citizenship.
Southern Africa
NAMIBIA
Namibians call for talks with Germany over genocide reparations
Leaders from the Herero and Nama communities have called for fresh talks with Germany over the return of ancestral land seized more than a century ago. In the early 1900s, German settlers pushed locals off their lands in what was then named German South West Africa—now Namibia— but members of two ethnic groups—the Herero and Nama—resisted and were starved to death or put into concentration camps. An estimated 80 percent of the Herero and 50 percent of Nama population were killed between 1904 and 1908. Germany was the third-biggest colonial power in Africa after Britain and France, at one point controlling 30 percent of the world’s diamonds through its exploitation of Namibia’s resources. Some Namibians have pointed to double standards in the reaction to these genocides. Germany has paid about 82 billion euros in reparations to Israel—including direct payments to victims—but has refused to directly compensate the Herero and Nama. Germany agreed in May 2021—when it officially recognized the Herero-Nama genocide for the first time—to fund 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) worth of Namibian projects. The money was to be disbursed into existing aid programs over 30 years. However, many Indigenous leaders said they were excluded from the talks, regarded the amount as too small, and did not back the deal. A class-action lawsuit brought by members of the Herero and Nama communities against Berlin was dismissed by a U.S. court in 2019 because Germany had sovereign immunity…Germany’s lawyer argued that the country was not obligated to atone because the Genocide Convention did not exist when the atrocities occurred. The German parliament reiterated that position last March, saying that “in the absence of a legal basis, there would be no individual or collective compensation claims of individual descendants of victim groups such as the Hereros or Namas.”
SOUTH AFRICA
ANC wary of post-election coalition, says it ‘won’t work’
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) party is betting on retaining its parliamentary majority in a May election and is not in talks with other parties on a possible coalition government, the party’s deputy secretary general said. South Africans will go to polls on May 29 to elect a new National Assembly, which will then choose the next president. Surveys show that the ANC is likely to lose its parliamentary majority for the first time since Nelson Mandela led it to power at the fall of apartheid 30 years ago. This would open up the prospect of coalition rule. “A coalition government won’t work for now,” said ANC veteran Nomvula Mokonyane, pointing to failed power-sharing attempts at the local government level, where coalitions have largely proved unstable due to a lack of legislation to regulate the partnerships. The ANC’s image has been tarnished in the past decade by economic stagnation, rising unemployment and repeated corruption scandals involving its top officials. Analysts say losing its majority might jolt the party to do better on service delivery, expand the economy and address other ills like crime and corruption. But coalitions could also end up being fractious and impeding already poor service delivery. Potential coalition partners for the ANC could include the largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, and the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters party.
Govt deal to sell stake in SA Airways crumbles
A deal to sell a majority stake in the troubled South African Airways (SAA) has fallen apart. Pravin Gordhan, South Africa’s Public Enterprises Minister overseeing the company said on Wednesday the government and Takatso had agreed but “there was no clear path forward” for the transaction after a new business and asset valuation. The South African government had been negotiating the deal for three years. The airline was on the verge of being liquidated before it entered a form of bankruptcy protection in 2019. Its finances worsened as the COVID-19 pandemic restricted air travel and depleted its already minimal cashflow, forcing the government to hunt for a strategic equity partner to keep it afloat. The government announced the planned deal to sell a controlling stake in SAA to the Takatso Consortium in 2021, part of efforts to end recurring bailouts to the flag carrier.
2 men accused of murdering 3 Egyptian Coptic monks appear in a South African court
Two men accused of fatally stabbing three Egyptian monks belonging to the Coptic Orthodox Church this week appeared in a South African court Thursday and will remain in custody until their next court appearance. Saeed Basanda, dressed in a blue T-shirt and with a white bandage wrapped around his left hand, has been identified as a 37 -year-old Egyptian national. His co-accused, Samuel Avamarkos, is identified in the charge sheet as a 47 year-old South African citizen. The two were arrested after the monks were killed Tuesday at the Saint Mark the Apostle and Saint Samuel the Confessor Monastery in Cullinan, where a fourth person was also beaten with an iron rod before escaping to safety, according to police. According to the police, nothing was stolen during the attack and the motive remains unknown…such deadly attacks on churches and places of worship are rare in South Africa.
Mass extermination planned for ravenous rodents on South African island
Conservationists are hoping invasive mice threatening the ecology of a South African island will take the bait. A mass extermination is in the works to wipe out the ravenous rodents, which have been breeding nonstop and preying on adult seabirds and their chicks on Marion Island, one of the two Prince Edward Islands about 1,200 miles southeast of Cape Town set aside as a nature reserve. Mice were accidentally brought to the uninhabited territory in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica 200 years ago, likely on the ships of seal hunters who landed there. Up to 550 tons of rodenticide bait will be dropped on Marion Island slated for 2027. The region is home to important populations of about 30 bird species. The area was an undisturbed habitat for them until the mighty mice took over. A single mouse on Marion Island will feed on a bird several times its size — a phenomenon seen in only a handful of the world’s islands. If successful, the project will be the largest extermination of its kind — but if even one pregnant female survives, the cat and mouse game could continue. The vermin start reproducing at just 60 days old and females can birth up to 40 babies a year.
ZAMBIA
Zambian-born wins Wales election to become First Minister
Vaughan Gething has been elected the head of Welsh Labour and will become the first black leader of a European country when he is confirmed as first minister next week. Gething, who has worked as the health and the economy minister in the Labour-led government, succeeds Mark Drakeford after beating the education minister, Jeremy Miles. He promised to improve the Welsh NHS, put green jobs at the forefront of the country’s economic future, build more homes and reliable transport systems, drive up education standards and guide Wales to a more prominent position on the world stage. Gething, who won with 51.7% of the vote, said: “Today, we turn a page in the book of our nation’s history. A history we write together. Not just because I have the honour of becoming the first black leader in any European country – but because the generational dial has jumped too. Keir Starmer, leader of the UK Labour party, said: “Huge congratulations to Vaughan Gething on his election as leader of the Welsh Labour party. His appointment as first minister of Wales, the first Black leader in the UK, will be an historic moment that speaks to the progress and values of modern-day Wales. Gething, who turned 50 on Friday, has a challenging in-tray. He will have to unite Welsh Labour after a divisive leadership campaign and prepare to lead the party into a general election. He must steer the country through the cost of living crisis and raise standards in health and education at a time of deep budget cuts.
North Africa
EGYPT/SOUTH AFRICA
Football club Al Ahly cancels tryout for South Africa’s Mokoena over his support of a politician
Egyptian soccer team Al Ahly, the most successful club in Africa, has canceled a trial for South Africa midfielder Teboho Mokoena over his support of a politician. Mokoena was one of South Africa’s best players at the African Cup as the country reached the semifinals for the first time in more than 20 years. Al Ahly said in a statement that it was not bringing Mokoena in for a planned tryout after he expressed support for South African opposition party leader Julius Malema, who has been accused of regularly singing a song that incites racial hatred in his home country. Malema denies the song sparks hatred. On his return to South Africa this week after the African Cup of Nations, Mokoena referred to Malema, the president of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, as “my favorite president in the country.” Al Ahly then canceled Mokoena’s tryout next month. They said Mokoena’s “endorsement of divisive views contradicts our core principles.” The song in question has the lyrics “shoot the Boer” or “kill the Boer.” Malema has sung the song frequently and been accused by some civil rights groups of hate speech. He says he sings it because it is a liberation song that was prominent among Black people during the struggle against the apartheid system of white minority rule before 1994 and it should not be taken literally. South Africa’s equality court cleared Malema of hate speech over the song.
EGYPT
EU announces an $8 billion aid package for Egypt as concerns mount over migration
The European Union on Sunday announced a 7.4 billion-euro ($8 billion) aid package for cash-strapped Egypt as concerns mount that economic pressure and conflicts in neighboring countries could drive more migrants to European shores. The deal, which drew criticism from rights groups over Egypt’s human rights record, was signed Sunday afternoon in Cairo in a ceremony attended by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and leaders of Belgium, Italy, Austria, Cyprus and Greece. Most of the funds — 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion)— are macro-financial assistance, according to a document from the EU mission in Egypt. The deal, known as the Joint Declaration, aims among other things to promote “democracy, fundamental freedoms, human rights, and gender equality,” according to the European Commission. The EU will provide assistance to Egypt’s government to fortify its borders, especially with Libya, a major transit point for migrants fleeing poverty and conflicts in Africa and the Middle East. The 27-nation bloc will also support the government in hosting Sudanese who have fled fighting in their country. Egypt received more than 460,000 Sudanese since April last year. The EU deal follows the template of those recently signed with Tunisia and Mauritania that pledged funds in return for fortifying their borders. Both Tunisia and Mauritania were key points of departure for migrants crossing the Mediterranean.
Egypt’s Al-Ahram film studio engulfed by fire
Al-Ahram Studio, which is one of the oldest in the world, has been destroyed in a fire. It took hours for firefighters to get the blaze under control and several buildings near the studio in Cairo’s Giza district had to be evacuated. Emergency services treated people at the scene for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is not yet known. The studio was founded in 1944. Several films and TV series were produced there and broadcast across the world. The studio contains three production stages, a screening room and an editing suite. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly visited the site alongside other officials to assess the damage. According to local media reports, the fire broke out 24 hours after the production company had finished filming its Ramadan TV series. The fire damaged the facades of seven buildings. In a statement, the prime minister announced compensation for affected families.
MOROCCO
Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz to represent Morocco
Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz was named in Morocco’s squad after deciding to represent the North African team rather than Spain. Diaz was included in Walid Regragui’s 24-man roster for the matches against Angola and Mauritania this month, the Moroccan Football Federation said in a statement. The 24-year-old represented Spain in one game and scored against Lithuania in 2021. Fifa rules say players can switch international allegiance as long as they have made fewer than three appearances for a country before the age of 21 and have not played for that nation for at least three years. The former AC Milan winger Diaz has produced fine displays with Real Madrid so far this season, scoring eight goals in 32 games in all competitions.
Migrants and strongmen: the EU’s North Africa headache
If it’s Sunday, it must be Egypt. In the EU’s latest effort to curb irregular migration from north Africa, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will be in Cairo tomorrow (Monday) with three prime ministers in tow (from Belgium, Greece and Italy) and the promise of a multibillion-euro aid package. Ostensibly, the Egypt initiative, and similar plans for Tunisia and Mauritania, serve the wider purpose of promoting political and economic stability in a region for which the EU has struggled to devise a convincing policy framework for at least 30 years. The EU’s newest plans place another layer of policies upon what is already a complicated array of north Africa initiatives, set up either by the 27-nation bloc itself or by member states such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain. European parliament legislators who have expertise in north African issues expressed concern this week about the commission’s eagerness to allocate billions of euros to the region. Mounir Satouri, a French MEP, said: “It seems that we are bankrolling dictators across the region. And that is not the Europe that we want to see. That is not the place which the EU should be holding in the world.” Any assessment of the EU’s north Africa policies must start with the recognition that vexed questions of migration, legal and illegal, are at their heart.
AFRICA – GENERAL NEWS
African internet outage was caused by subsea cable break
West African data center and connectivity provider MainOne said on Friday that an internet outage that hit West and Central Africa earlier this week was caused by a break in its submarine cable system. MainOne said that an “external incident” resulted in a cut to its cable system in the Atlantic Ocean, offshore Cote D’Ivoire along the coast of West Africa. It ruled out human activity as a cause. “Our preliminary analysis would suggest some form of seismic activity on the seabed resulted in a break to the cable”, MainOne said, adding it would obtain more data when the cable is retrieved during repair. The major internet outage affected West and Central Africa on Thursday, with operators of multiple subsea cables reporting failures.
List of African countries facing internet outages and their severity
Last Thursday saw a widespread internet outages sweep across African countries, attributed to damages sustained by the MainOne and ACE sea cables, vital conduits for telecommunications data. These damages led to connectivity disruptions for mobile carriers and internet service providers in the region. Across these nations, there are varying degrees of internet disruptions…Jess Auerbach Jahajeeah, an associate professor at the University of Cape Town explains : “Basically, all internet for regular people relies on fiber optic cables. Even landlocked countries rely on the network because they have agreements with countries with landing stations – highly secured buildings close to the ocean where the cable comes up from underground and is plugged into terrestrial systems,” she said. She also went ahead to note that some region’s geographic location is the reason why they are less affected by the cable damages than others. “Based on an interactive map of fiber optic cables, it’s clear that South Africa is in a relatively good position. When the breakages happened, the network was affected for a few hours before the internet traffic was rerouted,” Jess Auerbach stated. “But, in several African countries – including Sierra Leone and Liberia – most of the cables don’t have spurs (the equivalent of off-ramps on the road), so only one fiber optic cable comes into the country. Internet traffic from these countries stops when the cable breaks,” she added.
African students, others attacked at Indian university for praying during Ramadan
At least 4 foreign students have been injured after a Hindu far-right mob allegedly stormed a university hostel in India’s western Gujarat state and attacked the group of students for offering prayers during the holy month of Ramadan, local media has reported. India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday pledged to take “strict actions against the perpetrators”, as the local police in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi said an investigation was underway in connection with the attack at the Gujarat University. The students told local media that a small group had gathered on Saturday night inside the boys’ hostel premises for the Ramadan tarawih prayer as there is no mosque on the university campus based in Ahmedabad. Soon after, a mob armed with sticks and knives stormed the hostel, attacked them and vandalised their rooms, they said. Videos posted on X showed ransacked student dorms and a mob destroying the students’ motorbikes with long tools…Gujarat University Vice-Chancellor Dr Neerja A Gupta told local media that the international students need to be trained in “cultural sensitivity”.
“These are foreign students and when you go abroad, you must learn cultural sensitivity. These students need an orientation… NDTV quoted Gupta as saying.
The Gulf’s scramble for Africa is reshaping the continent
African politicians are like customers in a geopolitical bazaar as middle powers—including Brazil, India and Turkey—extend their economic and diplomatic reach. Yet it is the rise of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) —and to a lesser extent Saudi Arabia and Qatar—that is the most striking. The Gulf’s scramble for Africa promises great economic benefits, but also threatens to fuel horrific wars. Gulf influence stems from cash. In November Saudi Arabia held its first Africa summit, at which it announced billions of dollars of investment. Even that is dwarfed by the UAE, which in 2022 made investment pledges in Africa worth seven times those of American firms. In the previous ten years it was the fourth-largest foreign direct investor in Africa, behind China, the eu and America. DP World, a Dubai-based firm, runs ports in nine African countries. Masdar, a renewables firm, says it will splurge $10bn in Africa. In 2020 and 2021 the UAE traded more with sub-Saharan Africa than America did. Dubai, with its secure property rights and light (some would say lax) financial regulation, is home to over 26,000 African businesses. Diplomacy comes in concert with the money. The UAE and Saudi Arabia were invited to join the brics at the bloc’s summit last year in Johannesburg. Qatar and the UAE increased the number of their embassies in sub-Saharan Africa five-fold and nearly three-fold, respectively, from 2012 to 2022. Saudi Arabia has promised to open a dozen or so more posts. One-third of all new embassies opened globally in 2022 were in the Gulf, driven largely by reciprocal African diplomacy. The attention will bring benefits to African states facing a funding squeeze. New Chinese loans granted to Africa slumped by 80%…in the four years to 2022 over the preceding four. Africa’s share of Western aid has declined because of the war in Ukraine.
Saudis bet on African minerals for green transition
Saudi Arabia wants to be a minerals and industrial powerhouse. Key to that plan: Africa. Riyadh aims to drastically expand its domestic mining sector but acknowledges that even with the potential riches under its soil — $2.5 trillion by its own estimation — it can only access certain minerals at home. Khalid al-Mudaifer, the vice minister for mining, pledged the kingdom would help African countries build up their capacity to refine minerals into more lucrative products, thereby capturing more of the economic value of their resources, but noted that not all countries had a robust enough local supply chain to support their ambitions. “Sometimes energy is not there, infrastructure is not there, talent, power, grids,” he said…Saudi Arabia’s ambitions come at a time when several African countries are exploring ways to process minerals at home, thereby capturing more of their raw economic value and benefiting from the global green transition. African nations have multiple reasons to want to deal with Saudi Arabia, whether or not its promises of helping build up infrastructure and refining capacity come to pass in full. For one, the continent’s mining sector has largely been left to either existing mining companies or Chinese giants, so a new investor angling for finite resources by definition gives African governments more bargaining power, whether or not they eventually agree deals with Riyadh. Second, Saudis can legitimately sell a story of having developed largely thanks to its exploitation of domestically held natural resources, a narrative that will be viewed favorably by African countries hungry for economic growth.
Putin says France ‘resents’ Russia over Africa
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview published on Wednesday that French leader Emmanuel Macron’s criticism of Moscow on Ukraine is due to “resentment” at losing allies in Africa to the Kremlin. Macron has stood out amongst Western leaders as one of the most vocal opponents of Russia in recent weeks, saying that there were “no limits” to French support to Kyiv and urging others not to be “cowards.” Tensions between France and Russia over influence in Africa have risen since the 2010s, when Moscow’s private military group Wagner deployed to areas on the continent traditionally linked to Paris. “Such a sharp reaction, quite an emotional one, from the French president is linked amongst other things with what is happening in African countries,” Putin said in an interview aired on Russian state television. He claimed France’s issue with Russia is not in Ukraine. “The problem is different. It is the well-known Wagner group,” he said. He said that France was upset that Russia was “stepping on its tail” in Africa, saying: “I think that there is some kind of resentment.”
Africa to play ‘huge role’ in US critical mineral strategy, says Treasury’s No. 2
The United States is looking to Africa to help loosen a Chinese stranglehold on battery metals and reduce Russia’s influence over the market for other minerals, U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said. Coronavirus pandemic fallout and Moscow’s war in Ukraine have sent Western governments scrambling to reduce their reliance on Chinese supply chains and disentangle their economies from Russia. While the U.S. government has launched a raft of measures to incentivise increased production of strategic and critical minerals at home, notably under the Inflation Reduction Act, Adeyemo acknowledged that overseas resources were also vital. “Africa is going to play a huge role,” he said. “A lot of critical minerals are located here.” Chinese assets in Africa already include massive copper and cobalt projects in Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia as well as lithium in Zimbabwe, where companies are assisted by heavy Chinese state investment in accompanying infrastructure. Adeyemo said the United States was working with G7 allies to close that infrastructure gap. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation is, meanwhile, aiming to de-risk private investment in Africa. And the deputy secretary said Washington was incentivising U.S. manufacturing to boost demand for those minerals and create favourable market conditions for miners.
Africa’s push to regulate AI starts now
In the Zanzibar archipelago of Tanzania, rural farmers are using an AI-assisted app called Nuru that works in their native language of Swahili to detect a devastating cassava disease before it spreads. In South Africa, computer scientists have built machine learning models to analyze the impact of racial segregation in housing. And in Nairobi, Kenya, AI classifies images from thousands of surveillance cameras perched on lampposts in the bustling city’s center. The projected benefit of AI adoption on Africa’s economy is tantalizing. Estimates suggest that four African countries alone—Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa—could rake in up to $136 billion worth of economic benefits by 2030 if businesses there begin using more AI tools. Now, the African Union—made up of 55 member nations—is preparing an ambitious AI policy that envisions an Africa-centric path for the development and regulation of this emerging technology. But debates on when AI regulation is warranted and concerns about stifling innovation could pose a roadblock, while a lack of AI infrastructure could hold back the technology’s adoption. Some African countries have already begun to formulate their own legal and policy frameworks for AI. Seven have developed national AI policies and strategies, which are currently at different stages of implementation. On February 29, the African Union Development Agency published a policy draft that lays out a blueprint of AI regulations for African nations. The draft includes recommendations for industry-specific codes and practices, standards and certification bodies to assess and benchmark AI systems, regulatory sandboxes for safe testing of AI, and the establishment of national AI councils to oversee and monitor responsible deployment of AI. The heads of African governments are expected to eventually endorse the continental AI strategy, but not until February 2025, when they meet next at the AU’s annual summit in Addis Ababa.
Scientists find hundreds of unique species in Africa’s newest and most threatened ecoregion
Groundbreaking research in southern Africa has unearthed a wealth of previously undocumented biodiversity in a newly recognised ecoregion. The findings are so significant that scientists from across the world, have officially proposed that the area be considered a new ecoregion – the South East Africa Montane Archipelago (SEAMA). The mountains stretch across northern Mozambique to Mount Mulanje in Malawi, southern Africa’s second highest mountain. The study documents 127 plant species, and 90 species of amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, butterflies, and freshwater crabs, all of which are endemic (found nowhere else on Earth) and found on the regions mountains. Despite being globally significant for biodiversity, the ecoregion is under severe threat. Since the scientists started their surveys around 20 years ago, the mountains have lost a fifth of their rainforest extent, nearly half in some cases – one of the highest deforestation rates in Africa. Such sites of high biodiversity and natural wilderness are increasingly rare and threatened globally.
Netflix & Showtime battle for high-octane drama – African style
Sassy, provocative African-made dramas could be key to potentially one of the biggest streaming markets in the world – and one new show is proving the point. “Lights off at eight. No sex here,” a teacher tells a new student in Youngins, set in fictional boarding school in South Africa…With 70% of sub-Saharan Africans being under the age of 30, Showmax, which also offers documentaries and Premier League football, wants to expand its market share in the African subscription video-on-demand space . Other global streaming giants such as Amazon Prime are decreasing their investment in Africa except Netflix which has also been steadily expanding its presence in Africa’s video streaming market. Between 2016 and 2022, it invested $175m (£139m) in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya. In 2020, it also signed a lucrative multi-title deal with Nigerian production company EbonyLife, founded by acclaimed producer Mo Abudu, to create multiple original Netflix series and films. Showmax in a partnership with NBCUniversal and Sky, and also partnering with mobile phone company MTN South Africa, hopes to make streaming services more accessible with data bundle offers.
UN-RELATED NEWS
2023/24 Human Development Report: Rich countries attain record human development, but half of the poorest have gone backwards
Uneven development progress is leaving the poorest behind, exacerbating inequality, and stoking political polarization on a global scale. The result is a dangerous gridlock that must be urgently tackled through collective action, according to a new report released today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The 2023/24 Human Development Report (HDR), titled Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining cooperation in a polarized world, reveals a troubling trend: the rebound in the global Human Development Index (HDI) – a summary measure reflecting a country’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, education, and life expectancy – has been partial, incomplete, and unequal. The HDI is projected to reach record highs in 2023 after steep declines during 2020 and 2021. But this progress is deeply uneven. Rich countries are experiencing record-high levels of human development while half of the world’s poorest countries remain below their pre-crisis level of progress.
VIDEO(S) OF THE DAY
Lions rescued from war-torn Ukraine start new lives in South Africa
Tsar and Jamil travelled 8,000 miles from their temporary home in Belgium on Saturday (9 March) to their new lifetime home at the Born Free sanctuary at Shamwari Private Game Reserve.
Africa it’s your turn
“Africa it’s your turn. It’s your turn. @sihlebam says it better. We got what we need. The problem is, you are not willing to help. We are the chosen generation for this our continent. No body is coming to save us. It’s up to us to do what we got to do. What are you doing to help this great continent?”
AFRICA NEWS PODCASTS
How gold fuels the war in Sudan
In this episode, guests discuss gold’s connection to the current war and transnational dynamics.
A Financial Crime View from Africa
Host Tom Keatinge, CFCS Director, is joined by Xolisile Khanyile, former head of South Africa’s Financial Intelligence Centre and RUSI Senior Associate Fellow. They discuss her decades-long career as a prosecutor in the financial crime world, illegal wildlife trafficking, public-private partnerships, South Africa’s FATF ‘grey-listing’, and how everyday crime impacts South Africa’s response to money laundering.
AFRICA – RELATED BOOKS
’Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe: a passage from the book in video by Lucien Msamati
AFRICA CALENDAR
The Week Ahead
- Wednesday, March 13, to Saturday, March 23: Tom Perriello, the new U.S. special envoy for Sudan, visits East Africa and the Middle East. Perriello’s tour, which began on Monday, will cover Uganda, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The latter has been accused of funding the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
- Thursday, March 14: U.N. Security Council discusses the potential renewal of its mission in South Sudan. The mission’s mandate ends March 15.
- Friday, March 15: Nigeria releases inflation data for February amid cost-of-living protests.
- Tuesday, March 19: The 13th anniversary of the 2011 Egyptian referendum on constitutional reforms.
- Wednesday, March 20: Report due on the U.N. stabilization mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
AFRICA – ANALYSIS, EDITORIAL/OPINION
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger hint at a new west African currency: what it’ll take for it to succeed
More guns, less grain as conflict and hunger claim African lives
Undersea cables for Africa’s internet retrace history and leave digital gaps as they connect continents
Unleashing the Power of Intra-African Trade: A Path to Prosperity for West Africa
China in Sub-Saharan Africa: sanction-proof supply lines and Dual-Use Ports
Regional Overview Africa, February 2024
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) monthly analysis briefs break down the latest ACLED data on political violence and protest trends around the world – in this case Africa – highlighting potential early warning signs for closer monitoring.
CAMEROON
Cameroon’s rebels may not achieve their goal of creating the Ambazonian state – but they’re still a threat to stability
ETHIOPIA/SOMALILAND
An East African Port Deal the World Should Applaud
NIGER
Transition in Niger: avoiding the dangers of stagnation
RWANDA
Kagame: Why I can’t name my replacement
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, who was recently nominated to run for the fourth time by the ruling party, speakes on what’s at stake in the next election and what it takes to lead the country through turbulent times.
UN RELATED
Déjà vu for the next UN climate change conference
The Africa Edition ©️ 
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