News That Matters To Africa©️
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Hypocrisy is the audacity to preach integrity from a den of corruption.”
HIGHLIGHTS
Kenyan forces due in Haiti — with nowhere to stay
More foreign media suspended in Burkina
Zambia turns to Uganda for help with maize
Egypt detains & deports Sudanese refugees
EU’s highest visa refusal rate is for Africans.
TOP NEWS
Eastern Africa
DRC withdraws former president Kabila’s govt security and support staff
DRCongo: Kenya Airways suspends flights over detained crew
UK MP says Djibouti deported him over China criticism
EU restricts Visas for Ethiopians, citing lack of Govt deportation cooperation
Ethiopian plane marked with ‘Tel Aviv’ lands in Beirut causing embarrassment
Floods Update: 169 killed by floods, 91 missing*
Landslide causes 45 dead, 110 injured as floodwaters sweep central Kenya
Hundreds displaced in Garissa and Mororo, Tana River as floods wreak havoc
23 people missing as boat capsizes in Tana river
What a deluge reveals about Nairobi’s vulnerability
Kenyan forces are about to land in Haiti — with nowhere clear to stay
Turkey, AU force jostle for control of Mogadishu Port
‘Disappeared’ critic resurfaces in Juba court
Surrounded by fighters and haunted by famine, Sudan city fears worst
US Senators call for Magnitsky Sanctions on Sudan’s RSF
UK sanctions Uganda Speaker, 2 others over ‘mabati’ scandal
West Africa
Burkina bans more foreign media over HRW massacre report
US and Russia are vying to build Ghana’s nuclear energy plant
Nights are dark and quiet in Bamako
In northeast Nigeria, those who fled conflict are being returned to conflict
UK consumer giant mulls Africa exit over Nigeria’s naira woes
Nigeria’s Artifical Intelligence strategy
Southern Africa
IMF: 2024 to see SAfrica as largest economy in Africa
Drought-stricken Zambia turns to Uganda for maize
North Africa
Inside Egypt’s secret scheme to detain and deport Sudanese refugees
AFRICA GENERAL
UN RELATED NEWS
PHOTO OF THE DAY
AFRICA RELATED BOOKS/PUBLICATIONS
AFRICA CALENDAR
(12) ARTICLES ON ANALYSIS, EDITORIAL & OPINION
EASTERN AFRICA
DJIBOUTI
UK MP says he was deported over China criticism
A Conservative MP says he was deported during a trip to Djibouti because of the east African country’s close ties to China. Tim Loughton, MP, said he was detained for more than seven hours and barred from entry to Djibouti earlier this month. Mr Loughton, who was subjected to sanctions by China in 2021, described the experience as “very lonely and frightening”. China’s foreign office said the accusations were baseless. Loughton added to media that “Djibouti is effectively a vassel state of China – what China wants, Djibouti kowtows to and having a troublesome MP who has been sanctioned by China turning up on their doorstep was clearly something they didn’t want to entertain.” He said he was put on the next available flight out of the country. In 2021, China imposed sanctionson five MPs, including Mr Loughton, for spreading what it called “lies and disinformation” about the country. It came in retaliation for measures taken by the UK Government over human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslim minority group. Mr Loughton is co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Tibet, which has highlighted China’s record on human rights abuses.
DR CONGO/KENYA
Kenya Airways suspends DRCongo flights over detained crew
Kenya’s national carrier Kenya Airways has suspended its flights to Kinshasa, citing the continued detention of its crew by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s military over a controversial consignment of banknotes. In an update on Monday, the airline said the suspension will take effect from Tuesday, pointing out difficulties in supervision and support of its operations in Kinshasa. “Due to the continued detention of KQ employees by the Military Intelligence Unit in Kinshasa, Kenya Airways is unable to support our flights without personnel effectively. As a result, we reached a difficult decision to suspend flights to Kinshasa effective April 30, 2024, until we can effectively support these flights,” said the carrier’s managing director, Allan Kilavuka, in the notice. Last week, Mr Kilavuka said two of the airline’s staff were arrested and detained on April 19, 2024, over alleged missing customs documentation on valuable cargo which was to be shipped on a KQ flight on April 12, 2024. The cargo in question, however, was not uplifted by the carrier or accepted by them due to incomplete documentation. Though DRC officials are yet to comment on the matter, sources claim that the case is about transportation of $8 million that was seized before being loaded on the KQ plane. A local newspaper reported that a commercial bank attempted to export the money “clandestinely without the knowledge of the security services”.
DR CONGO
DRC withdraws former president Kabila’s govt security and support staff
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government has recalled all civil servants working for former president Joseph Kabila, effectively stripping him of state security and supporting staff. In a statement, the director of the finance ministry, Mulueme Kilolo, said all those attached to Kabila’s official residence, the Vatican Site, should report to President Felix Tshisekedi’s official residence, known by its French name, Palais de la Nation (state house), by the end of April…Tshisekedi succeeded Kabila after the 2019 general elections…However, relations between Tshisekedi and Kabila have been on and off. Last month, the Laurent-Désiré Kabila Foundation, dedicated to his legacy, was raided by the state in Kinshasa. The foundation’s president, Jaynet Désirée Kabila Kyungu, who is Joseph’s twin sister, said it was the third time it had happened.
ETHIOPIA
EU restricts Visas for Ethiopians, citing lack of Govt deportation cooperation
The European Union is tightening visa rules for people from Ethiopia in response to what it says is a lack of cooperation from the Ethiopian government with the repatriation of those who have entered Europe illegally. As a result of the changes, the EU said the visa processing time for Ethiopian nationals will triple, from 15 to 45 days, and that waiving requirements for certain paperwork will no longer be allowed. Ethiopian officials and diplomats will need to pay to obtain travel visas, the EU said. Multiple entry visas will no longer be allowed. The European Commission said the new rules were due to a “lack of response from Ethiopian authorities with regard to readmission requests,” and shortcomings with “the organization of both voluntary and non-voluntary return operations.” The restrictions come as European governments try to control the influx of refugees leaving war-torn African countries to enter Europe.
Ethiopian plane marked with ‘Tel Aviv’ lands in Beirut causes embarrassment
An Ethiopian Airlines plane was forced to cover up the words “Tel Aviv” marked on its aircraft after it touched down at Beirut’s International airport on Thursday due to Lebanon not recognising Israel. Security at the airport flagged the aircraft, which had the registration number ET-AXK, after spotting the sign which was reportedly in small font and difficult to spot from a distance, Lebanon’s directorate general of civil aviation reported. Ethiopian Airlines said it was customary to imprint its aircraft with the name of the first airport it landed at after purchase, and had not noticed the detail until the aircraft arrived at Rafic Hariri International Airport. Lebanon and Israel are still technically in a state of war, with Beirut and other Lebanese cities subject to Israeli aggression over the past decades. This led the Lebanese aviation directorate to ask for the Tel Aviv marking to be concealed before taking off from Beirut and cautioned the African airliner against using Israel-related logos or prints on aircraft bound for Lebanon agai. Israel has launched a series of strikes on Lebanese towns and villages since cross-border fighting between the Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel began on 8 October.
KENYA
Flood News Coverage
Floods Update: 169 killed by floods, 91 missing
The total number of Kenyans killed by floods currently stands at 169, the Ministry of Interior has announced. The government said another 102 individuals have sustained injuries across the affected regions “A total of 91 people are currently missing. Mai Mahiu accounts for 53 of these missing persons while Garissa has reported 16 missing persons.” The ministry said the number of Kenyans affected by the floods stands at approximately 190,942. The counties that have been adversely affected by floods in the last 24 hours are Nairobi, Tana River, West Pokot, and Homa Bay. Additionally, landslides and mudslides have impacted residents of Murang’a and Nakuru counties.
Landslide causes 45 dead, 110 injured as floodwaters sweep central Kenya
Flash floods and a landslide in Central Kenya killed at least 45 people and injured over 110 others on Monday as floodwaters swept away houses and cars in the town of Maai Mahiu, the government said. Police initially blamed the flooding on a burst dam; however the Ministry of Water later said it was caused by a river tunnel under a railway embankment becoming blocked with debris. “The water (eventually) swept the railway line and started moving downstream with a very high speed and velocity causing destruction of property and loss of lives,” the ministry said. Footage showed a large section of rail track, embankment and trees swept downhill.
Hundreds displaced in Garissa and Mororo, Tana River as floods wreak havoc
Thousands of families have been displaced in Garissa town and the neighboring Mororo in Tana River county after River Tana burst its banks. Displaced families are scattered along the Garissa -Nairobi highway after being displaced by floods on Saturday night. This is because they could not flee to the nearby Madogo area since a section of the road at Kona Punda has been cut off by flash floods.Area Member of the County Assembly (MCA) Mohamed Ali said families were spending their days and nights on the roadside with no shelter and food support. Speaking to the press Garissa Governor Nathif Jama took a swipe at the National Government, over what he termed as negligence. He said there has been no lasting solution over the continuous release of water from the mega dams. “This water can be diverted with the creation of more other dams where they can release to without haphazardly letting it come to destroy peoples lives and livelihood,” Jama lamented.
23 people missing as boat capsizes in Tana river
A search and rescue mission is ongoing after a private boat that was ferrying an unspecified number of people capsized between Madogo and Garissa on Sunday evening. The boat was ferrying people at a fee across the flooded section of the Madogo- Garissa road when tragedy struck. A video from the incident showed several people on top of the capsized boat, while others were swimming in the raging waters. In another video, the ill-fated boat was captured ferrying people across the swollen Tana River, and could be seen being swept by the raging waters before it capsized. Tana River has broken its banks following the heavy rains experienced in most parts of the country…The Garissa-Nairobi highway was cut off by the raging floods at Madogo, leading to the booming boat business that has turned tragic.
What a deluge reveals about Nairobi’s vulnerability
Flooding in Nairobi is not unusual but the sheer scale of this year’s deluge has exposed longer term problems with the way the city has developed. “You can’t contain nature. It doesn’t work like that,” says Prof Alfred Omenya, an urban planning and environment expert. He says that much of the city sits on top the Nairobi River’s floodplain, which cuts through the capital. A number of other rivers and streams also flow through Nairobi. A properly developed drainage system may have been able to cope, but as the city has grown over the last century from 100,000 residents to today’s 4.5 million the infrastructure has not kept up. Compounding the problem is that less than half of the residents are connected to a sewage system. In slum areas, open sewers are common, which overflow when it floods. Drains have also become blocked as people dispose of their household rubbish. Open spaces have disappeared as more and more buildings have gone up – both in slums and planned areas. As more concrete covers the earth there are fewer places to absorb the water, and it runs off – overwhelming the drains and rivers. As a result the roads have become part of the drainage system, Prof Omenya said. He blames “clueless leadership that started from the colonial times”.
Kenyan forces are about to land in Haiti — with nowhere clear to stay
Kenya is expected to begin deploying forces to Haiti in late May, and a U.S.-constructed base won’t be ready for them, three people familiar with the talks have said. Now that Haiti has a transitional government in place, the U.S. believes some of the Kenyan forces promised to help secure the embattled country and quell violent gangs will start deploying by May 23. That would coincide with Kenyan President Ruto’s visit to Washington. The deployment would likely be touted as a big win for the bilateral relationship: The mission has been stalled for months due to legal battles in Kenya and Republican lawmakers blocking funds for the deployment, since the U.S.-supported plan offers few details on how the security forces will succeed in their battle. It’s expected to be a somewhat small group, up to 200 personnel, predicts Jake Johnston, an analyst. And that number of forces is very unlikely to quell the violent gangs wreaking havoc on Haiti. When the first forces step foot in Haiti, it’s unclear where the Kenyan forces would be housed. The Defense Department hasn’t finished construction on a facility in Haiti that would house the security forces, Johnston and the others said. The Pentagon pledged to build a base and medical facility, “but that has yet to happen,” Johnston said. “Without the infrastructure, it’s unclear how any sort of larger-scale deployment would be feasible.”
Kenya TikTok ban?
TikTok’s director of government and public policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, appeared before Kenya’s parliament last week as lawmakers considered banning the social media platform over concerns about online safety and harmful content. Mgwili-Sibanda proposed ongoing capacity-building workshops for policymakers to mitigate potential concerns. Kenya’s communications ministry suggested stricter regulation of the platform instead of a total ban. Kenya has one of the world’s highest rates of TikTok usage for accessing news, and in August 2023, when a petition to ban the site was initially put forward, the platform proposed opening a Kenyan office. Social media giants have often brushed up against Kenyan authorities over safety concerns amid an ongoing lawsuit in Nairobi over the alleged exploitation of Meta’s African content moderators. Last month, TikTok and the African Union announced an online safety education partnership. But the platform was banned in Senegal and Somalia last year. Somalia’s government cited its reasoning as the use of the app by militant group al-Shabab “to spread constant horrific images and misinformation.”
SOMALIA
Turkey, AU force jostle for control of Mogadishu Port
The African Union peacekeepers in Somalia say they will not cede the security of the strategic commercial infrastructure yet, even as they hand over more responsibilities to the Somali National Army. The Mogadishu seaport remains key to securing the capital and intercepting supplies that sustain Al-Shabaab warfare. The port is where national, regional, global — and even parochial — interests in Somalia play out: Turks want it for economic reasons; the peacekeepers want it for security and tactical operations; the Somalis want it for business; and the Shabaab want it to sustain their war chest. Officers of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (Atmis) say the seaport is strategic for the Somalia government and the AU force as the main supply route and alternative exit in case of any emergency, and as such, it remains a high Shabaab target. Port reports show that traffic has improved in recent months, as it now receives between 10 and 15 vessels per week unlike in the past when security was not favourable and docking ships were not more than three per week. Since 2014, Turkish private firm Albayrak Group was handed the rights to operate and manage the port – renewed in 2020 for another 14 years – in a deal that sees the company collect revenue to be shared with the Somali Treasury on a 45-55 percent split.
SOUTH SUDAN
’Disappeared’ critic resurfaces in Juba court
The reappearance in a South Sudan court of a former refugee – Morris Mabior Awikjok Bak – who had been forcibly disappeared more than a year ago points to the urgent need to reform the National Security Service (NSS), Human Rights Watch said on Sunday…Human Rights Watch has documented three other cases of enforced disappearance in recent months. Security agents arbitrarily detained two people, including a former Juba City Council leader, without warrants and have since then denied any information about their whereabouts. The agency is also implicated in the disappearance of a youth activist at a checkpoint, which authorities have failed to effectively investigate…The 2014 National Security Service Act gives the agency broad and unqualified powers that enable it to commit serious abuses with impunity. Human Rights Watch has documented that the NSS’ exercise of these broad powers has contributed to shrinking the space for civil society, including human rights defenders and independent media.
SUDAN
Surrounded by fighters and haunted by famine, Sudan city fears worst
Fears of renewed ethnic slaughter in the Sudanese region of Darfur, where genocidal violence killed as many as 300,000 people two decades ago, have soared in recent days, with a looming assault on an embattled city that is already threatened by famine. The contest for control of El Fasher, the last city held by Sudan’s military in Darfur, has prompted alarmed warnings from American and United Nations officials who fear that mass bloodshed may be imminent. El Fasher is the latest flashpoint in a year-old civil war between Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary group that the military once nurtured and is now its bitter rival for power. Since April 14, fighters loyal to the Rapid Support Forces, or R.S.F., have surrounded El Fasher in preparation for what the U.N. has called an “imminent assault.” The city is the last obstacle to total R.S.F. domination of the region. Its fighters swept across Darfur last fall and now hold four of the region’s five major cities. Control of El Fasher would give the group a block of territory that, combined with neighboring areas, covers about one-third of Sudan and would likely precipitate a shift in the course of the war. One feared scenario is that Sudan splits into rival fiefs as Libya did after the death of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi in 2011.
US Senators call for Magnitsky Sanctions on Sudan’s RSF
A group of U.S. senators has called for direct sanctions on Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the group’s leader, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemeti. In a letter dated Friday that was sent to U.S. President Joe Biden to call for sanctions under the Magnitsky Act, the senators write that Hemeti “has committed abuses deserving of sanctions,” referencing allegations that the RSF has carried out mass rape, abductions, and assassinations of prominent political figures. The lawmakers have given Biden 120 days to determine whether the RSF has carried out human rights atrocities and whether the president intends to impose sanctions. Last September, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Hemeti’s brother, Abdelrahim Hamdan Dagalo, who is the RSF’s deputy commander, and Abdul Rahman Juma, the group’s top general in West Darfur. The war has drawn in regional militias and nations including Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Ukraine. It has displaced 9 million people—around four times the entire population of Gaza…Rights groups have called for support in establishing international investigations and direct consequences for the warring generals and foreign allies, as suggested by U.S. lawmakers. Peace negotiations are to resume in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, within the next three weeks.
UGANDA
UK sanctions Uganda Speaker, 2 others over ‘mabati’ scandal
Britain sanctioned the Speaker of the Ugandan parliament, Anita Among, and two high profile Ugandan lawmakers on Tuesday, targeting corruption in the country for the first time with its sanctions regime. Among plus Mary Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, former ministers for the Karamoja region, will be subject to travel bans and asset freezes under the UK’s Global Anti-Corruption sanctions regime. Britain said Kitutu and Nandutu had stolen thousands of iron sheets from a government-funded housing project aimed at helping vulnerable communities in Karamoja. Among had benefited from the proceeds of the theft, London’s statement added. “The UK is sending a clear message to those who think benefiting at the expense of others is acceptable. Corruption has consequences and you will be held responsible,” Britain’s deputy foreign minister Andrew Mitchell said in a statement. “The actions of these individuals, in taking aid from those who need it most, and keeping the proceeds, is corruption at its worst and has no place in society.” Both Kitutu and Nandutu have been charged with corruption in Uganda and their cases remain in the courts. They could not immediately be reached for comment on the British sanctions.
WEST AFRICA
BURKINA FASO
More foreign media suspended over HRW massacre report
Burkina Faso has suspended yet more foreign media outlets over their coverage of a report accusing its army of killing 223 civilians. The report, by US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), said it believed the the massacre in February was in retaliation for villagers aiding armed Islamists. The West African nation’s military government has denied the allegation. They have already suspended the BBC and US broadcaster Voice of America for reporting on the HRW’s publication. On Sunday, Burkina Faso’s communications regulator said broadcasts from French network TV5Monde would also be suspended for two weeks and access to its website blocked, state-owned media reported. The websites of German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), French newspapers Le Monde and Ouest-France, British newspaper the Guardian, and African agencies APA and Ecofin have also been barred until further notice.
GHANA
US and Russia are vying to build Ghana’s nuclear energy plan
The United States and Russia are locked in a race against China, France, and South Korea to build the first nuclear power plant in Ghana. The West African country is among several nations on the continent looking to nuclear power as a low carbon source of energy as they seek to broaden access to electricity. Ghana is turning to nuclear power to complement its existing mix of hydro, thermal and renewable energy. The winner of the ongoing bidding process will be announced at the end of 2024 by outgoing president Nana Akufo-Addo. South Africa has the continent’s only nuclear power plant but Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya have in the last year announced plans to develop this energy source. Ghana laid out its current nuclear plans in 2015 with the expectation of having its first commercial nuclear power plant in 2030…Ghana will now have to choose between competing options which analysts say range from large-scale nuclear power plants to small modular reactors. People who are privy to the ongoing process are giving the US an edge because of the relationship between the two countries. But another school of thought says the Russians may be favored because the Soviet Union built a research reactor in the 1960s under Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah. Russia also has a track record. Its state-owned nuclear company, Rosatom, has signed agreements with a number of countries — including neighboring Burkina Faso, Egypt and South Africa — to develop nuclear technology.
MALI
Nights are dark and quiet in Bamako
Nights in Bamako are getting hotter, which isn’t helped by frequent power outages that can last for up to two days. The droning sounds of generators drown out the music in my neighbourhood. Over the past two years, the public electricity utility, EDM-SA, has struggled to keep the lights on, amid allegations of corruption that led to the suspension of energy minister Lamine Seydou Traoré. He, and several company executives, now face embezzlement charges. They deny wrongdoing. Fuel prices for generators rose steeply under the sanctions imposed in response to the country’s two military coups…However, even nightlife is dimmed by power outages. The streets have become darker, often lit only by Chinese-made solar lamps illuminating shops and the lights of vehicles. Nightclubs have been forced to either adapt by buying generators or reducing their operating hours. Sometimes both, because of the high costs of fuel and generator maintenance. EDM-SA’s own generators reportedly need about a million litres of fuel per day, which costs about $1-million. Last May, the transitional government gave the company $10-million for fuel. Not much changed except for the mounting calls for the energy minister to resign. The night economy continues to darken.
NIGERIA
In northeast Nigeria, those who fled conflict are being returned to conflict
The recent closure of all eight official displacement camps in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in conflict-torn northeast Nigeria, has led to a fresh wave of violence and displacement. More than 150,000 people who were relocated from their camps may now be forced to flee again due to the insecurity and lack of protection in their resettlement sites. In mid-March, the situation intensified when insurgents abducted an unspecified number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had left their camps to gather firewood. Estimates suggest at least 200 IDPs were taken and only nine have returned. Borno has witnessed a surge in violence between January and March, with 176 reported attacks on civilians, particularly targeting IDPs and returnees, and 195 incidents of abduction, kidnapping, and forced disappearance. This marks a significant increase compared to the same timeframe in 2023, which saw 71 incidents of civilians attacked by insurgents and three abduction events. The persistent violence in Borno has forced more than 1.5 million people to abandon their homes, leading to the depopulation of rural areas — a situation the government seeks to overturn through an IDP resettlement initiative across the state as part of its counter-insurgency goals. The plan to move all IDPs from displacement camps back to their homes or to newly established settlements in Borno’s countryside started four years ago, but it has been widely criticised by human rights groups. They say it is putting IDPs back in harm’s way, violating international and national guidelines that specify that displaced people and refugees may only be voluntarily returned to their homes when it is safe to do so, and that returns must be carried out with dignity and respect for their human rights.
UK consumer giant mulls Africa exit over Nigeria’s naira woes
British consumer goods company PZ Cussons may sell its Africa operations, citing adverse economic conditions on the continent, particularly in its largest market Nigeria. Its Africa business, despite raising product prices to account for inflation, saw its revenue halved during the period. It was a much steeper decline than was recorded in its other markets in Europe and Americas, and the Asia-Pacific, at -1.4% and -10.7% respectively…PZ’s board described its Africa operations as “a complex group of assets” and is “evaluating the strategic options both to reduce risk and to maximise shareholder value.” It could lead to an outright sale, with CEO Jonathan Myers saying “nothing is ruled out.” PZ’s Africa operations include outposts in Ghana and East Africa, but Nigeria is its “largest and most diverse single market,” according to the company. Its products in Nigeria, where it has operated for over 120 years, range from skincare and sanitary products, like Imperial Leather and Morning Fresh dishwashing liquid, to food items such as Mamador cooking oil. Rising inflation and currency devaluation over the past year have increased production costs in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s Artifical Intelligence strategy
The Nigerian government on Friday launched a multilingual large language model, an artificial intelligence program that can generate conversational voice and text, trained on mass data sets. Nigeria’s model will be trained on five as-yet-unspecified under-resourced languages in the country and accented English (dialects that have few data available for training AI systems). The data will be input using around 7,000 fellows drawn from the government’s technology program. It’s part of the Nigerian government’s plan to ensure that African nations are represented in AI systems as it drafts a national AI strategy.
SOUTHERN AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA
2024 to see SAfrica as largest economy in Africa
South Africa will become Africa’s largest economy this year, according to growth projections in the International Monetary Fund’s World Outlook report published earlier this month. This could be helpful for bragging rights by supporters and surrogates for the ruling African National Congress in the run-up to what is likely to be a historic election next month. But closer review suggests that Africa’s most industrialized economy might be the best of a tepid bunch. Its GDP is only expected to grow by 0.9%, as it remains hampered by energy shortages and clogged ports. Nigeria, which proudly held the “Africa’s biggest economy” moniker until it was edged out last year by Egypt, has seen its economy shrink as the impact of painful economic reforms take hold. While it is forecast to grow by 3.3% this year, Nigeria is still expected to slip to fourth behind Egypt and Algeria.
ZAMBIA
Drought-stricken Zambia turns to Uganda for maize
Zambia is in talks with Uganda for a possible supply of more than 500,000 metric tonnes of maize to replenish its depleted reserves that have exposed more than two million people to starvation. Lusaka banned the exports of maize grain and mealie (maize flour) in February following a prolonged dry spell that has adversely impacted the production of the crop in 84 out of its 116 districts. Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture, Animal, Industry and Fisheries says that Kampala has received a request to supply up to 500,000 metric tonnes of the grain to Lusaka. “The Government of Uganda has received an expression of interest for up to 500,000 MT of maize grain to be exported to Zambia. This has certain requirements including quality and available volumes to enable us to meet the export successfully,” the ministry’s Permanent Secretary David Kasura-Kyomukama says through a letter dated March 25, 2024. “The purpose of this letter is to invite you to a stakeholders meeting to discuss the process and requirements for this opportunity.” Zambia’s vulnerability assessment report (2023) projects over two million people to be food insecure spanning the period October 2023 to March 2024. Zambia, the second largest maize producing nation in Southern Africa after South Africa, declared drought a national disaster in February and introduced a state of emergency.
NORTH AFRICA
EGYPT
Inside Egypt’s secret scheme to detain and deport Sudanese refugees
Thousands of Sudanese refugees who escaped to neighbouring Egypt have been detained by Egyptian authorities in a network of secret military bases, and then deported back to their war-torn country often without the chance to claim asylum, an investigation has found. Additionally, they are extorting absurd amounts of money from Palestinians trying to cross at Rafah. The investigation has found that the actions contravene refugee conventions that Egypt has ratified, and are being carried out as the EU has pledged billions of dollars to Cairo in exchange for the government curtailing migration to Europe, a deal that critics could make European countries complicit in the abuses taking place. Egyptian authorities have taken various measures to restrict Sudanese from entering legally, despite an agreement guaranteeing freedom of movement between the countries. Most refugees are now forced to use smugglers to enter, even as they risk being detained for irregular entry or injured in dangerous mountain passages. Over six months, reporters obtained internal police, military, and public prosecutor records, and used photographs, videos, and satellite images to confirm the presence of half a dozen military bases whose locations are mostly unknown and which are being used as detention centres without legal approvals. The interviews and documents reveal a systematic, nationwide effort to deny Sudanese refugees the right to claim asylum. The campaign involves multiple components of the Egyptian security apparatus as well as other agencies of the government, which had not responded to requests for comment by the time of publication.
AFRICA – GENERAL NEWS
African presidents in Nairobi for World Bank summit
Over 20 African Heads of State and Government have gathered in Nairobi for the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA21) summit. The summit began on Sunday with a meeting of Africa’s Finance Ministers from IDA Member States. The Finance ministers discussed the IDA’s policy and financing frameworks and highlighted key critical priority areas for development financing for Africa. During the summit, Kenya’s President William Ruto highlighted the significance of IDA’s rapid and decisive action during crises, emphasizing its distinctive approach compared to other funding sources. Ruto praised IDA’s demand-driven programs and concessional loans, which offer borrowing nations the opportunity to pursue long-term development strategies tailored to their specific needs. Currently, IDA operates projects in 75 countries, with a substantial 39 of those located in African states. This widespread presence underscores the organization’s dedication to addressing the diverse range of development needs across the continent. The summit serves as a platform for African leaders to discuss strategies for maximizing the impact of IDA funding, ensuring that it is effectively utilized to drive sustainable economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve the lives of millions of people across Africa.
Why Europe is rejecting African visa applications
Nearly a third of Africans applying for a visa to Europe’s Schengen area are rejected — the highest refusal rate of any region, according to a new report by migration consultancy firm Henley & Partners. That’s despite the continent submitting the lowest number of applications per capita. Africa’s applicants had a 30% visa refusal rate. “The rejection rates for African applicants for Schengen visas are generally 10% higher than the global average, three times higher than the highest rejection rate,” Mehari Taddele Maru, professor at the European University Institute, observed in the report. Algeria saw the highest rate of refusals, with 46% of its more than 390,000 Schengen visa applications in 2022 rejected. Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Senegal and Mali all had between 40% and 45% of applications denied. The researchers argued the European visa system “clearly demonstrates apparent bias against African applicants,” despite justifications based on security or economic concerns. The researchers said that with limited visa-free access to wealthy countries and high visa refusal rates, Africans were locked out of numerous opportunities as their ability to engage in multinational trade, network, and explore international business ventures is severely limited. The influx of illegal migrants in Europe and the resulting political pressure on governments across the continent is bound to make visa regimes more restrictive to Africans. The high rate of visa refusals for Africans is unlikely to change significantly in the next few years, particularly as more right wing parties have gained power across Europe with immigration a key rallying call for many of them. However, this means that countless more Africans who would benefit from traveling abroad for business, education or tourism will be unable to do so. This will not only deny them opportunities for economic advancement, but also deny companies in Europe access to African talent.
U.S. Loses Soft Power Edge in Africa
The United States lost its place as the most influential global power in Africa last year as its star status dimmed and other countries — China in particular — gained fans. A new Gallup report shows median approval ratings of Washington — indicative of the country’s soft power — slipped from 59% in 2022 to 56% in 2023. Of the four global powers asked about, the U.S. was the only one not to see its image improve across Africa in 2023. Meanwhile, China’s approval in the region rose six percentage points, from 52% in 2022 to 58% in 2023, two points ahead of the U.S. Last year, China recorded its highest leadership approval rating in Africa in a decade. In seven countries — many in western Africa — Beijing saw double-digit increases in approval compared with 2022. The largest of these came in Ghana (+15 points), Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal (+14 points each). Since 2022, Moscow’s image in Africa has improved even more than China’s. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, it lost significant support across the continent, as it did across the rest of the world. But now that more than two years have passed since the war began, Moscow’s image has recovered. Median approval of Russian leadership now stands at 42%, up from 34% the previous year. It has not been higher since 2012 (47%).
AI in Africa opens up new battlefront for China, US
The US and China are in a new race to shape the development, use and governance of artificial intelligence in Africa, even as African countries scramble to devise their own AI policies. The two countries have stepped up efforts in recent weeks to collaborate with African countries on attracting AI investment and formulating policy. At the American Chamber of Commerce Business Summit in Nairobi last week, the US and Kenya signed a partnership agreement enabling American companies to invest in artificial intelligence and data centers in Kenya, East Africa’s largest economy. US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said the deal would help “facilitate data flows, and empower digital upskilling.” Kenya, Microsoft, and the UAE’s G42 investment group also announced the construction of a 1 gigawatt data center powered by renewable energy near Nairobi. China declared its intention to collaborate with African countries on AI at the China-Africa internet summit in the southeastern city of Xiamen earlier in April. China’s Cyberspace Administration pushed for the establishment of a China-Africa AI policy and the promotion of AI technology research, development, and application, including in African learning institutions. A handful of African countries, including Egypt, Rwanda, and Mauritius have so far published national AI strategies, while others including Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa are in different stages of developing similar strategies. But regulation of AI is yet to be adopted on the continent, despite growing calls to do so.
Portugal’s debate over colonial and slavery reparations resurfaces
The Portuguese government has said it has no plans to pay reparations for the country’s role in transatlantic slavery and colonialism. The previously dormant debate about the country’s role in the slave trade and other colonial-era abuses roared back into life last week after its President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, suggested it should make amends for such “crimes”. But the right-of-centre government – dominated by a party that Mr de Sousa once led – dismissed the idea, while the far-right Chega party is to seek a vote in parliament condemning the president and his comments, which it said “undoubtedly represent a betrayal of the Portuguese people and its History”. It was in a wide-ranging conversation with foreign correspondents that the president was asked whether reparations were due for the slave trade, during which Portuguese ships took millions of people from Africa, mainly to Brazil, where they were forced to work on plantations. In his response, he did not mention slavery, but said Portugal should take “full responsibility” for its past, citing massacres and looting as abuses for which it could “pay the costs”.
It’s hard being black in France, says Omar Sy after Aya Nakamura racism row
The French actor Omar Sy, the star of the hit Netflix series Lupin, has said France must move away from the individualism that is fragmenting society and rebuild a sense of the collective if it is to hold back the far right. In a series of media interviews to promote a new book about his life, Sy said the notions of justice, equality and fraternity had been shaken, and it was hard to be a black person in France. He cited the example of the racist row over the French pop star Aya Nakamura, the most listened to French artist in the world, who recently faced a backlash from the far right and the right after it was rumoured she might sing at the Olympics opening ceremony. “She has succeeded in her life, she has transcended her social background and she finds herself in a position where she’s victim of racism,” Sy said. Asked about the rise of the far right in French politics, he warned against people “spewing hatred” and peddling an image today of a “France of the past”. Sy said those ideas historically had “led France to dark places”.
How to champion African art on the global stage
Interview: Atim Annette Oton is the Nigerian-born, US/UK-educated designer turned curator of Calabar Gallery. The New York-based gallery, named after the southeastern Nigerian city where she spent her formative years, showcases the work of African and African diaspora artists globally. It has a mission to provide a place for community, exhibition, creative initiatives and projects. “African art is at the main stage globally: in galleries, art fairs, auctions, curators, biennales, museums, artists doing residencies, and in collections. It is now somewhat normal to see a list of exhibitions with African artists included. It’s now a staple of the industry. In auctions, we see higher auction prices and a move from figurative to abstract work. 2021 was a high note, although there was a drop in sales last year which is continuing into 2024. But it will soon bounce back.”
UN RELATED NEWS
For British ‘Eyes’ Only
The post of the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, is about to fall vacant after Martin Griffiths, a Briton, announced his decision to step down due to ill health. He leaves at the end of June. Certain roles at the UN are known to be informally ring-fenced for nationals of certain countries — an unjustifiable tradition that the General Assembly has sought to end, even as the practice persists and limits the chances of finding the best candidate for many of the UN’s most important jobs. In this instance, the job at the helm of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has been monopolised by British nationals since 2007. This is even more jarring given that the UK is party to many of the conflicts that the Emergency Relief Coordinator needs to deal with, and the country has a squalid record of attempting to foist unqualified ex-politicians into key UN positions…the UK is apparently insisting on its right to appoint a Brit, and — with opinion polls suggesting many government ministers and parliamentarians may soon find themselves unemployed — the fear is there will be no shortage of unqualified or otherwise unsuitable candidates.
AFRICA RELATED BOOKS/PUBLICATIONS
An Unholy Traffic: how the slave trade continued through the US civil war by Robert KD Colby.
Colby cites a shocking statistic. Between 80% and 85% of people enslaved in the Confederacy on the eve of war in 1861 were still enslaved when Gen Robert E Lee surrendered in Virginia four years later. The number of Black people who were bought and sold over that span is estimated in the thousands.
AFRICA IN PICTURES
In Photos: Kenya’s Floods
AFRICA CALENDAR
The Week Ahead:
Wednesday, April 24: The U.N. Security Council discusses the Great Lakes region.
Wednesday, April 24, to Thursday, April 25:
Namibia’s International Energy Conference will be held in the capital city of Windhoek.
South African Deputy President Paul Shipokosa Mashatile visits the United Arab Emirates on a trip that began Monday.
Monday, April 29: National Assembly election takes place in Togo.
AFRICA – ANALYSIS, EDITORIAL/OPINION
Black people globally are demanding reparations. It’s time politicians listen
Talking to teens about sex: advice for parents on when, how, what to say and why it’s so important
Gum Arabic from Africa’s acacia trees in the Sahel is used in hundreds of products: what’s worth knowing
Ethiopia
Adwa’s shadows: Eritrea’s forgotten war veterans
Ethiopia’s triumph over Italy at Adwa is central to its national identity, but many Eritreans who were subjected to Emperor Menelik’s brutal retribution for serving Rome recall the darker side of the story.
Egypt
Why Egypt has been missing in action during Israel’s war on Gaza
Ghana
Margaret Busby: how a pioneering Ghanaian publisher put African women’s writing on the map
Kenya
Kenyan doctors’ strike: the government keeps failing to hold up its end of the bargain
Punish or Pardon?
In Kenyan law, drug traffickers and addicts receive the same punishment – a prison sentence. Some are calling for this to change, as addicts need rehabilitation that they can’t get in prison. Should drug addiction be treated as a disease?
South Africa
How the Mandela myth helped win the battle for democracy in South AfricaL
United Nations
Is the UN System Still Relevant?
We are failing every day to force a ceasefire and stop the genocide. But failure is not an option. We must refocus this moment.
Reviving Tanzania’s regional leadership and global engagement
Priorities for an effective foreign policy reset
Zimbabwe
The mining industry has a big role to play in the future of human rights in Zimbabwe
The Africa Edition ©️ 
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