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QUOTE OF THE DAY
The Weekly Paraprosdokians:
“There are three kinds of people in the world – those who can count, and those who can’t.”
HIGHLIGHTS
Rwanda’s War Crimes Tribunal comes to an end
Gambian ex-minister guilty of crimes against humanity
SAf asks ICJ to halt Israel’s offensive
Tunisia repression intensifies
Seychelles also contests for top AU post.
TOP NEWS
Eastern Africa
Katogota: 24 years later, the cry for justice still echoes in DRC
Seeking access to DRCongo’s metals, White House aims to ease sanctions on Israeli figure
In honor of slain Olympian center for GBV survivors opened in Kenya
Rwanda’s War Crimes Tribunal comes to an end
Think Tank says South Sudan faces an economic meltdown
US sanctions two commanders of Sudan’s paramilitary RSF
EAfrica outages stir fears over Africa’s internet vulnerabilities
West Africa
Benin provisionally reverses ban on oil exports from Niger
Former Gabon First Family goes on hunger strike
Swiss court finds Gambian ex-minister guilty of crimes against humanity
(Ghanian) Man told he is not British after 42 years in UK
U.S. lays out plans for withdrawing troops from Niger
Nigeria charges ex-central bank boss for illegally printing bank notes
Everything Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Did in Nigeria
Southern Africa
Ramaphosa signs health bill weeks before election
South Africa asks ICJ to halt Israel’s Rafah offensive
Semenya’s decade-long legal fight rages continues
More than half of Zimbabwean population will need food aid
North Africa
Egypt is selling off prime tourist land to pay its debts
UN envoy decries continued political stalemate in Libya
Fear reigns in Tunisia as repression intensifies
North African filmmakers lead Africa’s representation at Cannes
AFRICA GENERAL
GOOD NEWS AFRICA
TWEET OF THE DAY
VIDEO (S) OF THE DAY
GALLERY OF AFRICA NEWS IN PICTURES
(27) ARTICLES ON ANALYSIS, EDITORIAL & OPINION
EASTERN AFRICA
DR CONGO
Katogota: 24 years later, the cry for justice still echoes in DRC
On May 14, 2000, the Ruzizi River, which separates the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from Burundi and Rwanda, bore the bodies of hundreds of civilians massacred in Katogota by rebels from the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD). Twenty-four years later, the residents of Katogota, a village in the Ruzizi Plain in eastern DRC, continue to mourn and demand justice. In a recent memorial procession, villagers walked to the Ruzizi River to honor the victims. The massacre, carried out by the RCD, a group once allied with Rwanda and now a registered political party in the DRC, left deep scars on the community.
Seeking access to DRCongo’s metals, White House aims to ease sanctions on key Israeli figure
Three years after Biden administration officials tightened sanctions on a billionaire Israeli mining executive for corrupt business practices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, they have reversed themselves and are offering the executive a deal they hope will bolster the supply of a metal vital to electric vehicles. The plan would allow the executive, Dan Gertler, to sell off his remaining stakes in three giant copper and cobalt mining operations in Congo. Once Mr. Gertler sells his positions, the Biden administration hopes Western-leaning companies will be more willing to invest in Congo, perhaps delivering a greater supply of cobalt to the United States as automakers race to increase domestic production of batteries. But certain State and Treasury Department officials strongly opposed the effort, saying that Mr. Gertler should not be allowed to profit from his deal-making, which the Biden administration earlier argued had cheated the citizens of Congo out of more than $1 billion in mining revenues. The son of one of Israel’s biggest diamond dealers, Mr. Gertler started to invest in Congo nearly three decades ago. He eventually became one of the biggest holders of mining rights in the central African nation and the target of accusations that he had enriched himself at the expense of a population that is among the world’s poorest…Mr. Gertler was targeted with sanctions in December 2017 — during the first year of the Trump administration — as the Treasury Department claimed Congo had been cheated as a result of “opaque and corrupt mining and oil deals” involving the billionaire, which he secured at discounted prices because of his ties with the Kabila family. “There is extensive documentary evidence of Mr. Gertler’s corrupt activities in the D.R.C.,” said a statement issued by Congo Is Not for Sale, which was provided to the Biden administration to object to the proposed deal.
KENYA
Kenya’s finance bill sparks investor fears
Kenya’s proposed 15% tax on interest from infrastructure bonds is sparking fears foreign currency inflows will fall. The tax is among a raft of proposals in the country’s Finance Bill 2024, which lays out plans for the next fiscal year’s budget. Treasury and Economic Planning secretary, Njuguna Ndung’u (pictured, last June) has been under pressure to raise tax revenues for the beleaguered Ruto administration. If passed, foreigners would pay a 15% tax on interest from infrastructure bonds, while domestic investors will pay 5%. Foreign investment in tax-exempt bonds has been credited with boosting local currency, and fears are growing that the new tax could hurt foreign investment and the economy at large. The bill would also affect global tech firms operating in Kenya, replacing the current 1.5% digital services tax with a Significant Economic Presence Tax that would increase taxes on some foreign digital businesses to 6% of gross revenue.
In honor of slain Olympian center for GBV survivors opened
For more than two years, Tirop’s Angels, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating gender-based violence (GBV), and backed by fellow Kenyan athletes, it has been providing support and care for victims in Kenya. Last weekend, they unveiled a physical space to further serve their community in Iten. GBV survivors can find assistance, counseling, and the strength to reclaim their lives in this new facility. On October 13, 2021, Agnes JebetTirop, a celebrated 25-year-old Kenyan athlete was discovered dead in her Iten residence, bearing stab wounds on her neck. Tirop’s husband, 43-year-old Ibrahim Kipkemoi Rotich, was apprehended following a manhunt that spanned a day. Their relationship wss described as tumultuous. Her killing happened a month after she shattered the women-only world record in the 10-kilometer road race in Germany. Additionally, Tirop, a 2015 World Cross Country Champion, had clinched bronze medals in the 10,000-meter event at both the 2017 and 2019 World Athletics Championships. Her funeral served as an avenue to denounce GBV and femicide in Kenya, and rallied Kenyan athletes in solidarity for an urgent, pervasive issue that cuts across Africa.
RWANDA
The war crimes tribunal for Rwanda was established with one mission: bring to justice those indicted for the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Almost three decades have passed since then but the tribunal has finally accomplished its mission and located every person on its list of 92 indictees. The tribunal announced this development on April 30 during a call that featured Serge Brammertz, its prosecutor, as well as Ewan Brown and Kevin Hughes, the two leaders of its tracking team. The tribunal’s decision to bring the curtains down on its mission came after the tracking team determined the last two suspects of the pogrom were long dead. The two suspects, Charles Sikubwabo and Ryandikayo, had led mobs of Hutu militia to massacre tens of thousands of Tutsis during the genocide.
SUDAN
US sanctions two commanders of Sudan’s paramilitary RSF
The United States Treasury said in a statement on Wednesday that it has imposed sanctions on two top commanders of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following attacks in North Darfur. The commanders who were sanctioned are major general Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed, who is the RSF’s head of operations, and the group’s RSF Central Darfur commander Ali Yagoub Gibril, the statement said.
East Africa outages stir fears over Africa’s internet vulnerabilities
Fresh damage to undersea cables that supply African countries with the internet has raised new fears about the continent’s network vulnerabilities. The damage marks the third widespread disruption since the start of the year. Internet users in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda reported different levels of disruption between Sunday and Monday following cuts to two submarine cables, EASSy (East Africa Submarine System) and Seacom. The breaks also caused disruptions in Mozambique, Malawi, and Madagascar, according to Cloudflare, a US internet data company. Kenya’s communications authority said the process of recovery had begun, though “slow speeds may remain in the coming few days.” Telecom operator Safaricom said it would source “additional capacity with other undersea cable partners” to make up for the shortfall in connectivity. MTN and Telkom, two South African telecom majors operating in East Africa, said they were trying to “minimize” the disruption. The outage mirrors similar events in March, when cuts to four cables disrupted internet access in Nigeria, Ghana and other West African countries.
SOUTH SUDAN
Think tank says South Sudan faces an economic meltdown
South Sudan is facing an economic meltdown as the war in neighbouring Sudan continues to disrupt its oil exports, the International Crisis Group (ICG) said. Income from oil is not only critical to keeping South Sudan’s factious elites together, it said, but is also the government’s main source of revenue. The landlocked country, which seceded from Sudan in 2011, remains reliant on its northern neighbour’s port to get its oil to the international markets. But one of South Sudan’s two pipelines to the coast, responsible for about two-thirds of its oil exports, broke down in February and is expected to be out of action for months. The ICG said the consequences for South Sudan will be dire. The government will run out of money and the national currency’s value will plunge. Chronic food shortages will worsen, which could lead to renewed instability and fighting in the already fragile country.
WEST AFRICA
BENIN/NIGER
Benin provisionally reverses ban on oil exports from Niger
Benin has provisionally reversed its decision to block exports of crude oil from Niger via its port and agreed to hold a meeting between the two countries, the West African nation’s mines minister said on Wednesday. Last week in an escalation of tensions with its neighbour, Benin said it had blocked exports from landlocked Niger, demanding the junta-led country reopen its border to goods and normalise relations before crude shipments can restart. “We have decided to authorize the loading of the first vessel in our waters… However, it is important to note that this authorization is provisional,” minister Samou Seidou Adambi told reporters after a meeting with Chinese partners. Benin intends to respect all the agreements within the pipeline project, Adambi said, adding that the country planned to hold a meeting to examine “urgent matters relating to the proper conduct of the pipeline’s export operations”. Relations between Benin and Niger have been strained since a July 2023 coup in Niger led the West African regional bloc ECOWAS to impose strict sanctions for more than six months.
GABON
Former First Family goes on hunger strike
Ali Bongo, the former president of Gabon, has embarked on a hunger strike with two of his sons Jalil and Bilal. According to the family’s lawyers, Mr. Bongo and his family have been subjected to inhumane “acts of torture and barbarity” by Gabon’s junta. Bongo was toppled in a military coup last August minutes after he was declared the winner of a controversial presidential election that would have seen him get a third term in office. After he was ousted, the junta put him under house arrest along with two of his sons and placed his wife Sylvia Bongo and his eldest son Noureddin in prison. According to the family’s lawyers, Sylvia and Noureddin were beaten and strangled by their captors. Noureddin was also whipped and electrocuted with Sylvia forced to watch
GAMBIA
Swiss court finds Gambian ex-minister guilty of crimes against humanity
Switzerland’s top criminal court has sentenced Ousman Sonko, a former interior minister of The Gambia, to 20 years in prison for crimes against humanity. In its verdict on Wednesday, the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona, southern Switzerland, said Sonko was guilty of intentional homicide, torture and false imprisonment during former President Yahya Jammeh’s 22-year rule over the country. The charges against Sonko, who served as interior minister from 2006 to 2016, covered alleged crimes during 16 years under Jammeh, who was removed from power in 2017. Swiss prosecutors had accused Sonko, who was acquitted of rape charges, of supporting, participating in and failing to stop attacks against opponents in The Gambia. The charges included nine counts of crimes against humanity. Sonko, who was in the courtroom, applied for asylum in Switzerland in November 2016 and was arrested two months later.
GHANA/UK
Man told he is not British after 42 years in UK
A retired 74-year-old Ghanaian man who has lived in the UK for nearly 50 years must wait a decade before the Home Office will let him stay permanently. Nelson Shardey, from Wallasey in Wirral, had for many years assumed he was officially seen as British. He only discovered otherwise in 2019 and, despite paying taxes all his adult life, now faces paying thousands of pounds to stay and use the NHS. Retired newsagent Mr Shardey first came to the UK in 1977 to study accountancy, on a student visa that also allowed him to work…But in 2019, when he applied for a passport so he could go back to Ghana following the death of his mother, he was told he was not British. The Home Office said he had no right to be in the UK. Officials told him to apply for the 10-year route to settlement. As a result, Mr Shardey will not be allowed to stay in the UK permanently until he is 84. With the help of a lawyer, Mr Shardey is now taking the Home Office to court.
NIGERIA
Nigeria charges ex-central bank boss for illegally printing bank notes
Nigeria’s former central bank governor Godwin Emefiele was charged with illegally printing new bank notes and withdrawing billions of naira without presidential approval and in violation of set rules. Emefiele, who already faces a separate fraud trial, entered a ‘not guilty’ plea to the new charges during an appearance on Wednesday in a court in Abuja. He was released on bail. State prosecutors say between October 2022 and March 2023, Emefiele ordered the printing of new 1,000-, 500- and 200-naira bank notes without the approval of the president and the Central Bank of Nigeria board. The printing of new notes was meant to reduce the use of cash in the economy but instead disrupted businesses and caused hardship for citizens as Nigeria prepared for last year’s presidential election that was won by Bola Tinubu. Emefiele was also charged with approving the withdrawal of 125 billion naira ($82.24 million) from a government fund in violation of rules prescribed by the national assembly.
Understanding Nigeria’s new tax policies
Nigeria has introduced three taxes in 2024 with two proving quite unpopular. The first tax it introduced was the Expatriate Employment Levy (EEL), which mandated employers of expatriate talent to pay an annual fee for each hire. However, it was deemed a threat to foreign investment and was subsequently suspended. Another tax Nigeria introduced is the Cybersecurity Levy, which directed banks to charge a 0.5% levy on every electronic transaction toward a cybersecurity fund. This policy also generated significant outcry that has resulted in its suspension. The third tax policy the country enacted was a tax break for its oil and gas sector. It has proven the most popular of the three till date and many believe it will arrest the decline of the oil and gas sector and stimulate its growth.
Everything Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Did in Nigeria
Over the weekend, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, were in three Nigerian cities. It was their first time visiting the West African country, an endeavor largely tied to the Invictus Games, the international multi-sport event for wounded and sick servicemen and women. On Friday, they arrived in the capital city of Abuja, and their first stop was at Lightway Academy. Later on, the royal couple visited Kaduna state where they were welcomed by Governor Sani Uba. After the State House welcome, Prince Harry visited wounded soldiers at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in northern Kaduna. Having returned to Abuja, Prince Harry attended a reception for military families at the Nigerian Army officers’ and recounted his visit to the hospital in Kaduna and the effect it had on him. Earlier that day, the duke had participated in a sitting volleyball game alongside several army veterans. In between the sitting volleyball game and the military reception, the duchess co-hosted a women’s leadership panel alongside Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Moderated by media mogul Mo Abudu, the pair discussed the importance of female leadership and empowerment in driving positive global change.
NIGER
U.S. lays out plans for withdrawing troops
A U.S. delegation will present the government of Niger this week with detailed plans for shuttering two key American bases and withdrawing all troops, officials said, as the Biden administration moves after months of strained negotiations to comply with the African nation’s decision to terminate a valued counterterrorism mission. The discussions represent a significant development in the months long standoff over the U.S. military presence there and the nature of the two countries’ broader relationship. It comes as Niger’s prime minister, installed following a 2023 military coup, accuses the United States of seeking to dictate his country’s foreign dealings and blames Washington for the breakdown of what had been an important security partnership. While U.S. officials had held out hope for months that a full withdrawal could be avoided in the wake of the Biden administration’s decision to suspend most military aid because of the coup, they are now moving ahead with that plan. Whether cooperation can resume in earnest in the future remains unknown.
SOUTHERN AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa asks ICJ to halt Israel’s Rafah offensive
South Africa has asked the top UN court to order Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah. The hearing is part of a broader case accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, which Israel has repeatedly denied. The hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague is part of South Africa’s broader case accusing Israel of committing “acts of genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza. “South Africa had hoped, when we last appeared before this court, to halt this genocidal process to preserve Palestine and its people,” Vusimuzi Madonsela, South Africa’s ambassador to the Netherlands, told the ICJ. “Instead, Israel’s genocide has continued apace and has just reached a new and horrific stage,” he added. Israel will respond on Friday, the second and final scheduled day of the preliminary hearing. It has denied the accusation and has previously highlighted its commitment to international law. Israel has called South Africa’s case “wholly unfounded” and “morally repugnant.” In January, the court ordered Israel to ensure its troops do not commit genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza, allow in more humanitarian aid and preserve any evidence of violations. The ICJ’s rulings are binding and without appeal, but the court has no way to enforce them.
Anglo American’s breakup plan
Mining giant Anglo American on Tuesday announced plans to break itself up. The plans include selling or demerging its South Africa-based Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) business and its De Beers diamond operation. The changes would mark a radical overhaul of a 107-year-old mining empire whose roots lie in South Africa. The London-listed company is trying to win over shareholders after rejecting a takeover bid from rival BHP, the world’s largest mining company. Anglo on Monday rebuffed a £34 billion ($42.6 billion) offer from BHP. It previously turned down a $39 billion bid. Anglo’s South African shareholders could play a key role in decision making. The country’s government holds a 7% stake via its state-owned asset management firm, Public Investment Corporation. Overall, key South African shareholders are estimated to hold more than 25% of Anglo. BHP’s takeover proposal would require Anglo to sell shares in its Johannesburg-listed subsidiaries, Amplats and iron ore miner Kumba. Anglo says BHP’s takeover bid “significantly” undervalues the company.
Copper. BHP is keen on securing Anglo’s copper assets in Chile and Peru. Demand for copper is expected to boom due to its use in electric vehicles amid the green energy transition, and because of its use in the wiring for data centers that piwer artificial intelligence. Anglo’s planned overhaul would see it focus more on copper.
Ramaphosa signs health bill weeks before election
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law a bill that aims to provide universal health coverage. The president on Wednesday hailed the law as a major step towards a more just society two weeks before an election that is expected to be fiercely competitive. “The provision of healthcare in this country is fragmented, unsustainable and unacceptable,” he said at the signing ceremony at the Union Buildings, the seat of government in Pretoria. “For those who would like to see (their) privileges continuing, sorry, you are on the wrong boat. The boat we are on is about equality,” he said. The National Health Insurance (NHI) Act takes aim at a two-tier health system, in which a publicly funded sector that serves 84 percent of the population is overburdened and run-down while some people have access to better treatment through private insurance. The legislation will gradually limit the role of private insurance, create a new public fund to provide free access for South African citizens, and set the fees and prices that private doctors and healthcare suppliers may charge for NHI-funded benefits.
Semenya’s decade-long legal fight rages continues
Double Olympic Champion Caster Semenya gears up for her momentous day, on Wednesday, May 15, at the European Court of Human Rights set in Strasbourg, France, as she stands against World Athletics’ controversial regulations. With determination, she expressed, “This is an important day in my journey as a human being and athlete.” Reflecting on her struggles, she added, “The adversity I have overcome has helped shaped me into a true champion and a compassionate mother, wife, sister, and daughter.” The 33-year-old was born with differences in sexual development (DSD), a group of rare conditions. This is whereby a person’s hormones, genes and/or reproductive organs may be a mix of male and female characteristics She was barred by the governing body World Athletics from competing in female track events without taking testosterone-reducing drugs. She hopes that the court’s ruling will not only uphold her rights but also set a precedent for athletes worldwide.
ZIMBABWE
More than half of Zimbabwean population will need food aid
More than half of Zimbabwe’s population will need food aid this year following a devastating drought that led to widespread crop failure as humanitarian organisations seek funding to save many from hunger, the country’s cabinet heard late on Tuesday…Zimbabwe is among the worst hit countries by the El Nino induced drought in Southern Africa, with Zambia and Malawi also facing food shortages this year. This is Zimbabwe’s worst drought in 40 years, according to the government. The latest crop assessment presented to the Cabinet of Zimbabwe also revised upwards Zimbabwe’s maize production deficit to 77% from last week’s predictions.
NORTH AFRICA
EGYPT
Egypt is selling off prime tourist land to pay its debts
Saudi Arabia wants to buy the Ras Ghamila area, a popular tourist destination in the Middle East, from Egypt, according to a source within the Egyptian government. To this end, the Kingdom is reportedly willing to use its deposits with the Central Bank of Egypt, about $10.3 billion, to finance the deal. It is also willing to purchase at least six public Egyptian companies to persuade the country’s leaders to sell the area. Ras Ghamila is a popular tourist site along the Red Sea shore that is in close proximity to Saudi Arabia’s Tiran and Sanafir Islands. The Kingdom is reportedly interested in the area because of its potential to boost tourism between Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh and Saudi’s futuristic city Neom. Since 2018, Egypt has been selling off public assets to Gulf States with the proceeds going toward the financing of its huge debt.
LIBYA
UN envoy decries continued political stalemate in Libya
The outgoing head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) urged leaders to end their stalemate and bring the country back on the path to peace and stability. Interview:
UN News: What are the latest efforts by UNSMIL to reverse the intentional defiance to engage in earnest and a tenacity to delay elections in Libya?
Abdoulaye Bathily: The High State Council, Presidential Council, Government of National Unity and the Libyan National Army are the structures today that can make peace or make war in Libya, who are at the heart of problem in the country. This is why, for us, this was seen as an inclusive mechanism which could bring a peaceful settlement, if they are willing to do so. Unfortunately, some of them have put conditions or preconditions. Also, they have been unfortunately supported by some outside players who have taken parallel initiatives which tended to neutralise our initiatives. As long as those same players are supported in one way or the other by outside players, we cannot have a solution…
UN News: You also voiced concern over the presence of armed actors and heavy weaponry in the capital, Tripoli. Can you tell us more about the security situation there and in Libya in general?
Abdoulaye Bathily: We all know that Libya today is almost an open supermarket of arms, which are used for internal political competition among armed groups, but also used in the arms deals, in the arms race and in the arms trade with their neighbours and beyond. The security situation is more and more concerning for the citizens because all these groups are competing for more power and more access to the wealth of the country, and therefore, their rivalries heighten the tensions throughout Libya and particularly in western Libya.
TUNISIA
Fear reigns in Tunisia as repression intensifies
Arrests have stepped up since late April, affecting both anti-racist activists and media personalities. In his crusade against elites, President Kais Saied has even had the Tunisian Swimming Federation president and the anti-doping agency head arrested. Repression has intensified in recent weeks in Tunisia, targeting sub-Saharan migrants, NGOs, journalists, civil servants and lawyers. The crackdown began at the end of April, with operations to dismantle temporary settlements of sub-Saharan migrants near Sfax, the country’s second-largest city. On May 3, security measures were extended to Tunis, where a migrant camp set up opposite the headquarters of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) was forcibly cleared. President Kais Saied justified the operations at a security council meeting on Monday, May 6, saying that “400 people” – men, women and children – had been moved to the “eastern border,” which neighbors Libya. In the same speech, he criticized NGOs helping migrants, accusing them of receiving “huge sums of money from abroad” and calling their leaders “traitors” and “agents.” After the speech, the repression was almost immediate. Saadia Mosbah, an anti-racist activist and president of the Mnemty association, which fights racial discrimination in Tunisia, was arrested the same day and placed in police custody under the country’s anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering act
North African filmmakers lead Africa’s representation at Cannes
This year’s 77th Cannes Film Festival is showing fewer African films — after a record year in 2023 that saw the likes of the Oscar-nominated Four Daughters; Babel & Adama; and Omen (Augure) entrance audiences. Of the selection this year, movies by North African filmmakers, screening across six sections, will carry the continent. These films, made by Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian and Egyptian filmmakers, celebrate the return of established filmmakers and welcome newcomers to the festival. Karim Aïnouz, a Brazilian Algerian director and visual artist, will present Motel Destino, in the main selection of the festival, making it eligible for the prestigious Palme d’Or prize. It’s also the only Latin American movie at this year’s event. Zambian Welsh filmmaker Rungano Nyoni, who was part of last year’s jury that awarded the Palme D’Or, returns to the fest with On Becoming A Guinea Fowl. It’s playing in the Un Certain Regard section, which also sees the debut of Australia-based Somali director Mo Harawe’s The Village Next to Paradise, and the Franco-Guinean production L’histoire de Souleymane, by Boris Lojkine.
AFRICA – GENERAL NEWS
Seychelles Joins Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti in contest for top AU post
The Island nation of Seychelles has joined the race for the Africa Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson slot making it the fourth nation from the Eastern Africa bloc to declare its candidacy after Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti. Seychelles has endorsed its former Vice President Vincent Meriton for the continental post. “The Foreign Affairs Department wishes to announce that the Government of Seychelles has endorsed the candidature of Mr. Vincent Meriton for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) in the election scheduled to take place in February 2025,” the country’s Foreign Office said on Wednesday. Seychelles exuded confidence in Merito’s capabilities having served as its Minister for Foreign Affairs, Health, Information Technology, the Blue Economy and Entrepreneurship Development. Meriton will face Kenya’s Raila Odinga, Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf as well as Somalia’s Fawzia Yusuf Adam, a former Foreign Minister, in the race to succeed the incumbent, Moussa Faki, who has held the position since March 14, 2017. The entry of Seychelles in the race further complicates President William Ruto’s efforts to secure regional backing for Odinga.
More LGBTQ+ migrants seek safety and asylum in Europe
Most European countries don’t keep statistics on the number of migrants who claim anti-LGBTQ+ persecution as a reason for seeking refugee protection under international law. But non-governmental organizations that track the phenomenon say the numbers are rising as countries pass or toughen anti-homosexuality laws. To date, more than 60 countries have anti-LGBTQ+ laws on the books, most of them in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia. “The ultimate result is people trying to flee these countries to find safe haven elsewhere,” said Kimahli Powell, chief executive of Rainbow Railroad, which provides financial, legal and logistical support to LGBTQ+ people needing asylum assistance. While many of the hundreds of thousands of migrants who arrive in Italy from Africa and the Mideast are escaping war, conflict and poverty, an increasing number are fleeing possible prison terms and death sentences in their home countries because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, advocates say. One-tenth of those 2023 requests, or about 1,500, came from Uganda, which passed an anti-homosexuality law that year that allows the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality,” and up to 14 years in prison for “attempted aggravated homosexuality.”
How Policing Is negatively influencing nightlife & concerts across African cities
Around 2 a.m. on Apr. 24, 2024, where Chukwuma Ferdinand, a rising artist who goes by the name ShineTTW, was arrested by officers of the Nigerian Police Force, after he “stepped out [to] drop something for a friend,” he shared on his X account. The police officers tried to force him to write a false statement claiming he was into fraudulent activities. ShineTTW’s case is indicative of a larger problem plaguing the Nigerian music industry. In Ghana, the situation is better considered. The country’s police force tries to actively foster alliance with its music industry, especially during the festive period of December. The model of the creative industry in South Africa necessarily involves third-party structures. Event organizers usually outsource private security firms to help out in and around the places where events take place. Sometimes these companies collaborate with the Joburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) to control traffic in and out of venues during major cultural events. In Kenya…lack of trust between police and young people, who typically run the creative sector, has often manifested in ugly ways because the police sees them “as hard-headed people who really don’t want to tow to the system.” The Kenyan police and the youth are like oil and water.”…In Lagos, Johannesburg and Nairobi—it becomes clear that the police (and by extension the government of the respective countries) haven’t fully grasped the importance of cultural events or their actors.
GOOD NEWS AFRICA
Amid Zimbabwe’s mass exodus, meet the doctors and nurses who stayed behind
Zimbabwe’s health care system has been crumbling under the strain of years of economic and political instability, which started in the late 1990s. Health worker salaries have not been spared by inflation and currency challenges. As a result, many professionals have migrated to seek better opportunities abroad. In 2019, the United Kingdom’s National Health Service employed 4,049 Zimbabwean health care professionals…But not everyone leaves. In late 2022, the country had 1,724 doctors and 17,245 nurses, Dzvukutu says, serving a population of over 15 million. These doctors and nurses grapple with various challenges, among them poor salaries and high workloads. To navigate this, some take part-time jobs in other health centers while others operate illegal clinics such as the one Vimbai visited.
The toll of Fistula – American doctors working to stem the tide in Rwanda
Obstructed labour can happen to any woman, regardless of geographical location. However, it is only in the developing world that it leads to devastating injuries such as obstetric fistula. According to the WHO, obstetric fistula occurs when women go through prolonged labour without medical care, and a hole develops between the birth canal and either the bladder or the rectum. Without maternal healthcare and treatment, it is one of the most ghastly and debilitating injuries that childbirth can cause, affecting an estimated two women and girls every year. This, according to Barbara Margolies, the executive director and founder of the International Organisation for Women in Development (IOWD), a retired American educator, is in Rwanda where she leads a team of American doctors three times a year as part of her organisation’s efforts to share technical expertise with local healthcare providers in assisting women with obstetric fistula…Since 2015, IOWD fistula teams say they have examined thousands of patients and performed surgical procedures. The paediatric urology team has done more than 100 surgeries while the obstetrical gynaecological team has chalked up more than 500 vaginal births, 300 Caesarean section deliveries, and about 100 gynaecological surgeries.
‘Climbing is for ladies too’: Transforming Malawi into a climbers’ paradise
A small group of enterprising, local climbers has a bold cause – to attract more Malawians to the sport. In the last decade, climbing has gone from a niche sport to a worldwide sensation and multibillion-dollar industry. The sport made its debut at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and will feature again in Paris this year, while the Oscar-winning documentary, Free Solo, turned Alex Honnold into a star when he climbed the 3,000-foot (914m) El Capitan mountain wall without any rope or safety gear in 2017. In 2022, The New York Times said that climbing could be the “future of tourism” in Malawi thanks to its soaring granite rock faces that have drawn comparisons with Yosemite National Park in the United States, one of climbing’s global hubs. But while Yosemite alone has more than 2,000 sport climbing routes, Malawi has yet to hit 50…The biggest challenge of all is attracting more Malawians to the sport. Climbing is still far from mainstream in Malawi, and while it may be a perfect place for it, the sport needs Malawians for it to thrive and for those who are already building a community to inspire others.
Biomedical engineer designs affordable, groundbreaking stroke screening for sickle cell patients in Africa
Most of the estimated 300,000 babies born every year with sickle cell disease, an inherited red blood cell disorder, live in sub-Saharan Africa in nations where there are few resources to treat them. Sickle cell disease, whose name reflects the disease’s sickle or crescent moon shape of red blood cells, can affect any major organ…It causes a lower oxygen level and abnormal blood flow in the brain, which is associated with a high risk of stroke. Without treatment, 11% of children with sickle cell disease will have a stroke before they turn 20 years old. In sub-Saharan African nations, there are few resources for screening. The current screening tests use an ultrasound system called a transcranial Doppler to identify elevated blood flow to the brain. But they aren’t affordable, and only a few hospitals in sub–Saharan Africa have certified operators.
The 3 best African climate Good News stories from 2023
Over the last year, there were three developments across Africa which highlight a mix of progress, priorities and potential pitfalls:
— Climate action in Africa is gaining momentum, with a focus on climate finance, carbon markets and policy changes;
— Kenya’s president called for increased climate finance and debt relief for African countries;
— South Africa’s stock exchange opened a voluntary carbon market, paving the way for increased carbon trading activity.
People power: Cameroonian one of 7 conservationists who are ‘saving the world’
Cameroon’s Lake Ossa is a hotspot for the African manatee, a charismatic creature listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. However, in 2016, an invasive plant species known as giant salvinia spread rapidly in the lake, covering more than half of its surface in five years. Enter conservationist Aristide Kamla, who developed a natural solution to the problem by introducing the salvinia weevil to the lake, which chomped through the invasive weed, reducing it by more than 70%. Kamla and his team are now working to tackle the source of the outbreak: nutrient runoff caused by illegal deforestation. Sensors around the lake now alert conservationists to the sound of chainsaws, so rangers can respond. “Now we see more and more manatee – and that’s giving us hope,” he said.
DRC offers free maternity care to cut death rate among mothers and babies
Pregnant women across the Democratic Republic of the Congo are to be offered free healthcare in an effort to cut the country’s high rates of maternal and neonatal deaths. Women in 13 out of 26 regions in the country will, by the end of the year, be entitled to free services during pregnancy and for one month after childbirth. Babies will receive free healthcare for their first 28 days under the scheme, which the government plans to extend to the rest of DRC – although there is no timetable for that yet. In introducing the $113m (£93m) programme, which is supported by the World Bank, the minister of public health, Roger Kamba Mulamba, said the programme would free women from a “prison sentence”. He said: “Mothers today get healthcare without fear when they are pregnant. Babies today do not die because they have no access to antibiotics. Mothers today do not die because they cannot afford to pay for a caesarean delivery.”
Child mortality rate (probably) lowest ever
The rate children died before age 5 was estimated to have dropped from 3.6% in 2021 down to 3.5% in 2022, which is the lowest global number ever estimated…from 37 child deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021 to 36 child deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022. If we continue at the current pace the projected child mortality rate will be 29 per 1,000, missing the target of 25 child deaths per 1,000 live births. If progress accelerates, the 2030 target is within reach.
Ghana will enter ‘malaria elimination’ phase in 2024
Ghana is moving to the “elimination phase” in its longstanding battle with malaria, after successful years-long trials with groundbreaking vaccines, according to the country’s top health official. Dr Patrick Aboagye, director general of the Ghana Health Service, told Semafor Africa the West African country has “seen a massive reduction in the malaria case load and malaria fatality has gone down” since RTS,S, the first malaria vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), was first piloted four years ago. Ghana in April became the first country in the world to approve the R21/Matrix-M jab, which was developed by Oxford University and is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. The WHO recommended it in October. By then it had also been approved for use in Nigeria and Burkina Faso. R21 will be rolled out in those countries early next year, with doses expected to cost from $2 to $4.
Deaf teenager excels in community ballet programme in Nairobi informal settlement
A deaf teenager from a Nairobi slum has defied expectation by excelling in a community ballet programme, despite not being able to hear the music. 17 year old Gorrety Akinyi is the only deaf student in the class and has been able to master the routines by carefully copying her teacher and classmates. Founded by Michael Wamaya, Project Elimu offers after school arts education and a safe space for children in Kibera, the largest informal settlement in the Kenyan capital. Using sign language, Akinyi explains that she joined the classes with other local children in 2020 when all the schools were closed down. “I was the only deaf girl but Mike was willing to help me and I remember them wondering how I would do it because I am deaf and it is about dancing. So I had to copy what the hearing are doing, as I can’t hear and speak as well,” she says.
Student born without arms graduates with cum laude
Kgosatsana Sithole, who was born with phocomelia, an uncommon disorder marked by shortened or absent upper or lower limbs, has achieved an extraordinary feat by earning a Bachelor of Social Science degree with cum laude. The 23-year-old born, who hails from Esikhawini, received a standing ovation from fellow graduates, academics, and guests at the uKZN graduation ceremony on Monday. “Being the only one different in the class posed its challenges, but I had to embrace confidence in my uniqueness and remain steadfast in my purpose,” said Sithole. Sithole’s future plans include studying film and television in order to produce African-centric narratives on politics and crime.
Eight moments where Africans took center stage at Global Citizen NOW
Africa’s social and environmental advancement and protection took center stage in discussions at this year’s Global Citizen NOW in New York City’s Spring Studios. Key figures such as Zimbabwean American actress and activist Danai Gurira fiercely addressed the harsh realities of sexual and physical violence experienced by women and young girls in war-torn regions across Africa. While South Africa’s Tsepho Mahloele, the CEO of Harith General Partners, shed light on the people behind million-dollar companies actioning change all over the globe. This year’s event also kept Global Citizen’s streak alive as it featured a jam-packed lineup of environmentally conscious political figures, community-oriented changemakers and leaders in the private and public sectors.
A decisive year for African heritage
With 5 new sites inscribed this year, Africa has reached the symbolic milestone of 100 sites on the World Heritage List. Rwanda had its first 2 inscriptions: Nyungwe National Park and the genocide memorial sites at Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero. This session was also marked by the removal of the “Tombs of the Buganda Kings at Kasubi” in Uganda from the World Heritage in Danger list, following an ambitious restoration project implemented by the Ugandan authorities and local communities with the support of UNESCO. With the aim of increasing the number of African heritage sites on the World Heritage List, the States Parties to the Convention also adopted a dedicated strategy for the continent developed by UNESCO. This strategy will provide better support for African states carrying out local conservation projects and preparing World Heritage nomination files.
6 African artists who will be showing at the New York’s contemporary African Art
For the tenth consecutive year, 1-54 returns for the New York leg of its annual Contemporary African Art Fair, which takes place across three continents, with locations in Marrakech and London. Now with its most expansive edition yet, this year’s 1-54 New York features 32 galleries exhibiting the works of over 70 artists from around Africa and its diaspora. Of the participating galleries, each with their individual stand, there are eight debutants. Seven of the galleries are based in Africa, and 1-54 founder and director Touria El Glaoui has noted how expensive and difficult it can be for galleries and artists to get into the U.S. “But even if the galleries are not based in Africa, the galleries that we have coming are very focused on African art,” El Glaoui said. The artists represent South Africa, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Togo and Uganda.
Stevie Wonder and family arrive in Ghana, receives Ghanaian Citizenship
American singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder arrived in Ghana Monday morning along with his wife, Tomeeka Robyn Bracy, family and team. A few hours after the news of his visit broke, Stevie Wonder was reported to have taken the Oath of Allegiance and received the Certificate of Citizenship by Registration at the Jubilee House, making him an official Ghanaian citizen. Stevie Wonder expressed his joy over the honour bestowed upon him. “I guess it’s just the lineage I felt Ghana, I felt my civilisation was there and I was there where it began. So, I thank all of you so very much. I always say this is the beginning, [the best part of the rest of my life got to do God’s promised,” he said.
How Ghana is using AI to improve food security
Gambian women doing ‘men’s jobs’
Eswatini has plenty for adventurous travelers
Senegal revives interest in traditional tapestries
Together: changing times captured poolside in Cape Town
VIDEO (S) OF THE DAY
Crime and Punishment in South Africa – Crime fighters using whistles, whips and guns
There were more than 27,000 murders last year in SAfrica. That amounts to 45 people per 100,000. For comparison, the US rate is six per 100,000. With trust in the police falling, a reporter meets and follows two volunteer patrol units determined to protect their communities. First, a team of Afrikaans farmers in the town of Brits near Pretoria – and hen also with a unit in Diepsloot, a township of more than 300,000 people.
Thousands in Mali replaster the Mosque of Djenne
The annual re-plastering of Mali’s Great Mosque of Djenne was held on Sunday, an important step in maintaining the integrity of the world’s largest mud-brick building which has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage in Danger list since 2016.
Why a ‘world cruise’ had to add more African stops
The world’s longest cruise has been forced to amend its route and is now calling at nine African ports.
GALLERY OF AFRICA NEWS IN PICTURES
Kenya Govt’s evacuation of riverside dwellings after floods
AFRICA – ANALYSIS, EDITORIAL/OPINION
Is African unity possible when Africans are divided on tribal grounds?
Retaining US influence in Africa requires bridge-building with China
The critical-minerals boom is here. Can Africa take advantage?
AU shouldn’t look on as outsiders treat Africa like a widow’s house
Belief in democracy is on the decline in Africa
Why Israel’s ties with Africa will survive the war in Gaza
East Africa: Droughts, Floods to Cyclones in Africa
Egypt
Egypt is holding its nerve over the Rafah operation. But its restraint shouldn’t be taken for granted
Ethiopia
Batte Urgessa’s Assassination: Silencing Oromia’s Voice of Reason
Gabon
Post-coup dialogue has mapped out path to democracy – now military leaders must act
Ghana
Forests are being wiped out: what’s behind this and why attempts to stop it aren’t working
Rwanda
The Guardian in another smear job on Rwanda
Nigeria
Rising costs, falling hopes
Efforts to reform Nigeria’s economy have triggered both anticipation and despair as the country grapples with a deepening cost-of-living crisis
Tinubu’s one year: A look at misinformation spread by his media team
Nigeria’s resource-backed loan and Africa’s fight against corruption
Nigeria can fight cybercrime without hurting citizens
South Africa
South Africa moves to counter digital disinformation in African elections
How can South Africa’s minister of police improve policing?
With little sign that violent crime is under control, oversight by the minister is vital for effective policing.
SA vs Israel: ICJ to hold hearings on SA’s request for additional measures in Gaza
The attempted privatisation of SAA – A cautionary tale
Christianity is changing in South Africa as pentecostal and indigenous churches grow – what’s behind the trend
South Sudan
Voting in turmoil
South Sudan is due to hold its first elections this year. However, the ballot threatens to be overshadowed by violence — should it take place at all
Sudan
Global amnesia
After a year of war, Sudan is mired in one of the worst humanitarian crises on the planet. How much longer until the international community acts?
Sudan’s descent into chaos sets stage for al-Qaida to make a return to historic stronghold
Tanzania
Tanzania’s political parties have few women in leadership and candidate lists: some solutions
Reviving Tanzania’s regional leadership and global engagement
Uganda
How corruption is stalking every fabric of Ugandan society
The Africa Edition ©️ 
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