[This monthly media roundup addresses significant, non-comprehensive news and updates from/on Sub-Saharan African countries, including additional themes on major powers’ intervention and activities in the continent, recent publications and studies, and other relevant material. Should you have any comments or submissions, please email us at SSAR@Jadaliyya.com.]
Arab League Countries in Africa
Comoros
Comoros inaugurates Saudi-funded road network (12/27/2019) Comoros has launched a new road network funded by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).
Comoros' president hails Egypt’s role to enhance African joint work (12/12/2019) Egyptian President Sisi praised the bilateral relationship between Comoros and Egypt, including Comoros participation in a new African free trade area, and Comoran residents coming to Egypt to study.
Comoros: World Bank Group Pledges $175 Million in Additional Support for Development Programs (12/09/2019) The World Bank announced it would provide Comoros with 175 million dollars in assistance between 2020 and 2022.
Comoros’ government decision: Unacceptable attack on Sahrawi Republic (12/29/2019) The Polisario called the decision by Comoros to establish a consulate in al-Aaiun a rejection of the group's claims over that territory.
Emergency Plan of Action - Comoros: Tropical Cyclone Belna (DREF Operation n° MDRKM008 / PKM012) - Comoros (12/09/2019) The Comoros government urged residents to be vigilant in early December after a cyclone was observed potentially heading towards the islands.
Island of Comoros Raises $4 Billion to Fund Infrastructure, Tourism (12/03/2019) Comoros has been able to raise 4 billion dollars in aid in Paris, a sum that is over three times as large as its gross domestic product of about 1.2 billion dollars. Most of Comoros' exports include vanilla and cloves, along with ylang ylang, a perfume ingredient.
Paris Conference to Raise €4.2 billion to Fund Development Projects in Comoros (12/04/2019) Comoran President Azali Assoumani visited Paris in December to raise 4.2 billion dollars for development projects for his Plan Comores Emergent.
Djibouti
Djibouti Flash Update #3 - Humanitarian impact of flooding | 17 December 2019 - Djibouti (12/17/2019) Between 21 and 29 November 2019, there were significant rains in Djibouti that affected approximately 250,000.
Greek sailors stranded on ship as Djibouti authorities demand fee payment (12/27/2019) A group of Greek sailors remains stranded in Djibouti. The Djiboutian government is demanding payment from the owner of the vessel for unpaid fees.
Lift for maritime sector in Kenya and Djibouti after fall in piracy (12/15/2019) Djibouti and Kenya have implemented reforms of their domestic maritime fleets including increased security and regulation for those sailing on boats following a decline in piracy.
The shifting sands of Djibouti (12/09/2019) The United States, China, and other countries have had a significant presence in Djibouti in recent years. Recently, Chinese investment in the country has given Beijing a significant degree of influence.
Mauritania
BP drilling campaign confirms potential of gas resources offshore Mauritania and Senegal (12/17/2019) BP announced its discovery of significant quantities of natural gas off the coast of Mauritania.
Gambia’s coastal town shocked by boat wreck in Mauritania (12/11/2019) Residents in Gambia are shocked to learn about the capsizing of a migrant boat off the coast of Mauritania, which was carrying approximately sixty refugees seeking to escape.
How has Mauritania managed to stave off terror attacks? (12/06/2019) Mauritania has been unique among its neighbors in the Sahel in being able to thwart terrorist attacks in the last several years. Some observers attribute this to greater operational capability among its security services.
In Mauritania, imams take to radio waves to say child marriage is against Islam - Mauritania (12/01/2019) Mauritanian imams are using religious news broadcasts to say that child marriage is forbidden by Islam.
Mauritania expected to grow by 6.3% in 2020 (12/12/2019) According to the International Monetary Fund, they expect Mauritania's economy to grow by 6.3 percent in 2020.
Mauritania’s new president restores links with the country’s opponents exiled in Morocco (12/30/2019) The new Mauritanian president has worked to restore relationships with exiled businessmen who have lived in Morocco since they had conflicts with the former regime, including Mohamed Ould Bouamattou, who moved to Morocco in 2013.
Somalia
Climate Shocks Worsening Somalia’s Development (12/07/2019) Somalia is affected by climate shocks, according to UNDP. Climate change could cause the failure of seasonal rains in the country, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
IMF Approves Somalia Debt Relief (12/19/2019) The International Monetary Fund announced a debt relief plan from Somalia that included contributions from international partners to offset the debts.
Regional feuds and clannism to decide Somalia election (12/09/2019) The Somali 2020 presidential election seems to be headed towards not being decided by a one person one vote system, as a parliamentary committee reported that such a ballot would be “impossible” given time constraints and constitutional instability, going against the promises of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo.
Somalia suicide car bomb attack rocks capital, killing scores (12/28/2019) Seventy-nine were reported dead alongside nearly 149 injured after a massive car bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital. The Somali government in conjunction with the United States Africa Command struck an al-Shabaab target inside the country in retaliation, and claims to have killed a senior operative of the organization.
Somalia: Ethiopia's Somali, Oromia delegation visit Somaliland (12/26/2019) A delegation from Ethiopia's Oromia and Somali regions visited the breakaway Somali region of Somaliland, a step viewed by observers as a key development in bolstering relations between the areas.
Sudan
100 days of Sudan's transitional government: Now what? (12/18/2019) December marked the hundred-day anniversary of Sudan’s transitional government, which came to power after former president Omar al-Bashir was deposed. Reaching the halfway point of its two-hundred-day evaluation period, groups within the country are mixed in their outlook, with concerns about the economy and the light sentences of former regime officials; while others have seen marked progress with aid from the country’s capital reaching rebel-held territory in the Blue Nile for the first time in nine years, as well as the overturning of laws that restricted civil liberties.
El Mahdi: ‘Talks in current form will not achieve peace in Sudan’ (12/26/2019) National Umma Party Chairman El Sadig al-Mahdi said that in its current form, the transitional government of Sudan will be unable to bring about peace in the country.
Op-Ed: Sudan's new government can't succeed if it remains on the us blacklist. (12/16/2019) Sudan needs to be removed from the US state sponsors of terrorism list to be able to establish itself under a democratic transition.
SPLM-N: ‘National identity primary cause of wars in Sudan’ (12/28/2019) SLPM-North faction leader Aldelaziz El Hili said identity and religious disputes have been the primary cause of conflict in Sudan since independence.
Security Arrangements in Sudan: Achilles heels of peace and democratic transformation (12/10/2019) Elwathig Khmeir outlines how without security arrangements bringing armed groups into the political process, the peace process is bound to fail in Sudan. Attempting to delay a ceasefire will prevent an agreement on political issues as a practical matter.
Sudan closes media outlets affiliated with intelligence service (12/15/2019) The Sudanese government's intelligence service known as the GIS (General Intelligence Service) decided to shut down three media outlets that it had established prior to the ouster of former President Omar al-Bashir.
Sudan to lift fuel subsidies, double public sector wages in 2020 (12/19/2019) Sudan's finance minister, Ibrahim Elbadawi, has said that the country’s interim government would remove fuel subsidies gradually across 2020 and double public sector wages, in an effort to enact economic reforms to ease the effect of rising inflation across the country. The reforms are a major point for the transitional government, as shortages of bread, fuel, and medicine alongside price increases were a trigger point for the protests that toppled former President Omar al-Bashir.
Sudan to liquidate ‘deep state’ institutions, media (12/17/2019) The Sudanese government will sell off or close media outlets formerly affiliated with the country's security services
Sudan's al-Bashir convicted, sent to 'reform facility' (12/15/2019) Sudan's former President Omar al-Bashir was found guilty and convicted for two years to a reform facility for corruption and illegal possession of a foreign currency. The light sentence was owed to al-Bashir’s age, as the seventy-five-year-old was deemed unfit to serve his time in prison.
Sudan’s Christians enjoy holiday amid hope for new freedoms (12/26/2019) Sudanese Christians marched through the nation’s capital in celebration this December, as Christian groups celebrated their annual “March for Jesus” holiday tradition in light of the deposition of former President Omar al-Bashir. Bashir had previously put pressure on Christian groups across the country, according to Christians and human rights activists. The new government has declared Christmas a national holiday, and appointed a Christian woman to the interim ruling council.
Survey: Assets of disbanded NCP ‘estimated at 1.5 trillion Sudanese Pounds’ (12/01/2019) The Sudanese Sovereign Council and Cabinet announced the disbandment of the National Congress Party and the seizure of its assets by the government. The amount appears to total roughly 1.5 trillion pounds.
The Sentry and Enough Project Statement: US Should Accelerate Process to Remove Sudan from Terrorism List and Impose Network Sanctions on Spoilers Undermining Peace in the Country (12/13/2019) The Sentry and the Enoguh Project argue that Sudan should be removed by the United States from its terrorism sponsors list. Sudan, according to them, has stopped engaging in any activities that involve terrorism, and deserves removal to ensure aid is allocated.
Wife of Al Bashir arrested in Sudan capital (12/13/2019) Wikad Babikr, the second wife of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir was arrested in her husband's Khartoum residence in Sudan.
Sub-Saharan African Countries
Ethiopia
Eritrea president in Ethiopia on official visit (12/25/2019) Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki visited Ethiopia on a state visit, and was met by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The two have met multiple times since the signing of a historic peace deal in November of 2018.
Ethiopia deploys police in universities to stop ethnic violence (12/10/2019) The government of Ethiopia deployed security forces to universities across the country in response to ethnic tensions, which led to the arrest of several campus security guards in violent clashes with students. The clashes led to the deaths of seven students in the last three months of the year.
Ethiopia's surveillance network crumbles, meaning less fear and less control (12/17/2019) Under reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia’s surveillance network has steadily declined in its ubiquity and power, leading some to praise Ahmed’s commitment to openness and lessening political repression while others see the crumbling of the network as leading to renewed ethnic tension and a loss of a system that promoted development and access to government programs.
Ex-head of Ethiopia electricity firm, 49 others charged with corruption (12/28/2019) The former head of Ethiopia’s state-run power company along with forty-nine others were charged with corruption relating to the construction of the country’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project. The dam, which is on the Blue Nile river, has been a source of tension between Ethiopia and Egypt due to fears of water shortages downriver, is expected to begin partial operation by the end of 2020.
News: Ethiopia set to launch its first satellite this Friday (12/17/2019) In conjunction with the Chinese government, which helped to train Ethiopian space engineers and covered much of the cost of the program, Ethiopia launched its first satellite in December. The satellite itself was launched from a space station within China, where Ethiopian officials and engineers gathered to witness the launching ceremony.
Why Abiy Ahmed's Prosperity Party is good news for Ethiopia (12/18/2019) In this opinion piece, Yohannes Gedamu examines Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his Prosperity Party’s attempts at creating a pan-Ethiopian party to quell the strife caused by the rule of the ethnic-led Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front coalition. Despite challenges including deteriorating ethnic violence, Ahmed’s party has seen success in fostering reform within Ethiopia and could pave the way for political transformation within the country.
Ghana
1.5 Billion Barrels Of Oil Discovered Offshore Ghana (12/11/2019) Springfield E&P, a private company operating within Ghana, has announced the discovery of 1.5 billion barrels of oil off the coast of the country. The country has plans to expand exploration for oil and gas by lessening restrictions on where drilling is allowed as competition for African oil and gas has increased.
After ‘Year of Return’ this is how Ghana plans to attract more investors (12/31/2019) Ghana marked the end of their “Year of Return” initiative, which saw the country host hundreds of African-Americans including a variety of celebrities to foster ties with the country, by calling for increased trade and investment by the African diaspora with the country. The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo spoke saying that “The time has come to engage Africans in the diaspora and all persons of African descent more positively in areas such as trade and investment cooperation, and skills and knowledge development.”
Ghana wants to join new West African currency but ditch euro peg (12/16/2019) Ghana’s government has expressed support to join a new currency that aims to replace the France-backed CFA franc, but has urged its partner countries to not peg the currency to the Euro. The new currency would replace the CFA franc used across several countries who were former French colonies, and reduce links with France that allowed the country to keep half of the reserves of its former colonies and mandated a French representative on the currency union’s board.
Ghana wants to join new West African currency but ditch euro peg (12/29/2019) Ghana’s government has expressed support to join a new currency that aims to replace the France- backed CFA franc, but has urged its partner countries to not peg the currency to the Euro. The new currency would replace the CFA franc used across several countries who were former French colonies, and reduce links with France that allowed the country to keep half of the reserves of its former colonies and mandated a French representative on the currency union’s board.
Kenya
700,000 civil servants risk Sh1m penalty for not declaring wealth (12/17/2019) Around 700,000 civil servants in Kenya risk large fines or even jail time for failing to declare their wealth as a part of an anti-corruption law. Currently, only 87,000 public servants have complied with the government order, and only 6 out of 118 commissions have fully complied; while the country’s Central Bank, Land Commission, Electoral and Boundaries Commission, and Commission on Revenue Allocation are among those that have only partially complied.
Kenya: Elusive Justice for Gross Injustice, Abuse (12/10/2019) Six years after the report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Kenya, people are still seeking justice for their relatives killed or injured in the country's political conflicts.
Kenyan Professor Awarded Queen's Highest Honour (12/30/2019) Kenyan-born Professor Magdalene Anyango Namakhiya Odundo was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, a high-ranking order of the British Empire Award. Professor Magdalene was featured for her work in arts and art education.
Shabaab destroy telecom mast : The Standard (12/11/2019) According to local accounts, al-Shabaab militants attacked and destroyed a communications tower in Dilso in Garissa County, Kenya. Initial reports of twenty-one missing soldiers turned out to be inaccurate.
US warns aircrafts flying to Kenya to be cautious over possible terror attacks (12/31/2019) The US Federal Aviation Administration has warned aircraft operating in Kenya that they are at risk of attack by extremist groups in the eastern regions of the country.
Uhuru hints at allowing Miguna's return (12/30/2019) The President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, hinted that the government would allow for the return of lawyer and politician Miguna Miguna who was forcibly deported from the country in 2018. Kenyatta said that “freedom of expression is everyone’s right,” while MIguna on Twitter gave out contact information for allies in anticipation of conflict with authorities when re-entering the country.
Mali
France's Macron Pays Respects to Soldiers Killed in Mali, says Battle Goes On (12/02/2019) French President Emmanuel Macron paid respects to thirteen French soldiers who were killed in Mali at the Hotel National des Invalides in Paris on 2 December 2019.
French army deploys drone strike for first time in Mali operation (12/23/2019) President Emmanuel Macron of France said that France had deployed drones in combat in Mali for the first time, killing forty alleged jihadists in a strike.
Mali inclusive national dialogue pushes ahead despite opposition boycott [Morning Call] (12/18/2019) Mali’s Inclusive National Dialogue continues despite boycotts from opposition political groups, who claim that they were not sufficiently included in preparation for the talks and criticize them as “contrived.”
Mali: President Keita holds crisis talks amid unrest in the north (12/14/2019) The president of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, has held talks with representatives of different groups across the country in an attempt to quell months of attacks across the Sahel. National armed forces and French troops have struggled to contain the conflict, leading to the president seeking a more dialogue-based approach.
Mali: The Bloody Endurance Contest (12/09/2019) The conflict in Mali has resulted in over two thousand civilian casualties. In Central Mali, a French soldier was recently wounded by an improved explosive device.
Unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Mali revealed in new report (12/12/2019) In Mali, there are currently about 650,000 people who face the risk of not being able to find adequate food for their needs, a number that has tripled since last year.
Mozambique
Fear, hunger, and mystery killers stalk Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado (12/04/2019) Residents of Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado face a dual struggle in the aftermath of a cyclone that devastated the region in April, alongside attacks by militants alleged to be a part of a group known as Ansar al-Sunnah. Residents say that the government has been unwilling to address the crisis, which has left around 65,000 people displaced.
Meteorologists Can't Keep Up With Climate Change In Mozambique (12/11/2019) Climate change has accelerated the need for meteorology developments Mozambique, as weather forecasting remains inadequate in a country where even two inches of rain can cause flooding in cities. With the country currently in the midst of a drought that is straining food supplies, and having experienced two large cyclones within the past year, the need for weather technology with a focus on the developing world is more dire than ever.
Mozambique opposition rejects accusation of role in attacks (12/30/2019) The main opposition party of Mozambique has rejected accusations by the government that it was to blame for armed attacks on highways that have killed at least ten people. The attacks come after a controversial election where the incumbent president took seventy-three percent of the vote, prompting accusations of fraud. The opposition, in spite of losing a legal challenge to the election results, has vowed to disarm its troops in order to keep a fragile peace deal signed in August in place.
Natural gas will make Mozambique’s economy grow at a rate of 9.9% in 2024 – Macauhub (12/26/2019) Climate change has accelerated the need for meteorology developments Mozambique, as weather forecasting remains inadequate in a country where even two inches of rain can cause flooding in cities. With the country currently in the midst of a drought that is straining food supplies, and having experienced two large cyclones within the past year, the need for weather technology with a focus on the developing world is more dire than ever.
Natural gas will make Mozambique’s economy grow at a rate of 9.9% in 2024 – Macauhub (12/26/2019) A forecast by the Economist Intelligence Unit has called for Mozambique’s economy to grow at a rate of nearly ten percent in 2024, following the expected opening of a new natural gas field in 2023. This report comes out ahead of a final decision on investment in the beginning of 2020, after it was delayed following attacks in the Cabo Delgado province where the gas field is located.
Nigeria
2019 in Review: Militancy in Africa (12/26/2019) Boko Haram remains a significant force in Africa at the end of 2019, even delivering basic services to some populations in its territory in Nigeria.
How Boko Haram Has Regained the Initiative and What Nigeria Should Do to Stop It (12/24/2019) In the face of around 750 casualties to Boko Haram insurgents across 2019, the author argues that the government of Nigeria must take a more integrated, long term approach in dealing with the insurgents; including a focus on working with civil society and local actors rather than over-relying on the central government and military forces, adopting a more holistic approach that is not undercut by military activities, and to accept that defeating Boko Haram is a long-term process and to stop claiming victory over every military success, which makes it easy for the group to undermine government narratives.
Nigeria commits to visa on arrival for all African passport holders (12/13/2019) Nigeria has committed to granting a visa on arrival for passport-holders of all African countries without the need for prior approval, following the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. This also comes after a period of tight border controls within the country, as it sought to crack down on imported goods.
Security tops agenda as West African leaders meet in Abuja (12/16/2019) Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the regional security summit in ECOWAS held in Abuja, Nigeria.
Senate to approve Buhari’s $29.9bn loan request: What impact will this have on Nigeria’s economy? (12/17/2019) Nigeria’s senate has approved the president’s request for a nearly thirty-billion-dollar loan for the country as a part of the 2020 appropriation bill. This follows a report from the country’s Statistics Office showing an uptick in inflation through November. Heads of state and representatives from the Economic Community of West African States met in Nigeria’s capital, where Nigeria’s president urged fellow leaders to work together to solve security problems across the region, including in the Sahel. The leaders also discussed the new Eco currency, which would unite ECOWAS under a single currency, and is set to launch in 2020.
South Africa
Miss South Africa crowned 2019 Miss Universe (12/09/2019) Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa was crowned Miss Universe this December, beating out Miss Mexico and Miss Puerto Rico to take home the prize. Tunzi expressed hope that her win would stop “a world where a woman who looks like me—with my kind of skin and my kind of hair—was never considered to be beautiful.”
South Africa's trade surplus widens as imports fall (12/28/2019) South Africa’s trade surplus increased in November, growing from 2.75 billion to 6.1 billion ZAR. This comes as the country’s deficit forecast to reach an eleven-year high as the government struggles to support its public electricity company through financial difficulties.
Court sets aside Masutha's decision to extradite Mozambique's Manuel Chang (12/10/2019) A South African Court overturned a decision to seek the extradition of former Mozambiqan official Manuel Chang to his home country.
South Sudan
Advice to international community on South Sudan peace (12/03/2019) Dr Roger Mody argues the United States should pressure South Sudan to implement the peace agreement fully prior to establishing a transitional government, rather than before.
S Sudan: $40m to help integrate rival forces as Kiir, Machar meet (12/13/2019) The government of South Sudan has allocated forty million dollars to speed up the integration of government and rebel soldiers in accordance with the peace process. The move comes as a part of one hundred million dollars pledged by the government to help accelerate the peace process.
South Sudan's Kiir and Machar say they will form government (12/11/2019) Government and rebel leaders in South Sudan have agreed to form a transitional unity government even in the case that both sides fail to resolve their differences in the peace process. After pushing back the deadline for a peace deal to February, the two sides are yet to agree on the internal organization of the country and have faced difficulties integrating the two sides’ armed forces.
UNAMID camp in South Darfur looted and building damaged (12/30/2019) In Nyala, Darfur, there was an incident of civilians looting a headquarters of the UNAMID peacekeeping mission.
US ambassador warns of more sanctions on South Sudan (12/19/2019) The US ambassador to South Sudan has threatened more sanctions on individuals within the country for failing to come to an agreement on the peace process. The United States had recently sanctioned the government’s cabinet affairs and defense ministers for “obstructing the country’s peace process,” as the two sides pushed back the deadline into February of 2020.
What if Dr. John Garang were alive today? (12/05/2019) Nhial TutlamLet writes Dr John Garang would have likely prevented South Sudanese militant cadres from insisting that they were entitled to loot for their efforts fighting for independence had he not been killed in a helicopter crash in 2005.
Zimbabwe
Deadly drought in Southern Africa leaves millions hungry (12/22/2019) Severe power outages across Zimbabwe have led to cuts affecting services and jobs while crippling the country’s economy, caused in large part by a massive drought of the Zambezi River, which powers the dam that provides power to much of the country.
Zim, Chinese firm seal massive agric deal (12/30/2019) Zimbabwe signed a massive agriculture deal with a Chinese firm, which gave the company a contract on supplying farming equipment and machinery for nearly thirteen thousand hectares of land. The land will be irrigated to produce over sixty thousand tons of maize per year.
Zimbabwe doctor strike: Healthcare system is on the brink (12/15/2019) Strikes by medical staff across Zimbabwe continue, as doctors and others push for increased pay and reformation of the healthcare system, leaving many seeking treatment with few options.
Zimbabwe economy: Dire blackouts affect jobs, manufacturing (12/23/2019) Severe power outages across Zimbabwe have led to cuts affecting services and jobs while crippling the country’s economy, caused in large part by a massive drought of the Zambezi River, which powers the dam that provides power to much of the country.
Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa says no going back to dollarisation (12/13/2019) Zimbabwe’s president vowed not to revert to using the US dollar after the countries new currency plunged in value, leading to inflation and economic struggle. Facing a massive economic crisis, the country has seen little foreign investment and a shortage of US dollars has led to fuel and electricity shortages.
Thematic Section
Arts and Culture
Africa makes a scene: Best contemporary art fairs of 2020 (12/27/2019) Al Jazeera looks back at a decade of art across Africa, as well as highlighting some of the best contemporary art fairs of 2020, including 1:54 in Marrakech in February, Art X Lagos, West Africa’s first international art fair, the Dakar Biennial or Dak’Art across May and June, and South Africa’s Stellenbosch Triennale in February.
African Artists Reclaim Homeland With Touring Exhibition (12/07/2019) Dakar’s Museum of Black Civilizations hosted an art exhibition titled “Prête-moi ton rêve” or “Lend me your dream”, gathering over one hundred works of art from fifteen African countries. The exhibition is to travel to other cities across 2020, including Casablanca, Abidjan, Lagos, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, and Marrakech.
Nigeria: Arts & Culture Events of 2019 and Expectations in 2020 (12/31/2019) AllAfrica looks back at arts and cultural events within Nigeria throughout 2019, including festivals and individual stories, and gives a look forwards into 2020
Books on Africa(n) Countries
Diplomacy and Borderlands (12/01/2019) Hosting half of the United Nations’ peacekeeping operations and about half of the organization's uniformed peacekeepers, this work examines the dynamics of “borderlands” of overlapping African and global orders.
In Pursuit of Financial Justice: Local African Communities’ Quest for Legal Redress Against Business-Related Human Rights Abuses (12/15/2019) Looking at human rights abuses at the hands of corporations, particularly in the mining industry, this work examines how local communities pursue justice or remedy through both judicial and non-judicial approaches.
Limpopo's Legacy: Student Politics & Democracy in South Africa (12/01/2019) This work takes an in-depth look at the development of student politics and democracy within South Africa, both under apartheid and post-apartheid.
China, the US, Russia and Other Countries "In" Africa
Beijing is Getting Some Important Things Right in Africa (12/11/2019) In this piece, the author examines the validity of some of the criticisms towards China’s policy in Africa, including accusations of “debt-trapping” countries and primarily employing Chinese workers on the continent; as well as of China’s positive impacts on the continent and public opinion within Africa.
China’s top diplomat hits out at critics for ‘defaming and attacking’ its role in Africa (12/22/2019) China’s Yang Jiechi, director of the CCP’s Office of Foreign Affairs, spoke out against unnamed parties for criticisms of China’s role in Africa, which has been marred with accusations of setting up ‘debt-traps’ and engaging in neo-colonialism. Visiting Senegal, Uganda, and the Republic of Congo, Yang said that the countries had “expressed firm support for China’s domestic and foreign policy.”
French forces kill 33 Islamic extremists in Mali, says Macron (12/21/2019) French President Emmanuel Macron said that France had killed thirty-three Islamic extremists in central Mali. France has approximately 4500 soldiers stationed in the country.
U.S. to Ramp Up Counterterrorism Efforts in Sahel Region (12/20/2019) The United States has attempted to combat extremist groups in the Sahel region. The Trump administration is establishing a new special envoy, but the groups appear to be gaining support in the region. The number of violent incidents in the Sahel involving extremist groups has increased by a factor of two annually since 2015
West Africa: Why France Kidnapped West Africa's Eco Currency (12/27/2019) In this opinion peace, Jibrin Ibrahim argues that the new Eco currency in West Africa is a move made by France to ensure that Nigeria is kept excluded from the currency, as the country sees Nigeria as a threat to its influence in its former colonies. The author argues that France has effectively hijacked responsibility for the currency and pegged it to the Euro after the countries failed to meet the criteria for convergence on the new currency independently, leading to long delays in implementation.