Tribute paid to Aghostino Neto
and Fidel Castro --- in Angola
by Aleynes Palacios Hurtado
November 25th, 1:34pm
(Prensa Latina)
Angolan and Cuban representatives on Friday
praised their friendly ties, at a ceremony to
pay tribute to Fidel Castro and Agostinho
Neto, key figures of the revolutionary
struggles of both peoples.
Six years after the death of the Commander-in-chief of
Cubans, this ceremony on November 25th, recalled
his friendship with the patriot, doctor, writer, and
poet, who went down in history in this African
nation as the first president of the republic.
The anniversary of Angola’s Independence coincides
with the beginning of bilateral relations, which
“started an era of brotherhood, cooperation,
and heroism that has lived on until present
times,” Cuban Ambassador in Luanda,
Esther Armenteros said.
Fidel said about Neto, “He is the noblest man I have
ever known,” the ambassador recalled and thanked
the recent initiative by former Angolan students
who graduated from Cuban schools, the
Caimaneros, of organizing a campaign
to send donations to Cuba, after
Hurricane Ian.
The National Museum of Natural History... was the
venue of the fórum, where Angolan historian and
researcher, Fernando Jaime, gave a lecture on
Cubans’ internationalist feat in Africa, Fidel’s
thinking and life, and the unwavering
brotherly ties.
He said that defending Cuba is like defending our own
blood as no other people in the world has sacrificed
themselves so much to defend another, as Cubans
did in Angola, the scholar and secretary general
of the Angola-Cuba Friendship Association said.
For our part, “we have done very little to dignify that
friendship,” Jaime, who has done continuous
militant solidarity work, with the Cuban
Revolution for nearly 40 years...
humbly and gratefully noted.
Venezuelan Ambassador to Angola Marlon Peña, other
members of the diplomatic corps, members of the
Caimaneros group and the Cuban community
that resides here -- plus several Angolan
State institutions, attended this event.
__________________________________________
Africa: Oil Giants Eye
South African Coasts
as Fuel, Climate
Crises Merge
November 25th 2022
(allAfrica.com)
Cape Town — French energy giant TotalEnergies is
preparing to submit its final application for
approval to drill up to five wells for oil or
gas between Cape Town and Cape
Agulhas, writes Liezl Human
for GroundUp.
The application is one -- in a rush of offshore oil and gas
applications along South Africa's coast. This is part of
a wider expansion by multinational companies into
Africa --- as a recent report by environmental
research group Urgewald, in partnership
with dozens of organisations in Africa
and Europe, shows.
TotalEnergies faces additional scrutiny, over the
multibillion euro East African crude oil pipeline
project which it has funded together with the
China National Offshore Company (CNOC).
The pipleline's development gained new
significance following the Russian-
Ukranian War.
Russia's invasion.. prompted moves by many countries,
to reduce their dependence on imports of Russian oil
& gas. These shifts, combined with western oil and
gas companies dumping their Russian interests,
presented an opportunity to other petroleum-
producing countries.. albeit one tempered
by actions to address the climate crisis.
This has led governments and commentators to
discuss African producers... as potential
beneficiaries of Europe's supply gap,
with talk of a "seismic shift"
to Africa.
Currently under construction, the East African Crude
Oil Pipeline (EACOP) pipeline will transport oil
hundreds of kilometres, from Uganda,
to a port in Tanzania.
The U.S.-based Climate Accountability Institute (CAI)
has warned -- EACOP will emit 379 million tonnes of
carbon over its 25-year lifespan - a so-called "mid-
sized carbon bomb" --- that exceeds France's
own national estimates for 2020.
A discussion between the Centre for Sustainability
Transitions (CST) and The South African Institute
of International Affairs (SAIIA) weighed in on
...how this war could impact the transition
away from fossil fuels amid the climate
emergency and whether it will hasten
the transition or not.
While the war may have provided a short term set
back to global climate goals, it is likely that in
the long run... it will accelerate the energy
transition. If companies and nations are
incentivised.. to adopt of a range of
lower carbon energy sources, the
transition could happen faster.
The oil giant's move also comes in the wake of a
similar case.. involving an application by Shell
which seeks to perform a seismic survey off
the Wild Coast, despite a high court ruling
which deemed the authorisation it
initially received to do so, as
being "unlawful".
Furthermore, non-profit organisation Save the Wild
Coast has called for the urgent protection of the
coastline in order to preserve numerous
archaeological, palaeontological
and historic sites.
____________________________________
War in DRC's east: Demonstrators call out
'international community's complicity'
November 25th, 11:32am
(africanews)
Hundreds of Congolese marched in Goma
eastern DRC, on Thursday (November 24).
The demonstration took place one day after a
meeting in Luanda where the DRC, Burundi,
Rwanda as well as the East African
Community envoy called for a
cease-fire to take effect
on Friday.
"I mean, we are satisfied with this agreement signed
(ceasefire signed in Angola on Wednesday), but we
are still pessimistic about its implementation,
especially since this is not the first
agreement', Jean Claude
Mbambaze, president
of the civil society
of Rutshuru said.
"There have been many summits, but the
decisions have not been implemented."
After the summit in Angola, the participants released
a statement calling for a cease-fire to begin Friday
evening in eastern Congo, followed by a rebel
withdrawal from the major towns it holds -
Bunagana, Rutshuru and Kiwanja.
Some protesters carried banners in support of the
Congolese armed forces, who are fighting M23
rebels. Other placards were hostile to the
recent agreement.
Demonstrators marched to the
French and British consulates.
"We do not understand, when there are rebels who call
themselves Congolese - they ask for negotiations, and
it's Rwanda and Uganda who represent them. That is
why we protest about this complicity, And there is a
notorious silence of the international community,
the EAC (East African Countries bloc), the
African Union ----- all are accomplices",
demonstrator Jack Sizahera shouted.
The protestors delivered a letter to both French and
British consulates with grievances: including an
end to the international community's
ambiguous response, in the face
of the M23 aggression.
"We demand the international community - as a whole
- to ask the Rwandan and Ugandan heads of state to
urgently withdraw their fighters camouflaged under
the label of M23/RDF/UPDF (rebel groups)", John
Banyene, the president of the civil society of
Nord-Kivu, read out.
Adding, we demand the international community
"sanction Rwanda and Uganda --- for their
aggression against DRC for more than
25 years".
In August, U.N. experts said they had "solid evidence"
that members of Rwanda's armed forces backed the
M23 rebels. Kigali denied the allegations.
_____________________________________________
Mozambican President
Inaugurates Major
FLNG Venture
November 24th,
(teleSUR)
"Mozambique joins the list of countries that
produce gas on a large scale," Nyusi said.
On Wednesday, Mozambican President Filipe
Nyusi inaugurated the Coral Sul Floating
Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) venture in
the city of Pemba in the province of
Cabo Delgado.
The inauguration marks the official kick-off of the
project's full-swing operation, although earlier
this month the president already announced
the export of the first cargo of FLNG
produced by the venture.
The event means a renewed stage of emancipation of
the country's economy. "Mozambique joins the list of
countries that produce gas on a large scale," Nyusi
said, inviting investors to choose his country as
a destination.
In the coming years, there may be a global increase in
demand for Mozambican gas, and an increase in the
consumption of renewable energy is also expected.
The Nyusi administration will continue to work for
better wealth distribution, and 10 percent of the
natural resource tax revenues will be allocated
to the development of provinces where the
extraction takes place.
"The resources allocated should be used exclusively
to finance infrastructure projects and programs that
have a multiplier effect on the local economy," Nyusi
said, adding that his administration should reinforce
the Defense and Security Forces -- to improve
security in the exploration zones of mineral
resources for better viability of the projects.
The Coral Sul FLNG project approved in 2016 is a
benchmark for the national industry. The Italian
Eni is the operator of the project with a 25%
stake. The other partners are ExxonMobil
(25%), CNPC (20%), Mozambique's ENH
(10%), the Korean Kogas (10%), and
Galp from Portugal (10%).
________________________________
Namibia pulls down statue
of German coloniser
November 24th, 1:35pm
(africanews)
The authorities in Namibia's capital Windhoek
on Wednesday, took down and relocated
a statue of a controversial German
colonial officer after pressure
from local activists.
The monument commemorated Curt von Francois, a
German army commissioner who has been credited
with founding Windhoek -- something local
campaigners and historians dispute.
The statue, which stood on a high pedestal outside
municipal buildings, depicted von Francois in a
military uniform with a moustache, a large
hat, and holding a sword.
"This moment is a recollection of dignity, our city
has been white-washed," Hildegard Titus, an
activist with the A Curt Farewell movement
that pushed for the statue's removal,
told AFP.
"There is an emotional tie to the statue
being taken down but it also has to do
with historical accuracy".
The city council said the statue...
which A Curt Farewell described
as "a reminder of genocide"
...will now be kept at the
Windhoek City Museum.
There --- it will be displayed with an explanation
of the historical context, said Aaron Nambadi,
a curator at the museum.
"We, as historians and curators, were involved
in this project to correct the false narrative
that von Francois was the founder of
the city," Nambadi told AFP.
Germany colonised Namibia from 1884 to 1915.
From 1904 to 1908, German settlers killed tens
of thousands of indigenous Herero and Nama
people in massacres historians have called
the 20th century's first genocide.
Germany acknowledged the genocide
last year, after lengthy, bitter
negotiations.
It promised more than one billion euros ($1 billion)
in financial support to descendants of the
victims, whom many Namibians argue
were not sufficiently involved in
the negotiations.
Last month Namibia asked to
renegotiate the terms of
the agreement.
The removal of von Francois' statue, comes two years
after the statue of Cecil Rhodes, a British colonialist,
was beheaded by activists at the University of Cape
Town in neighbouring South Africa, during protests
sparked by the death of George Floyd.
___________________________________________
Nigeria: Presidential hopeful Peter
Obi ---- holds a campaign rally
November 24th, 12:23pm
(africanews)
Presidential hopeful, and chosen Labour Party
candidate, Peter Obi, held a campaign rally
Wednesday (Nov 23rd) in Ibadan, south
west Nigeria.
Large crowds gathered in the Oyo state
capital to attend the electoral meeting.
Ahead of the February 2023 vote... Obi
pledged to bring about positive change.
"Let me assure you --- the government we intend
to form will be building a new Nigeria, it will be
beginning a Nigeria --- where Nigerians will be
proud to say we are Nigerians, because we
will secure and unite Nigeria."
There was a voter base of 84,004,084 for the
2019 election and the electoral commission
hoped to add at least 20 million new voters.
Insecurity, the economy and the fight against
corruption, will be key election factors.
"Both of us, we will fight corruption, corruption is
killing the future of the youth of Nigeria because
people are stealing money that could be used to
develop Nigeria. I and Baba-Ahamed - go and
check our history - we are wealth creators,"
Obi told the cheering crowds.
Seventeen other candidates are running for the top
job, including Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives
Congress party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the
New Nigeria Peoples Party.
___________________________________________
Zimbabwe: President calls for
peace ------ ahead of elections
November 24th, 10:26am
(africanews)
On Wednesday (Nov 23), Zimbabwean president
Emmerson Mnangagwa, officially opened the
Fifth Session of the Ninth Parliament
of Zimbabwe.
He delivered his State of the Nation address in a
newly built Parliament. The multimillion-dollar
building was gifted by the Asian economic
giant, China.
Mnangagwa called for peace .....as the
country prepares for general elections.
"Political players seeking the people’s mandate
during the upcoming 2023 harmonized general
elections, must maintain and consolidate the
current peace, unity, harmony, and love that
we have built."
In late October, Zimbabwe's ruling party, ZANU-PF,
endorsed the president as the sole party
candidate ahead of next year's polls.
80-year-old, Emmerson Mnangagwa, came to power in
2017 after toppling long-time ruler Robert Mugabe
in a coup backed by the army.
Speaking before lawmakers, Mnangagwa
also reiterated calls for an end to
economic sanctions.
"The need for the unconditional removal of sanctions
which have constrained socio-economic growth
for decades remains urgent and imperative,"
he urged.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of
unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of
human rights, issued a report in October,
recommending:--- the "lifting unilateral
sanctions in line with the principles
of international law".
As well as "avoiding de-risking policies and ...over
compliance in accordance with the due diligence
rule; and engaging in meaningful structured
discussions on political reform, the rule
of law and human rights."
_________________________________________
UNHCR urges to support
humanitarian actions
in Ethiopia
by Ana Luisa Brown
November 22nd, 3:39pm
(Prensa Latina)
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
on Tuesday urged international institutions
to complement government efforts in
confronting the humanitarian crisis
in northern Ethiopia.
A report by Fana Broadcasting Corporate television
revealed that UNHCR’s representative in Ethiopia
Mamadou Dian Balde urged UN agencies and
partners but also addressed the appeal to
all developed nations and to
regional organizations.
Many citizens required assistance to meet basic
needs, and major reconstruction work is
urgently needed.
The government is making significant efforts,
but needs help to speed up humanitarian
and recovery operations, Balde stated.
Health, education, housing, water and sanitation
needs of residents in the border areas of Tigray,
Afar and Amhara states are enormous and
require our attention, he said.
Balde explained that UNHCR in charge of protecting
refugees and displaced people ‘works so close with
federal authorities and maintains teams in several
cities in the three regions’.
UNHCR is ready to increase aid and support the
government’s efforts, but needs the support of
the international community, he reiterated.
We support the African Union-led peace process.
__________________________________
Egypt calls to eradicate conflicts
and achieve stability in Africa
by Alina Ramos Martin
November 22nd, 1:15pm
(Prensa Latina)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi called on
Africans to work together to achieve stability
and put an end to conflicts, considering that
these are two of the main problems that the
region is facing today.
In a message on the occasion of the 2nd African Union
Week, the president assured that Egypt is making
sincere efforts to support peace in the continent.
He affirmed that the day highlights the attention
devoted by all parties --- to the problems of
development and reconstruction in Africa.
These events coincide with various challenges
and crises taking place at the regional and
international levels, he warned.
El Sisi stressed the need to strengthen joint efforts to
support national institutions, the principles of good
governance, and the means to ensure lasting
peace and prevent conflicts in the region.
As part of our efforts, we collaborate to achieve the
objectives of the 2063 Agenda, whose goal is
to achieve inclusive and sustainable
socioeconomic development in
Africa, he concluded.
____________________________________
Nigerian Forces Rescue 76
Kidnapped People in Kaduna
November 22nd, 12:20pm
(teleSUR)
Last week, gunmen wielding sophisticated weapons
blocked a road with roadblocks in the Giwa local
government area to abduct commuters.
On Monday, the Nigerian police said that security
forces have recently rescued 76 travellers after
they were abducted by unidentified gunmen
from their truck, on a road in the restive
northern state of Kaduna.
Mohammed Jalige, a police spokesperson in Kaduna
State, said that the police received a report on
Friday night, saying many gunmen wielding
sophisticated weapons blocked a road
with roadblocks in the Giwa local
government area, to abduct
innocent commuters.
"A combined team of police and military was
immediately mobilized to the location,"
Jalige said, adding that on reaching
the location, security operatives
found a truck, with no one on
board... and "information
garnered indicated that
the gunmen had moved
a large number of
passengers on
the truck... off
the road."
Security forces immediately launched a search and
rescue operation into the adjoining forest, and
encountered the gunmen during the process.
"Due to the sheer force of firepower and pressure
mounted on them by security operatives --- they
were forced to abandon their nefarious mission
and flee with injuries," he said, adding that 76
people held by the gunmen were rescued and
a preliminary investigation, revealed that
they were passengers on the truck.
Jalige said operatives are still operating within the
general area, in search of the truck driver and two
other passengers who are yet to be accounted for.
Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in
parts of Nigeria, resulting in deaths and kidnappings.
_____________________________________________
Mali bans NGOs funded
or supported by France
November 22nd, 11:43am
(africanews)
The Malian junta announced on Monday evening that
it would ban the activities of all non-governmental
organizations financed or supported by France,
including those operating in the
humanitarian field.
This decision is likely to affect many NGOs that
France has continued to support despite the
abrupt deterioration in relations between
the two countries for more than a year.
The interim Prime Minister, Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga,
justified the decision in a statement posted on social
networks, by the recent announcement by France,
that it had suspended its official development
assistance to Mali.
The French Foreign Ministry had cited the use of
the Russian paramilitary group, Wagner, by the
Malian authorities.
The junta, which came to power by force in August
2020 ---- has consistently denied having used this
company. It speaks of Russian army instructors
deployed in the name of a former collaboration
between the two countries.
The Quai d'Orsay had specified that France
maintained its "humanitarian aid" and
some support to Malian civil
society organizations.
Colonel Maiga denounced in his statement, "fanciful
allegations" and a "subterfuge intended to deceive
and manipulate national and international public
opinion for the purpose of the destabilization
and isolation of Mali.''
"As a result, the transitional government has decided
to ban, with immediate effect, all activities carried
out by NGOs operating in Mali with funding or with
material or technical support from France,
including in the humanitarian field,"
it said.
A multitude of NGOs are working in Mali in the fields
of health, food or education. The poor, landlocked
country has been facing the spread of jihadism
and violence of all kinds since 2012, but also
a serious political and humanitarian crisis.
Hundreds of thousands of people are
displaced by the conflict.
Since May 2021 and a second coup d'état that
consolidated their grip, the colonels have
turned away from France, which was
pushed out and whose last soldier
left the country, in August. The
colonels have turned militarily
and diplomatically to Moscow.
A group of NGOs, including CCFD Terre-Solidaire,
Handicap International, Médecins du Monde,
and Oxfam, had expressed concern about
France's suspension of its aid.
Recipients of a large part of this funding, these NGOs
said in a letter to President Emmanuel Macron that
the withdrawal of such funding would lead to "the
cessation of essential, even vital activities for
the benefit of populations in situations of
great fragility or poverty."
They pointed out, that 7.5 million Malians are
in need of assistance, "or more than 35% of
the population".. and that Mali was ranked
184th on the Human Development Index.
__________________________________________
The Ivory Coast and Ghana
note progress ---- in making
buyers pay cocoa premiums
November 22nd, 10:49am
(africanews)
Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world's two largest
cocoa producers noted on Monday, "efforts" by
some manufacturers, to better pay producers,
after giving them an ultimatum, earlier
this month.
In a joint statement, the national cocoa management
bodies of the two countries, as well as the Ivory
Coast-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI), created
to guarantee a minimum income to farmers...
"noted the efforts made by some companies
--- and their willingness to find solutions
together for a sustainable production
of cocoa that places producers at
the heart of this strategy.''
They "encourage all manufacturers to take action
and show that they sincerely believe in
sustainable cocoa production".
For several weeks, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana
reproached the chocolate manufacturers
for not paying the decent income
differential (DRD) - a premium of
400 dollars (390 euros) per ton,
introduced in 2019 - to ensure
a decent income for farmers.
They had given the industry until November 20th
to meet their commitments, threatening to "ban
access to plantations to make crop forecasts"
and "suspend sustainability programs.''
These programs, aimed at fighting deforestation and
child labour, allow manufacturers to claim that their
chocolate is sustainably produced, a criterion
often favored by consumers.
But Monday, the producer countries announced to
continue discussions, and the establishment of
"a working group of experts" who will provide
"recommendations by the end of the first
quarter of 2023...'' to find
sustainable solutions.
Questioned on the subject at a press conference,
Ivorian Prime Minister, Patrick Achi, hoped that
an "intelligent compromise" would be found.
"The solution is to process 100% of our cocoa" in
Côte d'Ivoire, he continued. Currently, about a
quarter of Ivorian cocoa is processed locally.
Ivory Coast's cocoa, which accounts for 45% of
global production, accounts for 14% of the
country's GDP and feeds 24% of the
population of this country of
about 27 million people.
Côte d'Ivoire is also considered a major
regional destination for child trafficking
from neighboring countries, to work on
its crops.
Many farm families still face persistent poverty
on less than a dollar a day, a situation that is
one of the factors contributing to child
labour on cocoa farms.
But according to Matthias Lange, executive director
of the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), a Swiss
foundation created by the chocolate industry
to fight child labour, "a lot of progress has
been made."
Mr. Lange praised the establishment of the Child
Labour Monitoring and Remediation System
(CLMS), "a mechanism that has reduced
child labour by 35% in three years and
has helped remove several tens of
thousands of children from the
plantations," he said.
__________________________________________
Burkina Faso: 30,000
new army auxiliaries
to fight terrorism
November 22nd, 9:53am
(africanews)
People from all walks of life... are signing up to
join Burkina Faso's new volunteer programme
in Ouagadougou.
At this military processing station in Ouagadougou,
men with different backgrunds enrol in Burkina
Faso's new volunteer programme.
The nation, grappling with a jihadist insurgency
which has continually extended its deadly grip,
called for civilian backup in October.
"Considering what is happening to my nation, we
have lost our land, as a butcher I have made
many trips but I can no longer travel",
Ablassé Kaboré explains.
"And I have lost too many friends... I have friends
who used to pan for gold in the bush to the east,
all of them have returned to Ouagadougou and
others are dead... when I speak I feel like
crying even... I am ready to die for
my country."
Burkina Faso launched a drive to recruit 50,000
civilian defense volunteers. Among them, the
volunteers for the defense of the homeland.
These men and women are on a mission to protect
the people & property of their localities of origin,
alongside the defense and security forces.
"We women have our strategies, it is like a family,
the nation is your home, it is your house",
Edwige Nikiéma says.
"How can you make your house, your home, a
success? We mustn't expose our strategies
or people can exploit them! no! We have
our strategies, the men also have their
strategies, we are all here to
defeat terrorism."
Jihadi violence has killed thousands of people since
2015. The last elected president was deposed
after he faced a wave of anger over the
insurgency. According to professor
Zakaria Soré, the army is
adjusting its tactics, to
swell its ranks.
"The reality of the country is that the army and other
security and defense forces are not able to cover
the entire territory, so when we look at it, there
is a networking problem that means that there
is a lot of territory that is not covered by the
defense and security forces, so recruiting
50,000 volunteers means hoping to have
a few fighting forces throughout the
country", the socio-anthropologist
and research professor at Joseph
Ki-Zerbo University, details.
Enlistment officially ended on November 18th
and more than 30,000 people registered,
according to the government data.
The volunteers receive 14 days of civic and
military training before being armed and
provided with means of communication.
___________________________________________
Mali: 150,000 displaced children
have no legal identity (NGO)
November 21st, 2:07pm
(africanews)
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has said that
nearly 150,000 children displaced by the conflict in
Mali, do not have birth certificates and are at risk
of exclusion and disenfranchisement, because
they cannot prove their identity.
"Thousands of children are excluded from society
when they should be in school," said Maclean
Natugasha, NRC's director for Mali, in a
statement released by the NGO
to AFP.
These 148,000 children are among the 422,620 people
displaced by the war in Mali.... according to ''august''
figures, from a joint UN and Malian monitoring tool.
In this country of about 20 million people, 7.5 million
people are in need of emergency humanitarian
assistance, according to the UN.
These 148,000 children have either lost their birth
certificates when they fled their homes or "never
had them because of the limited functioning of
civil registry services in some regions", says
the NRC.
Since 2012, Mali has been in the grip of a security
crisis that has left thousands dead and of which
civilians are the main victims. The state has
only a limited presence in the vast bush
where jihadist fighters affiliated to Al-
Qaeda and the Islamic State, bandits
and traffickers of all kinds -- armed
militias & politico-military groups
that have signed a peace
agreement -- are active.
If this problem of civil status "is not resolved before
these children reach adulthood", the NRC warns,
"they risk being deprived of their freedom of
movement, the right to vote, and the
possibility to own or rent property".
______________________________
Kenyan, Congolese presidents,
holds talks in Kinshasa
November 21st, 2:02pm
(africanews)
Kenyan President William Ruto says a new East
African Community force will ‘impose’ peace
on the warring groups in the eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo.
He was speaking after holding talks with his
Congolese counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi,
while on a one-day official visit to the
DRC amid efforts to try to bring
peace to the country.
‘There are a lot of (UN) peacekeeping troops in
the region,’ he said, ‘but we think there is
not much peace to keep.’
Ruto suggested that the East African troops would
be more forceful, saying the regional force would
‘impose peace on those who are hellbent on
creating instability’.
Contributing troops
Kenya is one of several nations that are contributing
troops, tasked with trying to calm deadly tensions
fuelled by armed groups.. in the troubled eastern
DRC. The region has been plagued by violence --
from multiple armed groups for nearly 30 years.
The first of over 900 Kenyan soldiers have already
arrived in Goma, the capital of North Kivu, which
is under threat from an offensive by M23 rebels.
The largely Congolese Tutsi militia has seized
large swathes of territory in the region.
Ruto and Tshisekedi were also expected to discuss
various other areas of mutual interest, including
trade and investments, and regional integration.
_____________________________
Kenya: Konza Technopolis,
the new green city tackling
crowded populations
November 21st, 11:54am
(africanews)
With urbanisation, Kenya's capital population has
grown rapidly, doubling over the last 20 years.
In 2019, nearly 4.5 million people lived
in Nairobi.
This population density means that buildings have
been built very close to each other. For this
supermarket manager, it's a problem.
"The building is quite big and we have to use the
electricity throughout the day, because we can
not manage to do anything here without lights.
So, when the power is out, we opt to turn on
the generator because that is an immediate
alternative that we have and we can't use
the solar panels because the building
here is much too congested," says
Samuel Mburu.
Over-population has led to the creation of many new
satellite neighbourhoods that sprawl around the
capital with very little planning, or regulation.
The density of buildings means natural light
struggles to reach residents -- who have
to turn on the lights most of the day.
"Here where I live, there is a problem with light, even
if you open the window it does not let the light in
because of the congestion. There is a problem
when it rains because we don't collect rain-
water, we use borehole water and there is
a problem with sewage," says Angela
Mutuku, a Nairobi resident.
Rainwater is left to run down the streets, causing
floods and overwhelming sewage systems. One
of the solutions being considered is to build
satellite cities from scratch, with the
environment in mind.
One such project ----- already under
construction is Konza Technopolis.
Just 64 kilometres (40 miles) south of Nairobi, the
upcoming smart city is supported by the Kenyan
government with architectural designs that
factor in rainwater collection and its
utilisation, as well as the use
of solar power.
According to the developers, affordable residential
homes, universities and student accommodation
will be built in the new city ---- as well as
commercial buildings, technology
hubs, offices, hotels... and
entertainment centres.
The city will occupy 5,000 acres and will be developed
in four phases. Phase one - covering 400 acres - is
estimated to create 12,960 residential units
housing about 30,000 residents.
Developers say the housing project will cater for both
ends of the market through provision of affordable
housing units, although the majority will be
targeted towards professional middle-
income families.
For sustainability, construction materials used in the
city must be green with low embodied energy. The
technopolis has set aside green spaces - and
adopts green building practices geared at
reducing greenhouse gas emissions..
within the city and ensuring a clean
environment, a sustainable use of
water, clean, efficient renewable
energy, clean sanitation and
waste management.
Announced in 2008, the city was expected to be
completed by 2019. According to promotional
material still available on its website it was
set to contribute $1.3 billion to Kenya's
GDP by 2020.
Running behind schedule, the developers of the
project are not losing hope, and are going all
in on eco-friendly features.
This building features double-glazed windows, solar
panels, smart lighting, sensored toilet flushes and
rainwater collection.
"For ensuring that water is consumed adequately,
we ensure that the buildings are designed with
sensors in the flushing of toilets and also in
the washing of hands. For this... we also
encourage water harvesting; especially
during rainy seasons we have storage
tanks under there, so that you can
pump them up -- and they can be
used for the flushing of toilets,"
explains Beryl Omollo...
the environmental and
sustainability officer,
Konza Technopolis.
The developers are fully aware of the environmental
cost of building these offices and encourage to
source as many materials as possible locally.
"In construction, there is so much material that are
produced in terms of waste... I can give you an
example, there is a lot of timber that is used
for shuttering for use for construction of the
scaffolding. Our approach to ensure that is
sustainable: we have the multiple use of a
simple resource such as timber. So that
rather than using it for a single use, it
is reused for a different application,
as mentioned. In doing so, you find
that we do not have to go and cut
additional trees... for different
applications of timber used
in construction.''
''Other waste that is generated at Konza is segregated
primarily for recycling," says Antony Sang, engineer
and chief manager of construction operations,
Konza Technopolis.
Real estate contributes up to 30 percent of global
greenhouse gas emissions, according to the
United Nations Environmental Programme.
"We look at the building through its entire life cycle
from the design, construction, to the use of the
building and the demolition," says Nickson
Otieno, architect and environmental
design consultant, Niko Green.
"All those phases... of the development of the built
environment have an impact on the environment.
So we are looking at the impacts serrated to
extraction of materials, manufacturing,
transporting these materials... and
putting them up in the building.''
''They contribute to environmental degradation if not
properly managed, and we use a lot of energy to be
able to extract, process materials, and use them
in the building. And depending on which type of
energy is used, that energy used in the
processing of materials and
construction contributes
significantly... to
climate change."
The Kenyan government allocated $73,840,680 this
financial year (2022), towards the development of
Konza city. The project also received a $6 million
grant from South Korea in March to help fund the
Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and
Technology (KAIST) planned for the site.
Neighbourhoods like Konza which are planned from
the outset, to allow for energy efficiency, space
and quality of life are very rare, but the Kenya
government says it wants to build more.
___________________________________
French-speaking nations summit
ends in Tunisia as block seeks
to step up leadership
November 21st, 11:52am
(africanews)
The world's French-speaking leaders gathered
in Tunisia, ended Sunday (November 20th),
their two-day meeting.
The conference took place against the backdrop of
growing instability in the Sahel, the Great Lakes
regions ------ and popular discontent in
francophone Africa.
The secretary general of the International
Organisation of La Francophonie (IOF)
was elected for a second term. She
promised to do more to
resolve crises.
"We are headed towards a Francophonie of the future,
modernised, much more relevant in the midst of
change which is not easy", Louise
Mushikiwabo said.
"We feel an obligation to offer our fellow Francophones
the fruits of the organisation's work. We feel an
obligation to give more hope to
Francophone youth."
The head of the 88-member IOF bloc, said Sunday
that "all the conflict zones were the subject of
long debates".
"The IOF is an organisation that can support and
catalyse (efforts) to mediate between parties
in conflict," she added.
But tensions crept into the International Organisation
of La Francophonie (IOF) conference itself.. when the
Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde --- refused to pose for a
photo next to Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda.
The DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels
who have seized swathes of territory in its eastern
region, displacing tens of thousands of people and
igniting regional tensions.
The IOF founded was in 1970, aims to promote the
French language, develop economic cooperation
and help mediate international conflicts.
Many African leaders have expressed dismay at the
West's rapid response to the war in Ukraine, in
contrast to conflicts in their own countries.
The organisation --- whose annual budget is under 100
million euros, has been accused of being "powerless"
in the face of fraudulent elections, power grabs and
coups in many of its member states.
French president, Macron, said the IOF should reclaim
its diplomatic role, moments before Paris announced
that it would seek to take on the organisation's
rotating presidency, from 2024.
_______________________________________
COP27 agrees 'loss and damage' deal
to support vulnerable nations
by Philip Andrew Churm with AFP
November 20th, 8:42am
(africanews)
The United Nations COP27 climate summit has
approved the creation of a special fund to
cover the damages suffered by vulnerable
nations affected by global warming.
The two-week talks have switched from fears
the whole process could collapse, to hopes
of a major breakthrough on a fund for
climate "loss and damage".
Delegates applauded after the fund was adopted
early on Sunday November 20th, following days
of marathon negotiations over the proposal.
Senior Coordinator of the African Group on Loss
and Damage, Alpha Kaloga, said it was an
important step.
"Today is a symbolic day, it is a symbolic day
in terms of the impact that this decision will
have on the future.
"Developing countries have been fighting for 30 years
to have a fund, to have recognition of the losses and
damages associated with climate change.
"Today, in the morning, when I left [the hotel] at 2am,
I didn't think we were going to get this deal. And
there was understanding from everyone. The
deal we have, is a deal that reflects the
collective will of all the countries."
An informal coalition of "high ambition" countries
called for strong language on cutting emissions,
moving away from planet-heating fossil fuels
and to reaffirm the 1.5C goal.
The European Union even threatened, Saturday,
to walk out, rather than having a "bad" decision.
The talks still need to approve a range of decisions
and a final COP27 statement including a call for a
"rapid" reduction of emissions in order to meet
the ambitious goal of limiting global warming
to 1.5 degrees Celsius.... from
pre-industrial levels.
Tasneem Essop from the Climate Action Network said:
"It is a huge achievement to get an agreement to
establish loss and damage fund after 30 years
of small island states vulnerable countries,
developing countries, trying to get this on
the agenda. Now, sitting here at the
COP27 to get this agreed to, is the
result of a collective struggle."
Zambia's Minister of Green Economy and Environment,
Collins Nzovu: "Collins Nzovu, added: "Excited. Very,
very excited. This is a very positive result from 1.3
billion Africans. Very exciting because for us,
success in Egypt was going to be based on
what we get from loss and damage."
The deal on loss and damage originally
struggled to make it onto the
negotiation agenda.
Attention now turns to ----- whether the
summit will agree on a final statement.
Scientists say limiting warming to 1.5C
is a far safer guardrail --- against
catastrophic climate impacts,
with the world currently far
off track and heading for
around 2.5C.. under the
current commitments
and plans.
_______________________
Cocoa producers demand
promised payment of
bonuses amid
rising prices
by Philip Andrew Churm with AFP
November 19th, 2:46pm
(africanews)
The two largest cocoa producers in the world
are demanding manufacturers pay more to
their growers.
The argument focuses on the Living Income
Differential, a policy that Ivory Coast and
Ghana introduced in 2019, to fight
poverty among cocoa farmers
in the global $130-billion
chocolate market.
Venance Brou Kouadio is a cocoa producer. He says:
"The cocoa you ask for, is made for you. But you
don't buy it for the price you have to
pay for it.''
"The premiums you have to give us --- we don't receive
them, so it's like stealing. You steal from us. The big
groups steal from us. They don't respect the
contract and they don't respect us, they
don't respect the farmers."
Cocoa farmer, Julien Kouamé Konan, agrees.
"The Westerners who come to buy
cocoa - are getting rich," he says.
"Meanwhile, we are suffering. We earn nothing. We
suffer, cultivating the fields, that's why we ask
the government to help us"
Farmers should receive around 6 percent of the value
generated by the chocolate market but, while the
cost has been factored into the price of the
chocolate, chocolate giants are clawing
that back --- by putting pressure on
other premiums, based on the
quality of cocoa beans.
If the multinationals do not respect their commitments
by November 20th, the two countries are threatening
to "prohibit access to plantations to carry out
crop forecasts" and to "suspend
sustainability programmes."
Appoline Yao Ahou is cocoa producer and says: "I am
angry. I am angry because farmers are working, but
when the government sets the price per kilo of
cocoa, the buyers on the ground do not
respect that price.''
"As farmers, we don't earn enough money
- while the cost of living has increased."
Virtually all of Ivory Coast's crop is purchased
by roughly half a dozen majors. Of this,
around 80 percent heads to Europe.
________________________________________________
UN secures deal with Moscow
to secure grain supplies
to West Africa
by Philip Andrew Churm with AFP
November 19th, 12:22pm
(africanews)
United Nations officials announced on Friday, the 18th
November, a second shipment of Russian fertiliser will
go to West Africa after a first attempt was blocked in
European ports, because of sanctions imposed due
to the conflict in Ukraine.
The move follows talks between Moscow and the UN .
Secretary General of UN's trade and development
agency, UNCTAD, Rebeca Grynspan... told
journalists: "There are around 300,000
tonnes of fertiliser in the different
European ports.''
"The first shipping will get out of a Netherlands port
going to Malawi, the vessel is loading right now.
And the date that has been established for the
vessel to go, is on the 21st of November, to
Malawi, through Mozambique."
As part of the implementation of the two agreements,
signed on July 22nd in Istanbul to ensure unhindered
access to food and fertilisers from Ukraine and
Russia, the WFP earlier announced, it would
facilitate the donation of 260,000 tonnes of
fertiliser by the Russian fertiliser company
Uralchem-Uralkali, to the neediest
countries in Africa, with Malawi
as its first destination.
Grynspan added: "Beyond Malawi, with the help
again with the donation from Uralchem/Uralkali,
the intervention of WFP, and the help of the
World Bank and France, we hope, that the
next destination of the fertilisers will be
West Africa. That has been very
affected by the affordability
crisis of fertilisers."
Agricultural products and fertilisers do not fall under
the sanctions against Russia, but because of the
risks linked to the conflict in the Black Sea,
shipowners no longer wanted to hire out
their ships, because they could not
find insurance.
After intensive discussions, Russia and the UN have
established a framework for insurance, financial
transactions, and other matters, which is
compatible.... with the three existing
sanctions systems (the US, UK and
EU) put in place, following the
Russian invasion of Ukraine
on February the 24th.
Last week, the Black Sea Grain Initiative, signed on
July 22nd, between Turkey, Ukraine, Russia and the
UN allowing Ukrainian grain exports from Ukrainian
ports, was extended for 120 days, from November
the 19th.
__________________________________________________
Russia and Mozambique, to
sign economic cooperation
program, says ministry
November 18th, 3:27pm (TASS)
Russia and Mozambique, will sign a program for
economic and scientific-technical cooperation
in 2023-2026, according to a statement
released by Russia’s Economic
Development Ministry, Friday,
after a meeting of the inter-
governmental commission,
between the two countries
on economic & scientific
-technical cooperation.
"Following the meeting it was decided to develop
a program for economic and scientific-technical
cooperation between Russia and Mozambique
in 2023-2026 shortly," the statement reads.
During the meeting the parties discussed the
current state of trade-economic cooperation,
as well as outlined the ways of further
cooperation in the areas of energy,
and geology, industry, agriculture,
education, and sports... as well
as information-communication
technologies.
____________________________
Tunisians protest over
Sfax garbage crisis
November 18th, 10:44am
(africanews)
Over 1,000 people demonstrated in Tunisia's second
city, Sfax, on Thursday, amid an ongoing trash crisis
exacerbated by a landfill fire polluting the city's air.
Rubbish has been piling up in the streets of Sfax for
months, as available dump sites reach capacity
with local residents forced to burn their
own refuse.
Protestors, including refuse collectors, gathered in
front of the provincial government headquarters
chanting: "Sfax is forgotten, rubbish is eating
it in every street".
They demanded the resignation of Sfax's governor
Fakher Fakhfakh, who the previous day attempted
to play down the dangers of a landfill fire near the
city's port.
On Wednesday, he called on residents not to
talk about the fire, threatening to arrest
those responsible.
"It's a bit of smoke that we have to put up with, and
thank God because it could have been worse," he
said. "Help us with your silence".
Social media users had posted images of thick smoke
covering the port area, prompting Fakhfakh to call for
Facebook to be shut down in Sfax and say that
people had "false information that is harming
the country's economy".
Sfax, a key economic hub with a million residents, has
seen a string of protest movements since 2021, over
trash in the streets and on pavements.
In November 2021, a general strike paralysed the city
as authorities reopened a controversial toxic landfill
site in nearby Agareb. A 35-year-old man died of
tear gas suffocation... during a protest.
President Kais Saied, who froze parliament and seized
near-total power in July 2021, has vowed to resolve
the situation, but residents say little has changed.
On Wednesday, Saied ordered Environment Minister
Leila Chikhaoui to "take immediate action" to
solve the crisis.
Tunisia's household waste is mainly buried, either
at official landfills or in fly-tips, and authorities
are struggling to find new sites for the
2.6 million tonnes the country
produces annually.
_____________________________
Cameroon: Entrepreneur
recycles charcoal into
green gas
November 18th, 10:35am
(africanews)
Tonnes of coal waste are thrown away each year
in Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon.
The waste can pollute both the air and
water supplies and is also a fire hazard.
Eric Tankeu came up with a environmentally-friendly
solution - recycling the charcoal and turning it into
a usable "green gas".
Tankeu is no stranger to going green - for years
he worked on different projects to help protect
the environment.
He says the "gas" project has helped to repurpose
many hectares of forest by reusing the discarded
charcoal waste.
Tankeu explains that the "gas" is a synthetic gas,
produced from carbon-containing materials. Not
only charcoal waste, but also biomass, plastics,
household waste or similar materials.
The end product is bottled in a cylinder that
can be used for a household stove.
Tankeu explains that his "gas" stove offers a
safer and more sustainable way of cooking
food or heating water.
A large part of Cameroon's population has no
access to electricity and domestic gas is
expensive or even unavailable in
some areas.
As a result, many Cameroonians rely on firewood
and coal for cooking and covering basic needs.
According to Global Forest Watch (GFW),
Cameroon's forests are feeling
the pressure. The platform,
provides data and tools for
monitoring forests online.
It says Cameroon lost 1.7 million hectares
(4.2 million acres) of tree cover between
2002 and 2021, more than 5% of
its total.
The main causes were harvesting wood
for fuel, logging, and the conversion of
forests into agricultural land,
GFW reported.
___________________________________
Electoral campaign ends
in Equatorial Guinea
November 18th, 9:39am
(africanews)
The election campaign is in full
swing..... in Equatorial Guinea.
Voters are going to the polls this Sunday
November the 20th, to elect a new
President of the Republic.
The candidate of the ruling party Teodoro Obiang
Nguema will be running for a sixth term as head
of state.
He will face Buenaventura Monsuy, candidate of the
Social Democratic Coalition party and Essono Ondo
Andress, president of the opposition Convergence
for Social Democracy.
"These elections, which will take place on November
20th, are taking place in a formal atmosphere..... of
international observers, civil society is coming
as you yourself have seen in town", said
Equatoguinean journalist Luciano
Ndong Alberto.
On the ground, the two opposition parties are not very
visible. The campaign is dominated by the meetings
and posters of the outgoing president who has
teamed up with 14 opposition parties, for
these elections.
These are combined elections where deputies,
senators and mayors will also be elected.
The opposition believes that the
time for change...... has arrived.
"We are convinced that Equatoguineans want to listen
to a different message than the one conveyed by the
ruling party. They need a message of hope and we
can give it to them. We are saying through this
election that staying at home will not help to
solve our problems" said opposition
candidate, Essono Ondo Andress,
president of the Convergence
for Social Democracy.
This presidential election... was
brought forward, by five months.
The government had justified the anticipation of the
elections in Equatorial Guinea by the concern to
reduce the costs of organization in a context
of economic crisis.
Africanews reporter in Malabo,
Lambert Ngouanfo, adds:
"The electoral campaign is in its final stretch.
The closing meetings.. will be organised this
Friday, because Saturday is not a campaign
day. On Sunday, the day of the elections, a
little more than 427,000 registered voters
are expected to go to the polls".
___________________________________
WHO Says Urgent Funds
Needed --- to Support
Uganda Ebola
Response
November 17th, 2:47pm
(teleSUR)
Since September 20th, when Uganda declared the
Ebola outbreak, there have been 141 confirmed
and 22 probable Ebola infections in Uganda,
and 55 confirmed and 22 probable deaths.
On Thursday, Matshidiso Moeti, regional director for
Africa of the World Health Organization (WHO) said
urgent funds are needed to support the Ebola
response in Uganda and the readiness in
neighboring countries.
So far, only 20 percent of the US$88.2-million appeal
has been collected. "We plead -- that time is of the
essence," Matshidiso said, as she concluded her
three-day trip here, where she was observing
the country's Ebola response.
Since the Sudan strain of the virus was announced in
the country on September 20th, it has now been
detected in a ninth district, which has a large
urban population. Cities favor the spread of
the virus due to their highly-mobile
residents and often crowded
environments.
WHO figures show since September 20th, when
Uganda declared the Ebola outbreak, to date,
there have been a total of 141 confirmed and
22 probable Ebola infections in Uganda, and
55 confirmed and 22 probable deaths.
"We, as partners, all need to expand and intensify
our support to the response, so that we bring this
outbreak to an end," Matshidiso said, noting that
the WHO Africa region office has deployed 80
experts to support the fast-paced response,
and assisted Ugandan health authorities to
deploy a further 150, including over
60 epidemiologists.
She said several health workers and village health
teams have been trained in contact tracing and
infection prevention and control in
health facilities.
Personal Protective Equipment was also delivered to
protect health workers caring for patients. "Most
unfortunately, 19 health workers have already
been infected, and tragically, seven of them
have died," Matshidiso said.
______________________________________________
Interpol SA arrests Israeli fugitive
wanted for several attempted
murders
November 17th, 2:22pm
(africanews)
South African police have announced the arrest of an
Israeli suspected of belonging to a mafia gang and
wanted for attempted homicide.
The 46-year-old man is associated with a major crime
organization called Abergil, named after brothers
Meir and Yitzhak Abergil who were extradited
more than a decade ago to the US, and had
been the subject of an Interpol red notice
since 2015, the police said in a
statement on Thursday.
"Israel's most wanted man," according to South
African police --- was arrested in the early hours
of the morning along with seven other suspects
in a house in Bryanston, an affluent suburb
north of Johannesburg.
Photos and videos of the arrest, shared by the police,
have circulated widely on social networks, showing
stocky men in shorts or pajamas, sitting on the
floor hiding their faces or lying on their
stomachs, their hands shackled with
plastic handcuffs.
According to information from their Israeli
counterparts, the South African police
say the main suspect belongs to "a
notorious gang involved in drug
trafficking, extortion, and other
criminal activities.
In 2003 and 2004, he "allegedly placed a bomb under
a man's car in Israel on two occasions. As a result of
the first explosion, five people were seriously injured,
but all miraculously survived," the statement said. In
the second incident, again targeting the same
person, this time he placed a bomb on the
roof of a vehicle, leaving three people
seriously injured.
The police also seized 12 firearms, including five
assault rifles and seven pistols, 40,000 U.S.
dollars and three stolen motorcycles, the
statement said.
__________________________________________
African students face
discrimination in battle
for Canada visas
November 17th, 2:13pm
(africanews)
Long viewed as a multicultural and inclusive nation,
Canada admitted recently that its immigration
system is tinged with racism and concern
has risen over high rejection rates for
African students.
"I have met people who have had their visas refused
more than five times," says Serge Nouemssi, white
coat and pipette in hand.
Originally from Cameroon, the 33-year-old biology
student has been working on his doctorate for
more than three years in a laboratory at the
University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres
(UQTR).
Surrounded by greenery, the campus located halfway
between Montreal and Quebec City hosts more than
15,000 students, including the largest proportion of
Africans in the province -- 65 percent of
international students.
But "we have seen rejections of up to 80 percent of
applicants coming from Africa," says the school's
rector, Christian Blanchette, who noted it has
been an ongoing problem "for several years."
In a report quietly released at the end of September,
the national immigration department said it
"recognizes the presence of racism in
Canada --- and within our
own organization."
According to federal data, Quebec is the Canadian
province with the highest rejection rate of African
students -- around 70 percent from French-
speaking African nations between 2017
and 2021.
The data says applications from France, Britain or
Germany to study in Quebec are almost always
accepted -- approximately a 90 percent
approval rate.
'Absurd' refusals
As well as having to pay tuition ranging on average
from Can$17,000 (US$12,750) to Can$19,000 per
academic year to study in Quebec and rising up
to Can$50,000, African students must also
provide financial guarantees.
"For us Africans, generally they (immigration officials)
insist on proof of financial means" to be able to
afford to live and study in Canada,
explains Nouemssi.
"There are cases where we have demonstrated
financial resources... that were close to one
million dollars," explains Caroline Turcotte
-Brule, an immigration lawyer. "The agent
replied that our client did not have
enough financial resources."
"I have the impression that it's a bit random," she
adds, specifying that the reason for refusal is
often the same: "a fear that the person will
not return to his country of origin after"
his studies.
"It's a bit of hypocrisy," said Krishna Gagne,
another lawyer, who notes that students
have the legal right to consider staying
in Canada after their studies.
Ottawa has even been encouraging foreign students
to do so as it rolled out incentives in recent months
in order to help deal with a labour shortage.
Sitting at her desk in a small laboratory at the end of a
maze of underground corridors, Imene Fahmi says
that she had to try twice, before being able to
come and study in Quebec.
"I encountered a lot of difficulties", explains the
Algerian-born doctor, who was refused the first
time, because the program she'd chosen was
"not related to her previous studies," even
though she had been aggressively
recruited by her future
research director.
She had to apply a second time and
wait eight months, before finally
getting approvals.
"In regards to immigration, there doesn't seem to be
an understanding, of the nuances and backgrounds
of certain students, so we have refusals which are
a bit absurd," her research supervisor Mathieu
Piche says, unable to hide his frustrations.
Refusals and delays have consequences on the
students but also "on the work of the
teachers," he adds.
'Systemic racism'?
The problem does not only affect students. In July,
Canada faced a backlash over its denials of visas
for hundreds of delegates, including Africans,
that were to attend the AIDS 2022
conference in Montreal.
In its September report, the government
promised ---- better training for its
immigration agents, to consider
creating an ombudsman post
to manage disputes and
review its much
maligned case
processing
software.
Those efforts are welcomed by Turcotte-Brule,
but she underscores -- that there has been "a
problem of systemic racism for a long time"
in Canada -- and that "it will not be
resolved overnight."
________________________________
Climate change induced by
human activity behind
floods in Nigeria
November 17th, 10:12am
(africanews)
Climate change was the main cause of the floods that
killed over 600 people in Nigeria this year, according
to scientists.
In a study revealed on Wednesday, scientists claim:
that the floods that affected Nigeria, but also Niger,
Chad, and neighbouring countries, were directly
linked to human activity.
According to the experts the floods between June
and October this year displaced more than 1.4
million people and were 80 times likelier to
occur because of human activity.
The report comes as COP27 climate talks continue in
Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh, where developing nations
are demanding rich polluters pay for climate-
change-linked calamities.
Africa is home to some of the countries least
responsible for carbon emissions but
hardest hit by weather extremes,
with the Horn of Africa currently
in the grips of a severe drought.
__________________________________
Libya: risk of partition with
the delay of the elections
- UN
November 16th, 12:46pm
(africanews)
The UN's new special envoy for Libya warned Tuesday
that the first anniversary of the postponed elections,
was fast approaching and that further postponement
of the polls could lead the country to even greater
instability, putting it "at risk of partition.
Abdoulaye Bathily told the U.N. Security Council
that the October 2020 ceasefire still held
despite escalating rhetoric and the
build-up of rival governments'
forces in the east and west
of the country.
Oil-rich Libya plunged into chaos after a NATO-
backed uprising toppled and killed longtime
leader, Muammar Gaddafi, in 2011.
In the chaos that followed, the country was divided
between rival administrations supported by rebel
militias and foreign governments.
The current political crisis stems from the failure of
elections on December 24, 2021, and the refusal of
Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah - who headed
a transitional government in the capital, Tripoli -
to resign.
In response, the country's eastern-based parliament
appointed a rival prime minister, Fathi Bachagha,
who has been trying for months to install his
government in Tripoli.
Bathily, a former Senegalese minister and diplomat
who arrived in Libya in mid-October.. and has
traveled to all parts of the country, told the
council, that he has seen Libyans hope for
"peace, stability & legitimate institutions."
"However, there is a growing recognition, that some
institutional actors are actively impeding progress
toward elections," he said.
He warned that further prolonging the elections "will
make the country even more vulnerable to political,
economic, and security instability" - and could risk
partition. And he urged Security Council members
to "join efforts to encourage Libyan leaders to
work with determination to hold elections
as soon as possible.''
Bathily urged the Council to "send an unequivocal
message to the obstructionists that their actions
will not go without consequences."
He said the Security Council must make it clear that
ending the ceasefire and resorting to violence and
intimidation "will not be accepted and that there
is no military solution to the Libyan crisis."
Russia requested this preparatory meeting and its
deputy ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, described
the situation in the country as "very tense" and
"rather unstable", with no sign of an end to
the rival governments soon.
This "means that there will be no inclusive national
elections or unification of Libyan state bodies in
the short term," he said.
Mr. Polyansky warned that "the situation risks getting
out of control under the influence of the divergent
interests of external stakeholders.''
He accused Western nations, especially the United
States, of prolonging the Libyan crisis by using the
turbulent situation in the country to pursue their
own interests, namely unfettered access to
Libyan oil.
Polyansky asserts that Western governments have set
themselves the goal of "turning Libya into a 'gas
station' -- to meet their energy needs." And he
asserted that the U.S. administration.. "still
views the Libyan political process solely
through the prism of U.S. economic
interests ... with the aim of
preventing the growth of
'black gold' prices."
U.S. Deputy Ambassador Richard Mills countered by
saying, "The United States rejects accusations
that somehow access to Libyan oil reserves
is the cause of the political impasse in
Libya today."
Referring to Russia, he said the U.S. was dismayed
that a Council member that violated the U.N.
Charter by invading and occupying its
neighbor continues "to divert the
attention of this Council with
baseless conspiracy
theories."
"This is simply a failed attempt to shield itself from
legitimate criticism," Mills said. "Libyan leaders
must take responsibility for achieving lasting
peace, good governance, and ultimately
prosperity for the Libyan people. And
the United States stands ready to
support them."
_________________________________________
Rumours about rebel advances
cause scramble to safety
in eastern DRC
November 16th, 9:51am
(africanews)
In eastern DRC, rumours of an imminent advancement
of the M23 rebels have sent scores of people fleeing
towards the city of Goma on Tuesday.
"It hurts us a lot to see that we are still fleeing, we
have fled from Kibumba, and now, we are fleeing
again from here, we are heading to Goma. We
were told that the M23 was a few metres
away, that's why we are worried
because we were told that one
person was killed here", said
Alexis Bahunga, one of
the displaced.
The arrival of the displaced in Goma coincided with a
visit to the region of peace mediator, former Kenyan
president, Uhuru Kenyatta, who appealed
for dialogue.
"People are now becoming displaced in their own
country, what I have to say, no matter what our
differences are, even if we have our problems,
please let us stop this war, these children,
these mothers, these old men who don't
know why people are fighting let us
have mercy on them, let us stop
this war and start dialogue",
said Uhuru Kenyatta, former
president of Kenya and
peace mediator.
The M23 rebels, whom Congo accuses of receiving
support from neighbouring Rwanda... have more
than doubled the territory they hold in recent
weeks... as they've grabbed control of
several key towns.
''I ask you to remain calm and to return to your
business freely. I would like to reassure you
that the loyalist forces (Congolese Armed
Forces, Ed.) are performing well, in the
field of operations, and are containing
the enemy in the heights of Kibumba",
reassured General Constant Ndima,
military governor of North Kivu.
Rwanda denies any involvement.
The M23 rebels signed a peace agreement
with the government but re-emerged late
last year, saying the terms had not
been met.
____________________________________________
Nigerian monarch shot
dead inside palace
November 15th, 12:10pm
(africanews)
Police in Nigeria say suspected Biafran separatists
have shot dead the traditional ruler of Obudi
Agwa, in Oguta Local Government Area of
Imo state, Eze Ignatius Asor, and two of
his aides.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mike
Abattam, confirmed the incident, local
media reports.
The gunmen visited the palace in Oguta, under
the guise of reporting an emergency situation,
before opening fire.
It was not immediately clear why the monarch,
Eze Ignatius Asor, was targeted in the attack
on Monday (November 14th).
The Nigerian authorities.. said the gunmen also
attacked the office of a community vigilance
group as they fled --- killing at least one
person and stealing three motorbikes.
The secessionist group, Indigenous People
of Biafra – which police blamed for the
killing – has not yet commented.
The group is campaigning for a breakaway
state of Biafra in the southeast of
the country.
____________________________________________
UN Security Council extends
peacekeeping mission in CAR
November 15th, 11:12am
(africanews)
The UN Security Council voted on Monday
to extend for another year the UN Peace
keeping mission in the Central
African Republic.
The vote was 12 in favour with three abstentions,
namely those of Russia, China and Gabon.
The French-drafted resolution maintains the robust
mandate of the 17,500 peacekeeping mission,
focusing on protecting civilians, whilst
encouraging President Faustin-
Archange Touadera and his
government to promote
lasting peace and
stability through
a reinvigorated
political.... and
peace process.
Intercommunal fighting has raged in the
mineral-rich but impoverished Central
African Republic, since 2013.
The government.. controls the capital,
but much of the country is controlled
by armed groups.
The resolution adopted Monday
urges all parties to respect
the ceasefire, and urgently
implement a reconciliation
process.
CAR’s Foreign Minister, Sylvie Valérie Baipo-Temon,
denounced “an alarming humanitarian situation,”
adding the country needs a mandate to
address the armed groups.
______________________________________________
UK announces
withdrawal from Mali
November 15th, 10:15am
(africanews)
The British government announced on Monday
the early withdrawal of its military contingent
currently deployed in Mali as part of the
UN mission to the country.
Behind the decision is the ruling junta's use
of the Russian paramilitary group, Wagner.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the commitment
was supposed to last three years, but faced with the
rising instability in the country, London decided to
anticipate the withdrawal of its troops, who
should leave the country in the next
six months.
France, the main country intervening militarily in Mali,
notably through the Barkhane force, alongside its
European partners announced in February their
withdrawal from the country. The last French
soldiers left Mali this summer, after nearly
a decade.
Almost 300 British soldiers have been in Mali since
the end of 2020, as part of the deployment of a UN
peacekeeping mission in the country, launched
in 2013 (Minusma, Ed.), aimed, in particular, at
stabilising the security situation in a country
plagued by jihadist attacks.
____________________________________
Fighting in eastern DRC
continues as peace
efforts gather pace
November 15th, 10:10am
(africanews)
Fighting in eastern DRC continued on Monday
between government forces and the M23
rebels near the strategic city of Goma
in North Kivu province.
Former Kenyan president and EAC mediator Uhuru
Kenyatta arrived in Kinshasa on Sunday for peace
talks set to take place on November 21st.
"The message that we have today is that all groups
who currently bear arms should lay those arms
down -- and choose the path of peace through
dialogue -- because there is nothing that can
be gained through the barrel of a gun", said
Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of Kenya,
and East African Community's facilitator on
the Peace Process in the Eastern region
of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Congolese government accuses Rwanda
of supporting the rebels, an accusation
rejected by Kigali.
"Silence the guns and join in a political process.
That is to the local groups. To foreign based
groups, it is basically saying.. that the DRC
is no longer the battleground for problems
that are not from this country", added
the former President.
Eastern DRC was the theatre of two bloody
regional wars in the 1990s leaving scores
of armed groups that remain active in
the region.
_____________________________________
Sudan: Thousands of