INR | AFRICA: Weekly Updates

Islamic State group poses rising threat in Africa despite progress, UN experts say

• The Islamic State extremist group poses a rising threat amid political instability in West Africa and the Sahel and remains intent on carrying out attacks abroad, the U.N. counter-terrorism chief said Thursday.

• Vladimir Voronkov reiterated U.N. findings that IS continues to pose a significant threat to international peace and security, especially in conflict zones, despite significant progress by U.N. member nations in countering the threat. The group has also increased operations in its former strongholds in Iraq and Syria as well as Southeast Asia, Voronkov said.

Read ahead at: https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/16/islamic-state-group-poses-rising-threat-in-africa-despite-progress-un-experts-say/

Biden to welcome Kenyan president to White House for state visit in May

• President Joe Biden plans to welcome Kenyan President William Ruto to the White House in May, hosting a state visit after reneging on his promise to visit Africa last year.

• White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced Friday that the visit set for May 23 will mark the 60th anniversary of U.S.-Kenya diplomatic relations and "celebrate a partnership that is delivering for the people" of both countries while affirming "our strategic partnership" with Ruto's country.

Read ahead at: https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/16/biden-to-welcome-kenyan-president-to-white-house-for-state-visit-in-may

Sahel Alliance: ministers confirm ECOWAS withdrawal at meeting

• The defence and foreign affairs ministers from Mali and Niger arrived in Burkina Faso's capital on Thursday for a meeting between the three countries.

• It comes just weeks after their withdrawal from regional bloc ECOWAS. The three members of the Alliance of Sahel States are now laying the steps to create a tri-state confederation.

• Spokesman for the Alliance, Abdoulaye Maïga, said the three members had confirmed their joint commitment to withdraw from ECOWAS without delay and continue cooperation under the Alliance, which was formed last September.

Read ahead at:

https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/16/sahel-alliance-ministers-confirm-ecowas-withdrawal-at-meeting

Rebels attack a gold mine in eastern Congo, killing at least 12 people

• At least a dozen people have been killed and 16 others kidnapped by rebels at a mining site in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a civil society organization said Thursday.

• Rebels from the CODECO armed group attacked a gold mine on Wednesday near the Djugu district of Ituri province, said Vital Tungulo, director of Mabendi, a local rights group. “We are outraged by this enemy attack,” he said.

Read ahead at: https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/16/rebels-attack-a-gold-mine-in-eastern-congo-killing-at-least-12-people/

US to build 5 new military bases for Somali army, which faces a rebellion by an extremist group

• The U.S. will build up to five military bases for the Somali army in a project that seeks to bolster the Somalian national army's capabilities amid ongoing threats from an extremist group.

• Somalia's defense minister and the U.S. charge d'affaires signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday in Mogadishu, the Somali capital

• The agreement comes at a time when the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, known as ATMIS, is scaling back its presence in Somalia.

Read ahead at: https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/16/us-to-build-5-new-military-bases-for-somali-army-which-faces-a-rebellion-by-an-extremist-g/

Al-Shabab asserts responsibility for Somalia's UAE assault.

• Five dead, including four Emirati troops, in Somalia assault.

• Saturday's assault aimed at troops in General Gordon military base.

• The UAE Defense Ministry reported three troop deaths and two wounded.

Read more at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/11/al-shabab-kills-three-emirati-troops-one-bahraini-officer-in-somalia 

Rights Group: Ethiopian Forces Kill Dozens in Amhara Region.

• In late January, Ethiopia's federal security forces allegedly killed 45 civilians in Amhara state: EHRC.

• EHRC confirmed 45 civilians killed by government forces for alleged support.

• Merawi, Amhara, sees killings after clashes between the military and Fano.

Read more at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/13/ethiopian-forces-killed-at-least-45-citizens-in-amhara-rights-body-says 

Addis Summit Raises Queries on AU's Stance Amid Ethiopia Tensions.

• African leaders convene in Addis Ababa for the AU summit.

• Moussa Faki Mahamat emphasizes regional integration, peace, and security issues.

• Ironically, the summit's host has sparked or participated in conflicts.

Read more at: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/2/14/addis-summit-raises-questions-about-ethiopias-many-conflicts 

Israel opposes South Africa's Rafah appeal to the World Court.

• Israel strongly condemns South Africa's plea for World Court intervention.

• Pretoria accused of backing Hamas, denying Israel's defense rights.

• Israel requests ICJ to dismiss South Africa's appeal on Gaza.

Read more at: https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/16/israel-urges-world-court-to-reject-south-africas-rafah-request/ 

Senegal's Constitutional Court Deems February 25 Election Delay Unlawful.

• Senegal's Constitutional Council nullifies President Macky Sall's election postponement decree.

• The Constitutional Council deems the National Assembly's December 15 vote unconstitutional.

• Election delay sparks political unrest; uncertainty surrounds rescheduled timeline.

Read more at: https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/16/senegal-election-delay-unconstitutional/ 

News bits compiled by:

Alithia Clemency Paul (M.A. I.R., 2nd Year) (Region Head)

Drafted by:

Swapnil Tiwari (B.A. I.R. 1st Year)

Daney Antonio Martin (B.A. I.R., 1st Year)

Manjyot Kaur (B.A. I.R., 1st Year)

Published by:

Alithia Clemency Paul (M.A. I.R., 2nd Year)

INR | AFRICA: Weekly Updates

Communal clashes over land in South Sudan result in 38 fatalities and 52 injuries

• Conflict since Wednesday, ongoing tensions, and fear of revenge attacks reported Thursday night in a remote area.
• Violence de-escalated, but minor clashes persist in remote swampy areas, making casualty verification challenging, according to Mayom.
• Four days post gunmen attack in Abyei, an oil-rich region claimed by Sudan and South Sudan, 52 killed, including a U.N. peacekeeper, and 64 wounded.

Read more at: https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/02/38-killed-and-52-wounded-in-communal-clashes-over-land-in-south-sudan/

Somali forces are still searching for UN helicopter passengers.

• Somali forces seek passengers of captured UN helicopter, says Minister to CNN.
• Al-Shabaab seized the helicopter with eight people, including foreigners and one Somali citizen.
• Iqarus, a global medical care organization, operated the helicopter with a conflict-response crew. 
• “Ayman was accountable for planning multiple lethal terrorist attacks in Somalia and nearby countries,” Aweis said.

Read more at: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/10/africa/un-helicopter-captured-al-shabaab-somalia-intl/index.html

What led to the suspension of ex-President Jacob Zuma by South Africa's ruling ANC?

• The ANC accused Zuma of insubordination, justifying his suspension citing "exceptional circumstances."
• Zuma's suspension results from ongoing disputes with President Ramaphosa, marring the party's image after decades in power.
• Despite Zuma's enduring popularity, he poses a threat to the struggling party.

Read more at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/31/why-did-south-africas-ruling-anc-suspend-ex-president-jacob-zuma

UN human rights chief condemns Mali attacks that led to the death of 50 people.

• The UN rights chief expressed shock at alleged summary executions of 25 people by Mali's army.
• Mali's vast geography, poor communication, and security challenges hinder gathering and verifying information.
• As per a senior ECOWAS official, this represents just a glimpse of the severe insecurity's impact.

Read more at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/1/un-rights-chief-decries-death-of-50-people-in-mali-attacks

Tinubu expresses concern over the stereotyping of Nigerians as cybercriminals.

• Tinubu stressed that this narrative unjustly tarnishes the reputation of law-abiding citizens in the majority.
• Deputy President Kashim Shettima presented Tinubu's speech, underscoring the absence of statistical proof linking cybercrimes to all Nigerians.
• Tinubu emphasizes that ordinary Nigerians contribute significantly to global fields, including AI and medicine.

Read more at: https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/01/tinubu-decries-stereotyping-of-nigerians-as-cybercriminals/

Tunisia wants to borrow billions from its Central Bank

• Cash-strapped Tunisia wants to take the unprecedented step of borrowing billions from its central bank to plug budget deficits and heal its economic crisis, a move that experts say could cause inflation and undermine confidence in institutions.
• In an emergency closed-door meeting, parliament's finance committee on Wednesday considered President Kais Saied 's government's request to borrow the funds after revising laws intended to guarantee the bank's autonomy.
• Mr. Saied’s government wants the central bank to directly buy up to 7 billion Tunisian dinars ($2.25 billion) of interest-free bonds to help close a budget deficit of 10 billion dinars ($3.2 billion).

https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/01/tunisia-wants-to-borrow-billions-from-its-central-bank/

Three African Juntas Leave Regional Bloc, Accusing It of ‘Inhumane’ Sanctions

• Soldiers who seized power in three West African nations announced on Sunday that they would pull their countries out of their regional economic bloc.

• Military juntas in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso said they were withdrawing from the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, because of sanctions the group imposed in response to the coups that were carried out.

Read ahead at:https://nyti.ms/49fMDmx

Navy secures release of fishing vessel with crew of 11 Iranians, 8 Pakistanis

• The Indian Navy foiled a piracy attempt on an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel, FV Omaril, off the east coast of Somalia on February 2 and ensured the release of the crew — 11 Iranian and eight Pakistani nationals — along with the boat.

• “Information regarding piracy attempt on fishing vessel FV Omaril was monitored on January 31. The Indian naval remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), undertaking surveillance in the area, successfully located FV Omaril, and INS Sharda, deployed for anti-piracy mission in the region, was diverted to intercept the boat,” the Navy said in a statement on Friday.

Read ahead at:https://newsth.live/D1hNl0

Kenyan police updates on Nairobi massive gas explosion

• Early Friday (Feb.02nd) moring, Kenyan firefighters were still hosing a warehouse after a vehicle loaded with gas exploded igniting homes, vehicles and businesses in Nairobi.

• The Assistant Inspector General of Police revised the death toll to a least 3 fatalities.Around 270 people were injured the assistant inspector at the scene said.

• "We have around 271 people who are admitted in various hospitals in Nairobi. With Mama Lucy (hospital) having the bulk, 140 are there. The rest of the resident hospitals have various numbers, 21 were treated on site and allowed to go back to their home. We have 3 fatalities, that is as at now."

Read ahead at:

https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/02/kenya-gas-explosion-death-toll-rises-to-3/

Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosts Kenyan counterpart Musalia Mudavadi

• U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Kenyan Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi at the State Department Thursday to highlight the longstanding strategic partnership between the two countries.

• Blinken expressed gratitude for the relationship with Kenya, "a key democratic partner," and said he looked forward to working together on bilateral issues and opportunities to address regional and global challenges

Read ahead at:

https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/02/secretary-of-state-antony-blinken-hosts-kenyan-counterpart-musalia-mudavadi/

Morocco arrests 30 people suspected of trafficking newborns, report says

• Moroccan authorities arrested 30 people this week in the city of Fes on multiple charges as part of a wide-ranging case involving blackmail, threats, and trafficking of newborn babies.

• The North African country's state-run news agency, MAP, reported on Wednesday that the suspects — including law enforcement agents, doctors, nurses, and other health professionals — were arrested earlier this week. They are accused of working with unwed mothers to sell babies to families wishing to adopt.

Read ahead at:

https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/02/morocco-arrests-30-people-suspected-of-trafficking-newborns-report-says/

UN warns of spike in killings and kidnappings across Haiti as deployment of armed force stalls

• More than 2,300 people were killed, injured, or kidnapped in Haiti from October to December last year, a nearly 10% increase compared with the previous quarter, according to a new U.N. report released Thursday.

• The number of killings alone spiked to more than 1,600 during the period, with officials blaming the vacuum created by the death of a powerful gang leader known as Andrice Isca for unleashing territorial fights in the Cite Soleil slum of Port-au-Prince that killed and injured nearly 270 people over roughly two weeks in late November. Isca has also been identified as Iskar Andrice and Iscar Andris.

Read ahead at:

https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/02/un-warns-of-spike-in-killings-and-kidnappings-across-haiti-as-deployment-of-armed-force-st/

UN experts: Terrorist threat is high in Africa conflict zones and Afghanistan, and rose in Europe

• The terrorist threat from al-Qaida, the Islamic State group, and their affiliates remains high in conflict zones in Africa and in Afghanistan – and threat levels have risen in some regions including Europe, U.N. experts said in a new report.

• The panel of experts said in the 23-page report that the relationship between Afghanistan's Taliban rulers and al-Qaida remains close, and unnamed member states report that "the high concentration of terrorist groups" in the country is undermining the security situation in the region.

Read ahead at:

https://www.africanews.com/2024/02/02/un-experts-terrorist-threat-is-high-in-africa-conflict-zones-and-afghanistan-and-rose-in-e/

News bits compiled and drafted by:

Swapnil Tiwari (B.A. I.R. 1st Year)

Daney Antonio Martin (B.A. I.R., 1st Year)

Manjyot Kaur (B.A. I.R., 1st Year)

Published by:

Alithia Clemency Paul (M.A. I.R., 2nd Year)

INR | AFRICA: Weekly Updates

Terrorist Who Led Deadly Attack in Kenya Killed.

• Somali troops and US forces this week killed a senior commander of the Al- Shabaab militant group with a $10 million American bounty on his head, the African nation’s information minister said.

Read ahead at: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/somali-us-forces-kill-islamist-with-10-million-bounty--4472616

France to Close Niger Embassy After Row with Military Junta

• France is closing its embassy in Niger indefinitely as tensions between the two countries escalate. The embassy says ”it is no longer able to function or fulfil its mission due to restrictions imposed by Niger’s military government.”

Read ahead at: https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/africa/France-to-close-Niger-embassy-after-row-with-military-junta-1902587

Escalating Military Conflict in Sudan Threatens Displaced Ethiopians.

• Ethiopian refugees, who are housed in the Tunaydbah and Um Rakuba camps in Eastern Sudan, face imminent danger following the surge of militarized violence in Sudan and the evacuation of aid workers.

Read ahead at: https://addisstandard.com/news-escalating-military-conflict-in-sudan-threatens-displaced-ethiopians/

President Calls to End Use of Force to Resolve Differences as Ethiopia Marks Nations and Nationalities Day.

• Ethiopian president Sahlewerk Zewude in her remarks during the celebration of the 18th Nations, Nationalities and People’s day called for the end of use of force to resolve political differences.

Read ahead at: https://addisstandard.com/news-president-calls-to-end-use-of-force-to-resolve-differences-as-ethiopia-marks-nations-and-nationalities-day/

Uganda Running Out Of Safe Food Options.

• With a couple of days left before Christmas, people in Uganda are mapping out what Christmas dinner will look like as scientists have listed foods that could predispose consumers to cancer.

Read ahead at: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/uganda-running-out-of-safe-food-options-4472458