Africa Now - Weekly Newsletter (Week 26, 2023)

Commentary

The paradox of Ethiopia’s Politics of nationalism

There are nations with States and nations without a State. And in sub-Saharan Africa, there exists a third category: States without nations.Click here to read… [2]

Aid Is the Next Battleground Between China and the West

When around 50 country leaders gather in Paris on Thursday and Friday for the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, the main question on their agenda is a familiar one: how to tackle climate change and global poverty.Click here to read… [3]

Will China’s Private Security Companies Follow the Wagner Group’s Footsteps in Africa?

As the controversial Russian mercenary group is diverting its attention to Ukraine, China’s PSCs have a window to expand their engagement in African countries.Click here to read… [4]

The Habshis of India

Amongst the hundreds of minorities within the Subcontinent, Black Indians of African origin stand out.Click here to read… [5]

News

'The war must end,' South Africa's Ramaphosa tells Putin

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that the war in Ukraine must stop. Ramaphosa is in Russia as part of a peace-seeking delegation.Click here to read… [6]

Mali, CAR watch with concern as Wagner mutiny unfolds in Russia

The Russian capital and the regions of Rostov, which borders Ukraine and Lipetsk announced on Saturday that they were stepping up their security arrangements after the head of Russian paramilitary group, Wagner, accused the Russian army of shelling his fighters.Click here to read… [7]

Sierra Leoneans head to the polls amid cost-of-living crisis

The West African country, which never fully recovered economically from a 1991-2002 civil war and the Ebola epidemic a decade later, was further pummelled by the Covid pandemic and fallout from the war in Ukraine.Click here to read… [8]

Police fired tear gas at Sierra Leone opposition after vote

One person was severely wounded after police surrounded the APC headquarters during a post-election news conference.Click here to read… [9]

Zimbabwe president pledges economic revival as election campaign kicks off

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa vowed to do "what we can to remain in power", promising to revive an economy that has collapsed under his watch as he launched his bid for a second five-year term.Click here to read… [10]

Sudan conflict: Army outnumbered on Khartoum's streets

The Sudanese army's infantry battalions have hardly been present on the streets of Khartoum during the two months-long conflict that has raged in the country.Click here to read… [11]

Libya 6+6 deal: Loopholes cast doubt on democratic elections

Key issues remain strongly contested despite draft laws agreed in Morocco by Libya’s rival legislative bodies.Click here to read… [12]

Malians approve the new draft constitution with 97% of the vote

Regional powers and Mali's ruling military junta -- which mostly organized and backed the referendum -- said it will pave the way to elections in February 2024 and a return to civilian ruleClick here to read… [13]

UN Secretary-General: Western Sahara Issue Predates Creation of Polisario Front

In a recent revelation, the United Nations’ Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted that the separatist Polisario Front is a newcomer to the Western Sahara dispute as it did not exist before 1975.Click here to read… [14]

Algeria’s ex-prime minister, health minister gets 5 years in jail

Algeria’s former Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui and former Health Minister Abdelmalek Boudiaf have been sentenced to five years in prison and fined 1 million Algerian dinars ($7,383).Click here to read… [15]

Senegal's Sonko files lawsuit in France against president Sall for 'crimes against humanity'

A 170-page long complaint has been lodged against Senegalese president Macky Sall.Click here to read… [16]

South Africa to host BRICS political parties dialogue in July

The dialogue will be held in Johannesburg on July 18-20 to deliberate on issues of mutual interest, and it will be attended by party leaders and representatives of political parties across the world,Click here to read… [17]

South Africa envoy slams ‘dollar domination’, says arresting Putin in Johannesburg will be ‘bizarre’

Ahead of August's BRICS Summit in South Africa, country's High Commissioner to India, Joel Sibusiso Ndebele, also spoke about African peace initiative in Ukraine & defence cooperation with India.Click here to read… [18]

Parliament approves Egypt's hosting of African Space Agency

The House of Representatives approved on Wednesday a presidential decree regarding Egypt's agreement to host the headquarters of the African Space Agency (AfSA).Click here to read… [19]

President El-Sisi Meets President of Tunisia Kais Saied in Paris

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with President of Tunisia, Kais Saied, on the sidelines of the Paris Summit for a New Global Financing Pact.Click here to read… [20]

South Sudan contributes $5 mn to IOM to support returnees

South Sudan has contributed $5 million to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), a UN migration agency, to support the most vulnerable from Sudan for their livelihood to resettle.Click here to read… [21]

Morocco delays 'Abraham Accords' summit until after summer

Morocco will delay a summit it is hosting between Israel and Arab states that have signed "Abraham Accords" peace pacts, its foreign minister said on Friday, amid rising strife in the West Bank.Click here to read… [22]

Mauritius, Seychelles, Comoros: US boosts Indian Ocean presence amid rivalry with China

The US is riding the tide across the Indian Ocean, opening up embassies in several countries while paying its highest-level visit to Comoros as the island nation leads the African Union.Click here to read… [23]

Kenya-EU trade deal: Why the East African Community was left out

Kenya's President William Ruto hailed his country's "remarkable partnership" with the European Union (EU) as the two sides inked a 25-year trade deal, but it has raised questions about East African unity.Click here to read… [24]

Why Angola’s economy is likely to rely on Chinese financing for decades to come

Since becoming Angolan president in 2017, Joao Lourenço has been trying to diversify the economy away from oil and to reduce the country’s dependence on China.Click here to read… [25]

Tanzania permits China to explore its natural gas reserve

Tanzania's Energy Minister January disclosed via an interview with Bloomberg on Thursday that Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and CNOOC, a Chinese state-owned offshore oil and gas corporation, want to begin offshore exploration.Click here to read… [26]

Netherlands, Denmark to help create $1 billion South Africa hydrogen fund

South Africa’s abundant wind and solar resources and industrial capacity have positioned it to potentially become a key producer of the green fuel.Click here to read… [27]

Finland may cut aid to African countries supporting Russian war in Ukraine

Finland will not give any development aid to governments and countries that support Russia’s war in Ukraine.Click here to read… [28]

Libya Arrests 50 Chinese Nationals in Crackdown on Crypto Mining

Libyan authorities have dismantled a crypto mining operation in the country's west, the prosecution in Tripoli said Thursday, adding that 50 Chinese nationals had been detained.Click here to read… [29]

Amnesty accuses Spain, Morocco of cover-up in Melilla deaths

One year since tens of migrants and refugees died in a crush at the border between Spain and Morocco, Amnesty International has accused the two countries of a "cover-up."Click here to read… [30]

Nigeria amasses $3 billion debt to traders for oil swaps

Nigeria has accumulated up to $3 billion in debts to trading houses such as Vitol and oil majors such as BP (BP.L) for fuel supplies.Click here to read… [31]

Zambia reaches deal with China, other nations to rework $6.3bn in loans

Zambia and its government creditors, including China, have reached a deal to restructure $6.3 billion in loans.Click here to read… [32]

Zambian President Hichilema's $6bn debt deal hailed as 'historic'

Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the outlines of a deal aimed at lifting his country out of its debt crisis have been unveiled.Click here to read… [33]

Ramaphosa calls for reform of global financial institutions

He said Africa wanted to play a key role in these institutions. He said Western countries were in charge of these institutions and the continent had little or no role at all.Click here to read… [34]

Somalia Appeals for Removal of Arms Embargo

Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has urged the U.N. Security Council to lift an arms embargo on the nation, saying it no longer serves its purpose.Click here to read… [35]

Jihadists in Congo are extending their reach in the region

They came in the dead of night with guns, axes, machetes and petrol bombs, shooting, hacking and setting fire to students as they slept in their dormitories at a remote school in Uganda’s west.Click here to read… [36]

Jihadis selling rustled cattle in Ghana

Stolen livestock from some West African nations have been finding their way into local markets in Ghana. Security experts are concerned that porous borders are facilitating the movement of rustled animals by jihadis.Click here to read… [37]

In Madagascar, mobile clinics bolster health surveillance during cyclones

After the Batsirai and Emnati cyclones hit Madagascar’s south-eastern Vatovavy region in February 2022, Toky Rabemaharo suddenly found himself and his community cut off from basic health services.Click here to read… [38]

India in Africa

India proposes giving African Union full membership of G20

During its year-long Presidency of the G20, India has pushed for a greater voice for the developing world in the deliberations of the body.Click here to read… [39]

PM Narendra Modi Writes to G20 Members, Proposes Full Membership for African Union

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to the leaders of the G20 nations proposing that the African Union be given full membership of the grouping at its upcoming summit in India.Click here to read… [40]

PM Modi thanks President Biden for accepting proposal to add Africa as permanent G20 member

PM Modi thanks President Biden for supporting his proposal to add 'Africa' as a permanent member of the G20, aligning with the African Union's appeal for complete membership.Click here to read… [41]

PM Modi’s visit will be game changer for bilateral ties: Egypt ambassador

Besides the co-production of military equipment, the two sides will discuss Egypt’s offer of a dedicated slot for India within the Suez Canal Economic Zone.Click here to read… [42]

India needs to be wary of Chinese private security companies in Africa: Report

China is using an aggressive approach of employing Private Security Companies (PSCs) to mitigate the security risks for Chinese nationals in Africa. These PSCs are armed with sophisticated weapons and surveillance systems.Click here to read… [43]

Indian firm builds cables plant in Morocco

India’s Indore Group has invested nearly $16 million to build a cables production plant in Morocco under an agreement with the government in the North African Arab country, a newspaper has reported.Click here to read… [44]

Wipro opens new office in Cape Town, deepens presence in South Africa

Wipro has been present in Africa since 2007, supporting enterprises and public sectors in their digital transformation to be globally competitive.Click here to read… [45]

Kenya and India to Forge Bilateral Collaboration in Space

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Hon. Aden Duale, has announced that Kenya and India are currently engaged in bilateral discussions to explore space collaboration opportunities.Click here to read… [46]

India plans to set up R&D centre in Mauritius

Union education and skill development minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday met vice Prime Minister and minister of tertiary education science & technology of Mauritius Leela Devi Dookun- Luchoomun in Pune on the sidelines of the fourth EdWG meeting.Click here to read… [47]

India discusses expanding academic and skill development partnership with Mauritius

India has decided to take forward the bilateral cooperation in education and skill development with Mauritius, UAE, UK, and Oman.Click here to read… [48]

Lagos Free Zone woos Indian manufacturers

The Lagos Free Zone (LFZ), a private free trade zone in Nigeria, is looking to attract Indian investments in fields such as pharmaceuticals, consumer goods and chemicals, managing director Dinesh Rathi said.Click here to read… [49]

Uganda invites Indian businessmen to explore investment opportunities

The country invites businesses to explore investment in sectors such as agribusiness, infrastructure, real estate and oil and gas among others, the official said.Click here to read… [50]

Kenya: INS Sunayna visits Mombasa to strengthen bilateral ties

INS Sunayna visited Mombasa, Kenya from June 20-23 for strengthening bilateral ties with maritime neighbours on the theme of Ocean Ring of Yoga.Click here to read… [51]

India approves export of broken rice to Senegal, Gambia and Indonesia

India has approved exports of broken rice to Senegal, Gambia and Indonesia following a request from the three nations, the Directorate-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has said.Click here to read… [52]

Mahindra Thar 5 door global unveil on August 15 in South Africa

The Thar 5-door will go on sale next year; will come with 2.2-litre diesel and 2.0-litre turbo petrol engines.Click here to read… [53]

Rath Yatra celebrations in Ghana capital today

Rath Yatra will be celebrated at Accra, the capital of the African country of Ghana, on Sunday.Click here to read… [54]

British billionaire in missing submersible helped India to bring cheetahs from Namibia

The British billionaire, who was onboard the missing tourist sub, had collaborated with the Indian government on the project to bring on cheetahs from Namibia.Click here to read… [55]

WHO flags 7 India-made syrups in its probe on contaminated medicine causing 300 deaths globally

The World Health Organisation in its probe has flagged seven made-in-India cough syrups for their substandard quality that led to the death of around 300 people across the world.Click here to read… [56]

Gambia Tightens Drug Import Rules for India After Mass Deaths

Gambia is tightening medicine importation rules to prevent substandard Indian products from entering its market.Click here to read… [57]

Gambia to run strict quality check on Indian drugs before shipment

This comes nearly a year after 70 children died in the Gambia allegedly after consuming contaminated syrups manufactured by Haryana-based Maiden pharmaceuticals.Click here to read… [58]

Gandhian Scholars Ask Indian, South African Governments To Join Hands To Revive Gandhi's Legacy In South Africa

The Gandhian scholars participating in an online conference also said all Gandhian organisations across the globe need to unite to spread Gandhi's message.Click here to read… [59]