VIF News Digest: International Developments (Africa), 15 – 21 April, 2019

Nigeria's Boko Haram raid village near Chibok on kidnapping anniversary: AFP, 15 April 2019

Boko Haram militants raided a village near the northeastern Nigerian town of Chibok just as locals marked the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls five years earlier, vigilantes and residents said Monday. The militants late Sunday stormed into Kwarangulum village, 16 kilometres (10 miles) from Chibok Town, looting food and destroying property.

The gunmen, who arrived aboard four trucks, were "shooting indiscriminately and setting homes on fire," local vigilante David Bitrus told AFP. Click here to read... [2]

African Union sets deadline for Sudan power transfer: Aljazeera, 16 April 2019

The African Union has warned Sudan's military that the country has 15 days to install a civilian government or risk getting kicked out of the bloc, as a sit-in demanding the army hand over power entered its 11th day on Tuesday.
Sudan must aim to hold "free, fair and transparent elections" as soon as possible, the AU's Peace and Security Council said it in a statement on Monday. Click here to read... [3]

Trump’s latest immigration plan targets African countries whose citizens overstay visas: Quartz, 16 April 2018

The Trump administration is considering a new immigration measure to impose visa restrictions on countries whose citizens have a track record of overstaying beyond the validity of their short-term US visas, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports.
As part of the proposed measure being discussed by senior White House officials, visas could become harder to get for applicants from countries with high rates of overstaying visas and, when issued, the visa validity periods could also become shorter. In the long-term, such countries could also face outright bans. WSJ also reports that the White House is looking to tighten rules around student and investor visas. Click here to read... [4]

South Sudan offers to mediate political transition in Sudan: Reuters, 17 April 2019

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has offered to help mediate a political transition in Sudan after the fall of autocratic president Omar al-Bashir to weeks of popular protests, Kiir’s office said on Wednesday. His move came seven months after Bashir helped mediate a shaky peace deal between Kiir and the main opposition rebel group in South Sudan, which won independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of conflict. Click here to read... [5]

Sudan crisis: Ex-President Omar al-Bashir moved to prison: BBC, 17 April 2019

Sudan's former President Omar al-Bashir has been moved to Kobar maximum security prison, days after he was deposed in a military coup. Reports say the ex-leader has until now been detained at the presidential residence under heavy guard. He is reportedly being held in solitary confinement and is surrounded by tight security. Months of protests in Sudan led to the ousting and arrest of the long-time ruler on Thursday.
Uganda's Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Oryem Okello told Reuters news agency the country would consider offering the deposed leader asylum if he applied, despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Click here to read... [6]

IMF to grant $118.2 million credit facility to Mozambique to rebuild after Cyclone Idai: africanews, 20 April 2019

The International Monetary Fund will grant Mozambique a $118.2 million credit facility to help it rebuild infrastructure after a devastating cyclone that killed hundreds of people and flattened whole villages, the lender said on Friday.
More than 1,000 people have been reported killed by the storm in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi after the worst cyclone in decades lashed the eastern Indian Ocean coast in March with devastating winds of up to 170 km per hour (105 miles per hour). Click here to read... [7]

Suspected jihadists kill 10 Malian soldiers: africanews, 21 April 2019

At least 10 Malian soldiers were killed on Sunday in an attack by alleged jihadists against an army camp in the town of Guiré (centre), near the border with Mauritania, a Malian security source said.
“At least ten soldiers were killed, the terrorists came from the Wagadou forest”, a refuge for Malian Islamists for years, said this security source under cover of anonymity. Click here to read... [8]